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miket
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, October 01, 2005 - 07:39 am: | 
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I have a FED 3 that I would like to remove the top from. Following the sketches at Rick Oleson's website I've managed to remove the rewind knob, wind lever, shutter speed dial, viewfinder diopter, screws. etc but I can't figure out how to remove the rangefinder window. Is it screwed in in some fashion? The sketches aren't very clear on this point, and this appears to be the last thing holding me up. Thanks in advance for any tips. |
Glenn Middleton
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, October 01, 2005 - 10:00 am: |
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It is screwed in.Unscrew the decorative bezel,anticlockwise.You will now see a brass circular frame.This has two sets of wrench slots;the outer set unscrew the whole assembly,the inner set adjust vertical alignment of rangefinder images.Assembly unscrews anticlockwise.You can use tweezers if you do not have proper wrench.A cheap set of vernier calipers makes a very good adjustable wrench for removing these assemblies.Just file the jaws down to fit the slots.I modified a set years ago and still use it in preference to the proper tool,it is far quicker to set up and adjust. |
miket
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, October 01, 2005 - 10:48 am: |
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Thanks, Glenn. I'll try to remove it sometime later today. It sounds easy enough. |
rick oleson
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, October 01, 2005 - 10:52 am: |
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Sorry about that, yes, it's a standard right hand thread. To unscrew it you use teh outer set of notches in the rim.... the inner set is for the vertical FR adjustment.
I use a pair of long-nose pliers with the points ground to fit the notches: they're cheap, quick and rigid. Another pair with smaller points can be used for the adjustement.
I'll add this exchange to my notes for the next revision of my CD to make sure I clarify the sketches on this point. Thanks for pointing it out.
rick : ) = |
miket
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, October 03, 2005 - 07:46 am: |
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OK, so if I'm getting this right the bezel should unscrew by itself from a projecting ring/frame, which then gets unscrewed using a wrench. However, in my case the bezel unscrews taking the ring/frame with it-I end up with a bezel that has a projecting ring. This has the unfortunate side effect to screwing up the rangefinders vertical adjustment because apparently the vertical adjustment ring is stuck in the bezel. How do I fix this? I can adjust the vertical adjustment by simply turning the entire bezel/ring assembly but this doesn't seem right based on what I was told above. |
Glenn Middleton
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, October 03, 2005 - 10:03 am: |
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Yes this is an annoying and quite common occurrence. I have a number of dodges to try and solve,depends on how handy you are and what tools you have.
If you have a brass flexiclamp of right diam, you can grip the threaded portion and try and remove bezel.Flexiclamps are easy to make if you have a piece of 3 or 4mm brass and a suitable drill bit.
You can cut 2 fine slots at 180 degs in end of threaded portion.Use suitable knife blade as driver to hold and unscrew the bezel.Only turn the bezel not the brass assembly.Less chance of damaging the threads that way.
I have also used Loctite non permanent nut/thread lock.Please note that this was on FED/Zorki 1 rangefinders and the finder housing was completely stripped of optics.Place drop of thread lock on threads and screw up.If bezel is just tight and not cross threaded,you can unscrew it now.As I have flexiclamps,I break lock and remove brass assembly with these.If no clamps,a soak in acetone will loosen loctite and prevent damage to slots.
If bezel alloy and corrosion is problem, a soak in vinegar followed by a warm soldering iron held against bezel for a few secs can also work.
If nothing works in your case, do your repair/clean or whatever you wanted top off for. Then using a drop of thread lock, screw in complete bezel/ring and adjust vertical.You may not need thread lock if the assembly will tighten in the correct position.
If worse comes to worse I have a bezel and prism that I can let you have in exchange for your stuck one.I use the camera in question as a paper weight, so no problem. |
miket
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, October 03, 2005 - 10:34 am: |
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Thanks Glenn. I am pretty handy so I'll try various approaches as suggested above, and at worse try the loctite in place method. After doing so I should have to adjust the horizontal rangefinder focus, but that looks pretty easy. |
Glenn Middleton
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, October 03, 2005 - 10:59 am: |
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If you do Loctite inplace, do a trial run without it and check horizontal alignment first. Sometimes you have to do a little bit of back and forth, so to speak to get best image in finder. |
