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Robert
Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) | Posted on Monday, April 12, 2004 - 02:42 pm: |
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What's your preferred technique for unsticking front-element focusing lenses? I have a little Isolette with very sticky grease. It's soaking in Naptha as we speak, but I don't have high hopes for that. |
Charles Fallis
Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) | Posted on Monday, April 12, 2004 - 03:26 pm: |
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A number of people here have had good results in this situation using heat. Not a lot, just let it sit near a 100-watt lightbulb for an hour or maybe turn a hair dryer on it for a couple of minutes. |
robert
Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) | Posted on Monday, April 12, 2004 - 09:41 pm: |
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No luck, but thanks for the tip |
Scott
Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) | Posted on Monday, April 12, 2004 - 11:13 pm: |
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That old hardened grease WILL soften considerably if the whole thing is heated evenly. A few minutes in the oven on low heat usually works. I think the trick is to give it enough time to heat up evenly, and then to unscrew the parts (I hold it with a towel) while it is still hot. |
Winfried
Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) | Posted on Tuesday, April 13, 2004 - 03:06 am: |
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I usually apply some drops of gun oil around the gap of the focus ring, and add some more drops of lighter fluid. This softened the grease at least t o a degree so that the focussing element could be unscrewed with reasonable force. |
Donald Qualls
Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) | Posted on Tuesday, April 13, 2004 - 07:51 am: |
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Another option is to use a small version of a strap wrench to get a grip on the ring. Don't use pliers or a pipe wrench or similar tool; you'll damage the focus ring, lens cell, or threads. But if you wrap a large rubber band around the rim of the focus ring, it will greatly improve the amount of force you can apply with your hand, and combined with soaking a little oil and/or lighter fluid into the thread and applying gentle heat may make the difference. |
Robert
Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) | Posted on Tuesday, April 13, 2004 - 11:33 am: |
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Thanks for the advice. I forgot to set it soaking while I am at work today, but I will try this evening. I let it sit on a bare 60w halogen bulb for a couple of hours last night with no luck. I am thinking of making a couple of collet wrenches from hardwood if all else fails. I used a dental dam to apply force last night but that didn't do it. |
David Richert
Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) | Posted on Tuesday, April 13, 2004 - 02:13 pm: |
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Try looking at my web page for ideas http://www.davidrichert.com/AGFA%20rebuild/agfa.htm |
marco
Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) | Posted on Wednesday, April 14, 2004 - 09:39 am: |
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i suppose you've already tried these but, just for the sake of memory/method, let's not forget both tapping and vibration ..... |