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Wojtek
Tinkerer
Username: Wojtek
Post Number: 10
Registered: 12-2008
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, September 11, 2011 - 02:27 am: | 
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Hey guys
I have an old, but beautiful Zeiss Ikon 515/2 (Nettar 4,5, Telma shutter) with completely tight bellows. I got it for free from my friend, it has never been used.
I have managed to clean the lenses - that was, in fact, pretty easy. However, now I have a trouble with the shutter.
While the shutter can be triggered by the small lever on the right of the camera, it's not closing back; the big lever on the left bottom (the one pushed by the trigger release) isn't returning to its original position after the shutter has been fired. When I push it with my finger, the shutter closes.
I tried squeezing some naptha here and there, and that have removed quite a lot of gunk from the shutter mechanism. However, it is still sticky. I think that the only way to fix it is to open it and remove all the goo manually.
And here the fun comes; I reckon that to remove the shutter I have to use the spanner on the ring at the back of the lens, in the bellows chamber. However, the bellows sits so tightly around the ring that I simply cannot put the spanner there...
My question is: is there a way of getting to this return lever without removing the shutter ring from the back and completely separating the front panel and the shutter?
I am attaching two images for reference; here's the problematic lever in its position after the shutter opens:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/18370125/ikon_lever.jpg
And the ring in question:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/18370125/ikon_back_shutter.jpg
Please help 
Regards
Wojtek |
Scott
Tinkerer
Username: Scott
Post Number: 161
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, September 11, 2011 - 05:32 pm: |
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The various pivoting points of the mechanism might need a very small amount of oil. Whatever parts of the mechanism should move up and down inside the camera body when the shutter is pressed and released might need a smear of VERY low-viscosity grease to reduce friction.
Sounds like the spring that should return the mechanism to its original position is too weak to overcome the friction which is due to corrosion or old and solidified grease.
Another thing to try-- the shutter release mechanism on most folders is designed to work when the shutter at a very precise position. If the shutter gets twisted a couple of degrees either way, the shutter-release mechanism will have problems.
To get the ring off, can you try putting the spanner on it with the bellows open, or half-open? |
Wojtek
Tinkerer
Username: Wojtek
Post Number: 11
Registered: 12-2008
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, September 12, 2011 - 02:52 am: |
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Hello Scott, many thanks for your reply.
I made a progress since yesterday. I have managed to unscrew the lens with the shutter; all that was needed was a bit of naptha on the ring, 10 minutes of time, and a bit of force on the spanner.
After doing that, I have found the reason for the shutter not returning to the original position, or so I thought... It was the marked lever, bent by accident (probably long time ago) and getting stuck. I have straigthed it and it started returning with no problem. I was quite happy.
However, I am now faced with a different issue. When I woke up in the morning I noticed, that the shutter is getting stuck again, sometimes in the middle of the cycle - please see the image: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/18370125/ikon_shutter_stuck_02.jpg
Something tells me that the part of the mechanism responsible for this is here:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/18370125/ikon_shutter_stuck_03.jpg - as this particular bit is not returning to its original position and only moving the cocking lever manually closes the shutter.
Keeping long story short, it seems like it could probably use some cleaning. I think that the naptha that I have squeezed in beforehand must have had dissolved the gunk and now, when the mechanism is dry, it doesn't want to move comfortably.
So, my next question would be - how to detach the shutter from the panel and see the bottom part of it, so it can be cleaned?
What if I remove just both of the lenses and soak everything overnight in something like isoprophyl alcohol, to dissolve anything that may be there?
I'd really like to get the camera working...
A challenge!
I'd be grateful for all your help.
Regards
Wojtek |
Connealy
Tinkerer
Username: Connealy
Post Number: 54
Registered: 02-2008
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, September 12, 2011 - 06:26 am: |
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In my experience the most common cause for the problem you illustrated is a thin film of grime on the shutter blades. Soaking the shutter will probably solve the problem, but you might also just try gently scrubbing the blades with some lighter fluid on a cotton q-tip. |
Wojtek
Tinkerer
Username: Wojtek
Post Number: 12
Registered: 12-2008
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, September 12, 2011 - 07:00 am: |
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Hello, and thanks!
I am worried that the grime may be somewhere on the hidden parts of the blades... And that soaking may be the only option, as I have dropped enough naptha on it to dissolve everything including the desk it's been placed on, ha ha (however I haven't tried touching it with qtips yet, I have to admit).
I will try to work on the blades, and if that won't help I will throw the entire thing into isopropanol, and leave it there for some time.
Would that be ok or could it damage anything? I guess not... |
Wojtek
Tinkerer
Username: Wojtek
Post Number: 13
Registered: 12-2008
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, September 12, 2011 - 07:04 am: |
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D'oh - I'll stick to naptha, from what I can obtain reading on this forum. Well anyway, I will give you guys a shout how did I get on!
Thanks
Wojtek |
Scott
Tinkerer
Username: Scott
Post Number: 163
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, September 12, 2011 - 12:08 pm: |
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Generally speaking, it's better not to use too much naptha on a shutter, unless you do plan to take it all apart. A few drops on the blades can help you clean them. But too much and it just moves the oil or grease or dirt to a different place.
I don't use alcohol, because most alcohol contains at least 20% water, and water is bad for cameras. Naptha dries almost completely.
I have never soaked a whole, intact shutter or poured large amounts of naptha into one, so I don't know how well that works. Again, where is all that oil/grease/dirt going to end up? Might make it worse.
AFAIK, there is nothing in 1950s camera shutters that will be hurt by naptha. It will not damage bake-lite or plastics.
Q-tips are nice for your ears, but not when you get long fibers stuck in the shutter mechanism. A few drops of naptha on a small folded bit of absorbent paper in a tweezers is a good way to wipe gunk off shutter blades. |
Wojtek
Tinkerer
Username: Wojtek
Post Number: 14
Registered: 12-2008
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, September 12, 2011 - 12:14 pm: |
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Hey Scott
I have tried q-tips, naptha, praying to ancient gods, looking at the sky with the feeling of defeat and pretty much everything else and still no result :D Hence I decided to soak the entire thing and now, I see particles of dirt and goo falling from the mechanism. I will let it soak over night.
In the worst case scenario it will fail completely, but who knows, it may help. Let's wait and see I will keep you updated! |
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