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Message |
    
Jeff
Tinkerer
Username: Jeff
Post Number: 1
Registered: 05-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, May 31, 2007 - 10:54 am: | 
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Hello forum,
I am trying to repair my Retinette 1A which seems to have a permanently cocked shutter. I need to remove the lens/shutter assembly to check the shutter release and cocking linkages, then perhaps have a look at the shutter itself.
I would like some tips on how to proceed with this disassembly. I can get to the shutter by removing the focusing ring, front lens element, and shutter cover. But, I want to remove the entire lens assembly to see behind the shutter as well.
Any notes, drawings, photos, tips, websites, etc. are very much appreciated.
Thanks!
jeff. |
Steve_s
Tinkerer
Username: Steve_s
Post Number: 40
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, May 31, 2007 - 12:51 pm: |
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I have some notes in a text file that I made when I was dismantling my father's Retinette IIb, with some additions I added when I was doing my own Ia. If you send your email address via the forum (click on my user-name) I will send it to you. I don't think it is possible to send an attachment via the forum, and a copy-and-paste would probably get garbled.
The only tricky part of the job is that you have to unscrew a ring at the back, via the film gate, which needs a special tool. I made my own but there is a company selling them on eBay in the USA which look well made. You would have to check if it is right for the Ia as they only mention the IIa, but my own tool worked on both the Ia and IIb, so I would guess it should be OK.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280119888835
I also have some photos which might help if you get stuck. |
Steve_s
Tinkerer
Username: Steve_s
Post Number: 41
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, May 31, 2007 - 01:45 pm: |
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Just remembered there are more than one variety of Retinette Ia. My notes refer to ones with Prontor shutters. The Compur shuttered variety may not be the same. |
Paul_ron
Tinkerer
Username: Paul_ron
Post Number: 39
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, May 31, 2007 - 08:04 pm: |
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Close the front of the camera, then open the back and take out the rear lens. Once that is out, remove the retaing ring that hold the shutter in. When you open the front, it will fall right off.
Take the front lens off and remove the screws holding the black plastic on and the front of the shutter will become obvious how to open the rest of the way to do a good cleaning.
Before you go too far opening it try feeding in some lighter fluid ot see if it frees things up? Maybe there is nothing wrong adn doesn't need to be dismantled when you can get away with giving it a bath in white gas instead? I leave em in the bath over night then change the fluids adn wash it again till the bath fluid doesn't get dirty anymore (color change). Let it dry and you are good to go. |
Jeff
Tinkerer
Username: Jeff
Post Number: 2
Registered: 05-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, June 02, 2007 - 01:49 pm: |
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Steve and Paul,
Thanks very much for your help. This camera has a Pronto shutter -- at the level of disassembly I'm at now, it looks like a smaller version of my LF Ilex shutter. Anyway, I'm hoping I won't have to disassemble the shutter itself. In the past, I have had considerable success with stripping to the minimum level necessary for a good flood cleaning. Let's hope it will work again.
Also, it looks like I could modify a stiff 1-inch putty knife to remove the rear retaining ring. I looked at the fancy tool available on the web but wonder if I couldn't get by with less expense and waiting for a package to arrive in the mail. The only concern I have with using the putty knife approach is how far out the rear lens element extends. Should I grind out some of the span on the putty knife to be sure it clears the rear element?
Thanks again for your help,
jeff. |
Paul_ron
Tinkerer
Username: Paul_ron
Post Number: 40
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, June 02, 2007 - 06:08 pm: |
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Take the rear lens out first, loosen it with a straight edge like your putty knife mod. Then once you have the lens out you can use the putty knife to take out the retaining ring. Just be sure to grind your putty knife to the correct width to span the notches. I use some stainless steel I cut to size for various cameras making each end serve the retainer and the other for the rear lens cell since they are slightly different widths.
Flooding generally works pretty good most times unless there is something physically jamed or bent. |
Paul_ron
Tinkerer
Username: Paul_ron
Post Number: 41
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, June 02, 2007 - 06:11 pm: |
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Oh BTW you may not have to grind out any of the middle of your knife. My rear lens is lower than the lens. If yours is different and touches, grind it out to clear the glass. |
