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Ben Micklem
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, September 11, 2005 - 05:50 am: | 
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I am following Peter Wallage's instructions (posted here in 2003 I think- do a search for 'Robot') for stripping down a Robot II camera (it doesn't complete the wind-on process without assistance and it isn't able to time shutter speeds long than 1/25).
I am about to remove the main spring and the clockwork mechanisms. I am planning to remove the gearing intact and then clean it in solvent in an ultrasonic bath. Is there any problem with cleaning mechanisms in and ultrasonic bath without dismantling (e.g. excessive wear on the pivots, etc.)? I know it would be best to dismantle it, but I would never get this thing back together if I did!
What solvent would be best for this cleaning? I was planning on lubricating the pivots with watch oil, and I was thinking of using clock-makers main-spring grease on the spring. Is this a good idea?
Any help wouldd bee appreciated!
Ben |
Glenn Middleton
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, September 11, 2005 - 11:41 am: |
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Where possible I always clean assemblies in ultrasonic bath prior to repair or whatever.As for solvents this depends on your background,being an industrial chemist I use anything suitable.For household use you can use hot water and detergent,followed by rinsing with acetone to dewater.A non-flam solvent such as Arklone P (chlorinated solvent) is ideal,but not readily available I guess to man in street.I have used paraffin,turps or paint brush cleaner,followed by a final dip in acetone or industrial ethyl alcohol.
Do not use highly flammable solvents.Use minimum amounts of low flammability solvents in small secondary container.My guess is that the watch repair lads will have a readily available, safe ultrasonic solvent.Getting same in small quantities may be another matter though.
I would lube the same as you are thinking of doing,but then I am no expert on the Robot Camera. |
JIM
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, September 11, 2005 - 12:13 pm: |
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FYI. Small quantities of ultrasonic cleaning solution( 1/2 pint to make 2gallons)available from
www.micromark.com. That along with alot of other items of interest to us socially challenged. |
Glenn Middleton
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, September 11, 2005 - 12:31 pm: |
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Jim,
Thanks for that site-very interesting!!
Glenn. |
Ben Micklem
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, September 11, 2005 - 02:57 pm: |
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Thanks Glann and Jim for your replies.
Glenn: So you don't think the ultrasonics could do any damage to the delicate mechanism being cleaned fully assembled? I've read some articles online that suggest that though frowned upon by watch reapirers as not thorough enough some do just bung the whole mechanism in assembled- so I guess it can't be that harmful.
My current plan is to use hot water and detergent in the ultrasonic bath, with a thorough rinse of pure ethanol. I've ordered some high quality watch oil and mainspring grease, so hopefully I'll have the camera back to timing the long shutter speeds correctly and the film drive completing every time.
Thanks again,
Ben |
Glenn Middleton
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, September 11, 2005 - 03:19 pm: |
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Ben,
I do not class any clockwork from a camera as delicate,thought I will stand to be corrected.Thing to remember is to suspend in the bath and not let vibrate on the bottom.
I like pure ethanol as a dewatering agent.As I said I also use acetone,but in modern equipment you have got to be damn sure there is no plastic about |
Peter Wallage
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, September 12, 2005 - 02:39 pm: |
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Ben,
It must be three years since I stripped and cleaned a Robot so the finer details are a little hazy. I was not able to find a repair manual anywhere so I had to figure out how it worked by trial and error. If you've already taken the shutter mechanism chassis out of the body you'll have discovered that it's unlike any other camera shutter. The actual mechanism, which I can best describe as a cross between a clock and a cine projector, is pretty robust so I doubt if you'll do it much harm with solvents. Any fine oil that doesn't go thick as it ages is fine for the mechanism itself. It isn't delicate like a Compur, and I used clock oil.
The bits you will have to watch are the shutter disc and capping blades. They're very thin vulcanite and very easy to kink or even break if you aren't gentle with them. Clock grease is fine for the main spring on top of the camera, but I wouldn't advise taking the spring out of its barrel unless you have a spring winder like clock makers use. It's possible to put it back by hand, but not easy. The only way is to start with an outside coil and gradually feed it in till you come to the centre coil and can hook the centre arbor on it. The end cap of the barrel just levers out of place and clicks back in.
I would keep heavy clock spring grease away from the stopwork on the barrel - the finger and star-shaped bit that stops you overwinding the mainspring. It's the same as the stopwork found on high quality antique clocks, so following the advice of a clock restorer I used a very light grease on it - and then only just a smear. Make a note of its position with the spring unwound before you take it off. If it goes back in the wrong position you won't be able to wind the spring fully.
Also, be careful when you reassemble the sub-plate under the main top plate. The screws that hold it are the same thread as those that hold the lens flange, but not the same length. You can tighten the shorter ones in the longer holes, but not the other way about.
Lastly, check the action of the shutter capping blades before you finally button everything together. They should work with the first pressure on the shutter release button, and you're not very likely to get them out of synch with the shutter, but it's not impossible. If that should happen, it sounds OK, but they 'uncap' on a blank part of the disc and close while the apeture in the disc passes the light path so you get a roll of blank film. Also check that the speed dial on the front is in synch with the actual shutter speed. It operates a cam inside, so you can see how it works. Again you're unlikely to make a mistake, but again it is possible.
Working from notes I made at the time I've written a short piece about the repair intended for a website which I hope to get up and running towards the end of the year. If you think it will be any help I'll e-mail you a copy as a Word document.
Best of luck with your Robot.
Peter |
Ben Micklem
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, September 25, 2005 - 12:55 am: |
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Dear All,
Clean and re-lube was very successful- winding is now pretty much instant. It sounds completely different. Although the slow speeds are not accurate, they are consistent (and better than non-functional).
I've detailed my adventure here:
http://www.micklem.com/photo/robot.html
I ended up using a couple solvents instead of the ultrasonic bath (just what was most convenient at the time).
Thanks for the help.
Peter: drop me an email with your URL when your site is up; I'd like to link to it.
Ben |
Peter Wallage
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, September 25, 2005 - 02:26 pm: |
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Hi Ben,
Glad everything went OK. I like the way you've laid it out on your website. A nice logical sequence with good captions to the pictures.
I'll certainly drop you an email when I eventually get my website up and running, but don't hold your breath - even though I'm supposed to be retired I seem to have so many more urgent things that need doing.
Regards,
Peter |
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