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Message |
    
Ront
Tinkerer
Username: Ront
Post Number: 1
Registered: 09-2010
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, September 17, 2010 - 07:41 pm: | 
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so i got a Ricohflex VI recently and the mechanics were frozen.
the gears just didnt spin.
so i took it apart then added some grease so that it could spin better.
i think someone before me took it apart and put it back together, but when they did they screwed both the front lenses all the way.
i'm not sure if my camera was manufactured incorrectly, or if my parts were replaced,
but both the front lenses screw in clockwise, and screw out counter-clockwise...
so if i was to focus the viewing lens it would be un-focusing the taking lens.
when i started reassembling the lenses following other instructions provided on this site i encountered some problems....
my method:
-take off the external gears
-put the ground glass where the film would be
-focus the taking lens
-then put the ground glass in the original spot
-then focus the viewing lens
the issue that i encountered was that no matter how much i spun the front lens, the image was always focused on 3 feet. rotating the front lens completely off to completely tight on didn't do anything.
the only thing that changed the focus was moving the ground glass.
the threading of both the front lenses is the same, the only difference is that one has one extra row of threading.
how should i proceed? |
Scott
Tinkerer
Username: Scott
Post Number: 110
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, September 17, 2010 - 10:15 pm: |
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1. Take the geared collars off.
2. Make sure that only the front elements are moving. If the threads of the front elements are stuck to the middle elements, then rotating them (together) will not focus an image on the glass. That is a very common problem on old, gear-focused TLRs.
If they are stuck, take them off and submerge them in strong alcohol (NOT rubbing alcohol from the drugstore because that is about 20% water) for a few days. Denatured alcohol from the auto parts store worked well for me. Separate
3. Separate the lens elements, clean them and put on new grease.
4. Focus the taking lens on something (the moon, a skyscraper, a mountain, an object at 6 feet, etc.).
5. Focus the viewing lens on that same object.
6. Put the gears back on. |
Ront
Tinkerer
Username: Ront
Post Number: 2
Registered: 09-2010
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, September 18, 2010 - 09:18 am: |
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that what i was trying to do. my problem comes at step 4.
it just doesn't focus.
btw, what is the "middle element"?
i have a total of four actual glass lenses.
also how can this system work if the threads are in the same direction but the gears make them spin in opposite direction? |
Ront
Tinkerer
Username: Ront
Post Number: 3
Registered: 09-2010
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, September 18, 2010 - 10:20 am: |
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OHHH
i get it.
i Do have three elements, it's just that the front one and middle one are fused.
i thought i only had two!
i'm gonna try separating them today and see how things go. |
Scott
Tinkerer
Username: Scott
Post Number: 111
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, September 18, 2010 - 03:23 pm: |
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Yep- both the taking and viewing lenses have the same 3-element design. The rear element and the middle element should stay screwed snugly at the bottom of their threads. Once installed, they should never move or twist at all.
Focusing is done by moving only the front elements. It is only the front element casings that have opposite thread direction.
Sometimes it helps to use a sheet of rubber to grip the casings. I sometimes put on rubber gloves. But sometimes you can't them apart without the alcohol soak. Don't use pliers-- that might bend the metal and break the glass.
The front panel comes off easily. Then take off the rings that hold the viewing lens casing and the shutter on the panel. |
Ront
Tinkerer
Username: Ront
Post Number: 4
Registered: 09-2010
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, September 18, 2010 - 08:40 pm: |
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thank you for all the advice.
i've been dripping kerosene at the thread of the front element all day, but it's still stuck there.
i submerged both the lenses in 95% alcohol. and i'll check on it Monday afternoon. |
