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Jeremiahrieke
Tinkerer
Username: Jeremiahrieke
Post Number: 1
Registered: 08-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 03, 2009 - 06:04 am: | 
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Recently I picked up and Ansco Viking, that seems to be in decent shape, at the flea market. The price was good, the bellows seems to be tight and the shutter works but the focus ring is stuck tight. Someone suggested a drop of lighter fluid around the edge of the focus ring might loosen it up. I tried that to no avail. There are screws around the edge of the focus ring that I'm assuming are set screws to hold the focus ring in the appropriate position to match the scale. There are three small screws on the front of the lens, should I remove the set screws or the ones on the front lens ring? I've never worked on a camera before but want to start restoring some of the older ones I have laying around, this one seems like a good, simple place to start.
Any help, references or suggestions appreciated
Thanks
Jeremiah |
Tom_cheshire
Tinkerer
Username: Tom_cheshire
Post Number: 98
Registered: 04-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 03, 2009 - 06:16 am: |
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Don't force it. The screws strip on these and the focus ring will turn while the lens itself is still frozen.
The usual method for these is to apply heat to the ring to soften the grease in there. Heat is usually applied with a soldering iron. |
Scott
Tinkerer
Username: Scott
Post Number: 46
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, August 03, 2009 - 09:17 pm: |
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Yes, loosen the set screws (don't have to remove them) and take the ring off of the brass lens collar. You'll need to use some force to unscrew the lens element, and the aluminum lens ring (and the set-screws) is not meant to take that much force.
Using a few drops of solvent or strong alchohol won't hurt, but as Tom says, heat is the best way. I'd say try aiming a hot hair dryer (or a heat gun..but very carefully) on it for a minute or so, then gripping the lens element with rubber gloves while it's still hot. Myself, I prefer to take the whole lens-shutter mechanism off and put it in the oven.
When you get all of the lens elements out, clean off the old grease and put on a little new grease.
The last step is re-calibrating the focus, and mounting the lens ring (with the distance markings). |
Glenn
Tinkerer
Username: Glenn
Post Number: 636
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, August 04, 2009 - 02:45 pm: |
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Take care not to overheat, when using an oven to heat lens/shutter assemblies from cameras that use cemented pairs in their optics. |
Tom_cheshire
Tinkerer
Username: Tom_cheshire
Post Number: 99
Registered: 04-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, August 04, 2009 - 04:33 pm: |
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That is why we usually advise using a soldering iron. The heat travels into the metal but not into the glass as when using the oven method.
It doesn't apply to this case but the soldering iron method is also safer when plastic parts are involved unless, of course, the part itself is plastic. |
