Topics - The Classic Camera Repair Forum

Classic Camera Repair » Archives-2008 » PETRI RF

« Previous Next »

Author

Message

Puderse
Tinkerer
Username: Puderse

Post Number: 22
Registered: 09-2006

Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!)

Posted on Wednesday, October 01, 2008 - 08:34 am:

I spent way too much for this 6 X 4.5 rangefinder through the mail. Allthough I am not dissatisfied enough to ask for refund etc. I discovered upon first inspection that the focus is tight and up to snuff when on infinity but seens to get looser and looser as one screws the lens out to minimum focus. Someone in the camera's past has tried to address this issue and only succeeded in buggering the tiny brass screws that hold the front element to the second.

Here I stopped.

Is there a way to seperate the elements after I take out the focus stop screw and remove the elements in front of the shutter? I could always drill out the screws and install three slightly larger screws after threading the holes. My arthritic hands might leave an ugly mess and/or F--- it up beyond all recognition. I have a small drill press and the taps and screws. Could even go on an expedition to find a small backward drill that might get the screws out and not mess up the threads. These set screws are brass and very tiny so that possibility is not bloody likely!

I've had a well known Penn. repairman CLA and replace bellows on a couple of AGFA RF folders and it took a return but it was made right in the end.

Advise on repairs or repairmen?

Sevo
Tinkerer
Username: Sevo

Post Number: 4
Registered: 09-2008

Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!)

Posted on Wednesday, October 01, 2008 - 09:53 am:

"The tiny brass screws" presumably are the focus ring grub screws, and don't hold the front element to the second, but secure the focus ring to the front element. The helical between the front and second element will be stuck with old grease, so that you unscrew both elements from the shutter when you attempt to focus.

First of all, put the camera into an oven at 50-60�C - quite often, warming up for a while is enough to unstick the helical, and if you manage to unscrew the front and second element without force, you might even get away with leaving the focus ring as is - provided that the focus stop is indeed accessible from the outside.

If that fails or is impossible, you will have to loosen the focus ring grub screws. Personally I avoid drilling them out whenever possible, as many focusing elements have a groove into which the grub screws are supposed to lock, so that you'll have to make suitably tip tapered grub screws if you dare to rethread the holes.

In my experience, it is usually possible to make focus ring grub screws workable again by cutting, pressing or punching in an improvised slit with a small screwdriver or a jewellers spade-shaped drill bit.

Administration