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Valkyrievf2x
Tinkerer
Username: Valkyrievf2x
Post Number: 1
Registered: 06-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, June 20, 2009 - 10:05 pm: | 
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Hi!
I came across a free Canon FTb that seems to work perfectly, except for the film door. I have to use pliers to pull on the knob to open the door. The knob rotates freely and smoothly, but opening the door is a bit of a nightmare. Is there anything I can clean or oil to make it open a lot more smoothly?
Thanks! |
Gez
Tinkerer
Username: Gez
Post Number: 108
Registered: 09-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, June 21, 2009 - 04:23 am: |
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I've had a couple like that. First, check there is no dirt causing binding of the sliding latch mechanism visible in the body recess. If it looks dirty or gritty clean with a piece of paper moistened with lighter fluid, then relube.
If the latch looks OK, take the baseplate off and examine the small spring-loaded plate that sits in the corner, it should move freely up and down.
If that checks out OK then the problem resides under the top plate! Taking an FTb top plate off is not a trivial exercise because unless done carefully you will lose metering registration, though metering is easy to put right on reassembly.
With the top off you will see a spring-loaded plunger very near the front of the camera. This mechanism engages with a cut-out in the tube holding the rewind shaft. Clean that area and put a spot of Lithium grease in the recess. Pulling on the rewind shaft should now open the door with less resistance. |
Rick_oleson
Tinkerer
Username: Rick_oleson
Post Number: 923
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, June 21, 2009 - 07:41 am: |
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The most likely reason why the back was sticking at first is old light seals, which often glue the door shut and need a little persuasion to release it. Hold up GENTLY on the rewind knob while pulling back on the edge of the door with the fingers of your other hand.
If this doesn't release it, it may mean that you have bent the latch mechanism by forcing the knob up with pliers, and now (or soon, if you keep it up) it will not release at all. It will probably be necessary to remove the top cover to straighten the bent latch at this point. |
Ethostech
Tinkerer
Username: Ethostech
Post Number: 120
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, July 02, 2009 - 06:16 am: |
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In my experience this is a common FTb problem. Avoid removing the top-plate (for the reasons stated by the above respondent "Gez".) I have cured this issue on several FTB's in a simple way.
Pull up the rewind knob and place a small drop of thin oil on its shaft and work the shaft up and down a few times. Later, with the camera inverted and with the back finally open, similarly lube the shaft from the cassette chamber end. Whilst not a classic engineering solution - it works. |
