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Garryj
Tinkerer
Username: Garryj
Post Number: 1
Registered: 12-2008
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, December 02, 2008 - 03:56 pm: | 
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I recently got a Praktica LTL off eBay to dip my toes in the world of photography. When I took the first film I shot to be developed, I was a little confused when the shop assistant told me there was nothing on it..
From what I can tell, the take up spool is turning 2 or 3 times after the film is initially loaded, and then jamming so that it no longer turns when the winding lever is swung. Any advice on how to fix this (if possible) would be very much appreciated.
Cheers,
Garry |
Steve_s
Tinkerer
Username: Steve_s
Post Number: 141
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, December 03, 2008 - 05:57 am: |
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Is the rewind button in the base springing out properly? It should hold down when you push it, then spring up as soon as you move the wind-lever. If you turn the take-up spool in the rewind direction, how does it feel? It should move, but with some resistance (there is a friction clutch in the centre of the spool). |
Garryj
Tinkerer
Username: Garryj
Post Number: 2
Registered: 12-2008
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, December 03, 2008 - 09:32 am: |
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The rewind button is functioning as it should, but when I try to move the take-up spool in the rewind direction it rotates around 270 degrees (with a little resistance) before getting stuck. |
Steve_s
Tinkerer
Username: Steve_s
Post Number: 142
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, December 03, 2008 - 02:53 pm: |
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Turning the spool should show quite a bit of resistance. You should be able to move it by pushing one of the flanges with your thumb, but it shouldn't run freely. Can you find a scrap cassette of film and try winding and firing with the back open to check what is happening? Failing that, try winding and firing a few times with your thumb pressing on the spool. See if the spool doesn't turn at all, or turns intermittently.
My very first Praktica (an LB2) had a very tight clutch when I got it, which made it very stiff to wind with a film loaded, and one of the wind gears had worn so badly that its teeth were no more than spikes. I'm wondering if yours could have gone the same way, and maybe some of the teeth have broken. |
Don_m
Tinkerer
Username: Don_m
Post Number: 6
Registered: 05-2008
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, December 09, 2008 - 04:43 pm: |
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This is my experience with the "nothing on the film"problem,with the Praktica L series--(which may,or may not be your problem)---
the "rapid load system" (which IMO, sucks and is a pain in the arse)for some reason doesn't engage at times.So everything works as normal,except the film is not tight to the take up spool and doesn't move.
Now when I load the film,I close the camera back, and using the rewind ,tension the film---then I wind on twice watching the rewind handle to make sure the film is moving-- I also watch the rewind handle every time I wind on --just to make sure-
Rapid load---LOL |
Garryj
Tinkerer
Username: Garryj
Post Number: 3
Registered: 12-2008
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, December 23, 2008 - 05:14 pm: |
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The film being loose isn't a problem on mine.
Examining it with the back open, the take up spool turns when I give it a little assistance with my thumb for the first 30 degrees or so of the revolution. It wants to turn by itself, it turns a degree or two when I wind without any thumb pressure and eases back once the wind lever is back at its resting position. Does this suggest a tight clutch? |
Garryj
Tinkerer
Username: Garryj
Post Number: 4
Registered: 12-2008
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, December 23, 2008 - 05:18 pm: |
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I think I've just discovered the problem - one of the metal rods on the take-up spool was a little bent out at the top and was pressing against the back of the enclosure when winding. Bending it in seems to allow the spool to turn freely. |
