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Message |
    
Km_beach
Tinkerer
Username: Km_beach
Post Number: 1
Registered: 11-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, November 12, 2009 - 10:59 am: | 
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Recently, I came across a decent, but dirty, Rochester Optical Co Pony Premo 6. I am trying to clean up the small viewfinder located by the knob that adjusts the length of the bellows. The viewfinder appears to be glued together to make one solid piece. Does anyone know how to access the mirror inside this piece for cleaning? |
Foto_gaga
Tinkerer
Username: Foto_gaga
Post Number: 4
Registered: 02-2010
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, March 10, 2010 - 05:44 pm: |
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The only thing to do is soak the whole thing is whatever solvent will dissolve the glue holding it together without causing the wood to swell. Then reassemble the whole thing. You may have to refinish it afterwards. |
John_shriver
Tinkerer
Username: John_shriver
Post Number: 60
Registered: 12-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, July 03, 2010 - 06:24 pm: |
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If it's like my Pony Premo No.4, the front lens is in a brass ring that's just a friction fit into the glued block of wood. Pull it out. Then you can use cotton swabs and your favorite lens cleaner through the hole.
The wood is finished with Shellac, probably "French Polished". The solvent for that is alcohol.
The glue was probably hide glue, which will come back apart with water.
But making it look ugly by trying to disassemble it would be very sad. Even clean it's a pretty marginal device, wrecking the appearance to make it work a trifle better is not worth it in my opinion. |
John_flinn
Tinkerer
Username: John_flinn
Post Number: 1
Registered: 03-2012
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, March 10, 2012 - 08:12 pm: |
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I had a viewfinder just like this on my Montauk IIa that needed a new mirror because the silver disintegrated over time. Jim at Vermont Camera Works agreed to give it a try and he did a fantastic job. It is so cool to have a working viewfinder like this - such a little gem that actually allows you to do street photography without a tripod. The price was very reasonable as well. It works and looks like new. |
