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Aford
Tinkerer
Username: Aford
Post Number: 30
Registered: 03-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, January 25, 2008 - 05:01 pm: | 
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I have just acquired an Ihagee EXA-500 in very good condition but has not been used for a long time. While exercising the shutter the wind-on lever suddenly jammed just before it reached the end of its travel and the mirror is stuck in the half way position.
Does this mean the top cover has to come off? I have Rick Oleson's CD but there's no info on the Exa 500. Some help would be greatly appreciated.
Regards - Alf |
Reborn7
Tinkerer
Username: Reborn7
Post Number: 11
Registered: 11-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, January 29, 2008 - 04:27 am: |
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You can take the top of by removing the two front and back screws.
In fact the top holds the entire body mechanisms that slides out of the body shell, I removed it to check why the upper shutter curtain does not stay locked when I cock the wind-on lever.
Could not find out what the reason is :-( |
Aford
Tinkerer
Username: Aford
Post Number: 31
Registered: 03-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, January 29, 2008 - 01:08 pm: |
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Thanks Reborn7
That is a useful tip I may try it but I think I need to remove the top cover to get at the mechanism. I think what has caused my Exa to jam is that I pressed the shutter button before the wind-on lever had completed its stroke.
After spending many hours searching for information on the Exa cameras it is apparent that they are not very reliable and jam ups are common. If I find an answer to your problem I'll contact you.
Has anybody else got information on the Exa 500? your help is requested. Thanks - Alf |
Aford
Tinkerer
Username: Aford
Post Number: 32
Registered: 03-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, February 01, 2008 - 03:21 pm: |
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After much searching deep in the archives I finally found this posting on 'How to remove the Exa top cover' however, in my haste I forgot to note the authors name, my apologies to who ever you are and many thanks.
<start>
Just to help you get started, Roy, here's how to get into the Exa, as far as I remember it: I took an Exa IIb to pieces not so long ago (with some help from other contributors to the Classic Camera Repair Forum!), which I think is the same camera apart from the top speed. I didn't make proper notes at the time but it goes roughly like this: -
On the wind side, prise up the black ring with the frame-counter index mark. Find some way of locking the frame-counter scale without damaging it. Then, if you are VERY lucky you may be able to unscrew the centre screw with a friction tool, but don't bet on it! I had to remove the black leatherette disc and make a tool to unscrew it using the off-centre hole. Once these are off you can get the wind lever off (a circlip and 3 screws, I think).
Fold out the rewind lever, remove the screw underneath and the lever. Unscrew the knob (hold the film rewind dog in the film compartment), and remove the spindle from below (there is a spring, a spacer and a shim). To get the shutter speed control off you have to remove a very strong wire circlip. You need a pair of small-pointed external circlip pliers.
Pull out the shutter-lock lever, and you can now remove the top cover (4 screws). Then remove 4 screws inside the film compartment and the whole mechanism comes out from the top.
There are probably some details I've forgotten, but if you can get the centre screw out of the frame-counter/wind-lever, and the circlip out of the shutter-speed control, the rest of the job is pretty easy. <end>
Hope this helps somebody with a jammed Exa-500 or Exa IIb.
Regards - Alf  |
Reborn7
Tinkerer
Username: Reborn7
Post Number: 12
Registered: 11-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, February 02, 2008 - 06:12 am: |
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If you have a problem with a mirror stuck half way you will not find an answer directly underneath the top cover !
Taking out the whole assembly as I wrote in my first posting allows you to see the interaction of the wind-on lever, shutter curtains and mirror.
It is a very easy and save procedure :-) |
Reborn7
Tinkerer
Username: Reborn7
Post Number: 13
Registered: 11-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, February 02, 2008 - 06:13 am: |
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sorry !
SAFE procedure :-) |
Steve_s
Tinkerer
Username: Steve_s
Post Number: 97
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, February 03, 2008 - 05:41 am: |
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I've got a scrap Exa IIb in semi-working condition, so I repeated your process and pressed the release just before the lever got to the end, and got into the same position - jammed with the mirror partly up! I already had the top cover removed, and I was able to unjam it by taking out the screw at 9 o'clock relative to the wind spindle, and lifting up the pawl it retains. Cannot guarantee that this will fix your problem, but I'd say the odds are good.
When you were cocking and firing the shutter, did you find that you had to press the wind-lever rather hard at the limit of its travel before it would return, and was this what started the problem? If so I can suggest a cure. |
Aford
Tinkerer
Username: Aford
Post Number: 33
Registered: 03-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, February 03, 2008 - 03:15 pm: |
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Thanks Steve for that information - you seem to have repeated exactly the jamming problem I'm having. I haven't got round to taking the top off yet as I'm busy re-assembling a couple of Paxette cameras but I will certainly do as you suggest in the next couple of days.
Yes, I did have to press the wind lever rather hard as it got to the end of its travel and I was rather worried about this, so your offer of a possible cure is most welcome.
One other thing, I did prise off the black ring around the frame counter and can see no easy way to stop the frame counter dial from turning without damaging it. What would you suggest?
Many thanks for your help (I shall sleep tonight )
Regards - Alf |
Steve_s
Tinkerer
Username: Steve_s
Post Number: 99
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, February 04, 2008 - 02:36 am: |
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To hold on to the frame-counter disc I turned up on the lathe a short tubular plastic (nylon) tool with a tapered bore to grip the edge (15 mm). If you don't have the facilities, you could probably make something similar from a piece of plastic plumbing with a saw and a file. The catch to the tubular tool is that it commits you to also making a tool to undo the centre screw that you can use with the tube in place!
If you want to try it without making special tools, I'd suggest you try cutting some wedges from hard rubber and pushing these down the side of the disc. You might be able to undo the screw with a rubber friction tool, but I've always found it quite tight. If you want to go down the special tool route, the tool for the screw wants to be 5 mm diameter, with a pin about 1 mm diameter on a 1 mm radius, but exact dimensions seem to vary a bit.
The fault with my best Exa IIb when I got it was that the wind lever was jammed at full stroke.
The assembly which the wind lever attaches to, and which drives the cocking levers via a downward pointing dowel, has a toothed segment. As the assembly rotates this segment engages a ratchet pawl (on the prism side of the spindle) which prevents the lever returning if it is released before the shutter is cocked. Just beyond the point where the shutter cocks, this pawl should drop off the last tooth of the segment and reverse its direction under the pressure of its spring, allowing the wind lever to return to its usual position.
The last tooth of the segment shows signs of having been ground, and its width varies between cameras. Presumably it has been fine tuned at the factory during assembly for correct operation. On my camera this last tooth had developed a burr which increased the effective width of the tooth so that the pawl could not reverse its direction and allow the wind lever to return.
With the top off the camera, unhook the wind lever spring from its fixing at the front of the camera and lift the assembly from the wind spindle. Any burr can be easily filed off. This produced a complete cure on my camera.
If you're tempted to file a bit off the tooth for good measure, bear in mind that you do not want the wind lever to be able to return before the shutter is cocked!
Let us know how you get on. |
Aford
Tinkerer
Username: Aford
Post Number: 34
Registered: 03-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, February 04, 2008 - 12:44 pm: |
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Thank you Steve for that detailed information. As I am now retired I no longer have access to a lathe to make a dial gripping tool as you described so I shall go along with the rubber wedges sugestion. As I have a small workshop in my garage I am however, able to make a special tool to remove the screw (who ever thought up that screw with only the one hole must be crazy).
Once I get the top off my Exa I shall follow your instructions and hopefully restore the camera back to full working order. I always run a film through these old cameras once I get them working as it makes me feel good that they may last for another 50 years.
I will certainly let you know how I get on - Regards - Alf |
Aford
Tinkerer
Username: Aford
Post Number: 35
Registered: 03-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, February 06, 2008 - 05:21 pm: |
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Steve - I managed to get the top off and following your instructions, I loosen the screw and lifted the pawl then the wind-on lever un-jammed and the shutter fired. So that was fixed! next I examined the last tooth on the end of the segment and saw that it was showing signs of wear but no burr so I cleaned it up and put a dab of grease on the end tooth and left it. The camera is now re-assembled and working ok.
To remove the frame counter screw I had to make two tools in order to remove it. I found a length of 5mm diam. rod, drilled a hole in the end and inserted a 1mm pin. This tool worked fine but stopping the frame counter disc from turning was impossible using rubber wedges so I had to make a clamp.
I found a 15mm diam. brass olive (a tapered ring used by plumbers to make a seal on pipe fittings) this fitted over the counter disc perfectly. Next I drilled two holes through the walls of the olive then made a cut between the two holes. Finally I found a long screw and a nut that I passed through the two holes and then by placing the olive over the counter disc and tightening the screw the disc was securely clamped. When the screw came out I saw that "locktite" had been applied under the screw head making it very difficult to remove. A hot soldering iron applied to the screw may be an easier way to loosen it.
I managed to remove the wire circlip holding the shutter speed control but unable to replace it as it was so difficult, so I fitted a proper "C" type circlip and this seems to be ok.
Many thanks for your help Steve - regards Alf |
Jesito
Tinkerer
Username: Jesito
Post Number: 4
Registered: 10-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, August 13, 2008 - 12:25 pm: |
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Thanks for this post!. It has proven unvaluable to disassemble my two jammed EXA500.
Jes. |
