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Krafty5260
Tinkerer
Username: Krafty5260
Post Number: 47
Registered: 02-2008
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, June 01, 2011 - 01:08 pm: | 
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Greetings All,
I've read with interest discussions here and elsewhere about dent repair and whether they should even be attempted, or that dents give cameras character. Some of mine could use a bit less character. Anyway, I just received a Petri Automate that needs some work, including relieving a nasty corner dent.
I was sitting, thinking; minding my own business, when all of a sudden, I was reminded of an incident once, when I accompanied a musician friend to an instrument repair shop. The proprietor explained that he could repair any or all the dents someone can afford to fix.
Considering tops and bottom covers are often chromed or other plated brass, what about musical instrument repair. I realize the part would have to be removed from the camera, but I can't be the first person to think of this. I have thought about attempting dent repair myself, but I don't want to make matters worse.
Thoughts?
Thanks again,
Michael |
Michael_linn
Tinkerer
Username: Michael_linn
Post Number: 10
Registered: 04-2011
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, June 01, 2011 - 06:45 pm: |
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The top comes off fairly easily.
The key phrase is "afford to fix".
Although the Automate is a fine camera and somewhat of a collectable, the artisan work required may far exceed the value of the camera. Fully repaired, it's unlikely to be worth say, a fully repaired saxophone.
As for fixing it yourself, you can probably get the dent out for the most part, but getting it back into perfect cosmetic condition is unlikely. |
Old_school
Tinkerer
Username: Old_school
Post Number: 56
Registered: 04-2011
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, June 01, 2011 - 09:56 pm: |
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K:
Like Michael said above,how much is it worth.
I recently picked up a Canon FT form the good will shop & the top lid were pretty beat up. I did not have the option to leave it as the winding & counter were impeded from this distortion. I only had a problem in the top corner of the lid as it is a step & could only do so much with the tools available. It was not the best looking job, but you had to look very close to see the disturbances in the lines. The best part is the trouble was worth it, as the camera works fine. My nieces & nephews got cameras this past weekend & they haven't a clue what they are all about yet.
Anyway, a few hints for this are:
Use a hard wood dowel rod & form it for your needs, I use hardwood dowels, Lexan (R), or old micarta (SP?) the base material of circuit boards. Then a block of wood for the vise, various sizes as needed, plus I have a brass block to use as a bucking plate. Occasionally, I will use a staking tool from my watchmaking set. Just remember if you use a staking tool to only use a brass mallet, about a 2oz, or it will flare & the tool becomes worthless. My late Uncle told me to never pond a dent out, but place the bucking plate or block under & bring it up to the height required. Smooth hammer surfaces or a raw hide for direct hits to the surface to avoid marring or adding extra dings. Just take it slow & be patient. If you have to puts with it a little at a time and come back to it.
Maybe this helps, & maybe it is a waste of my time.
The Best Mike.... |
Cooltouch
Tinkerer
Username: Cooltouch
Post Number: 98
Registered: 01-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, June 05, 2011 - 01:08 pm: |
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Hey Old_school, what would you do with a rather small, but sharp dent in the top of a pentaprism-shaped viewfinder? I have a DE-1 finder for my F2 that's sustained a dent I'd like to remove if it's at all possible without making things worse. |
Old_school
Tinkerer
Username: Old_school
Post Number: 68
Registered: 04-2011
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, June 05, 2011 - 03:05 pm: |
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C:
I had to find a DE-1 finder to see what one looks like. Found a couple on E auctions. If it is in very peak, that is a tough call. If it is in an aera under the vinyl, you could take the cover off & as I described above work it out, & might be able to use a burnishing tool to smooth it out on a hard block of wood. You might work it a little & set it aside & come back till you are happy with it. If it is at the peak, a V block of a hard wood & patience to work it out. Check the prism first & see if it is chipped or damaged too. If it is, then you can feel more comfortable having at it.
I have watched the guys fron Dent Wizard take out some terrible looking dents on a MB lot in the LA CA area & they just use a bunch of different shape burnishing tools that have a lot of leverage. They did some fantastic work, just took time once in awhile. I don't see too many DE-1 heads so if you decide to have at it, take your time.
The Best Mike.... |
Old_school
Tinkerer
Username: Old_school
Post Number: 70
Registered: 04-2011
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, June 06, 2011 - 06:32 am: |
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CT:
Just a thought, are there any dents on that FTb? Maybe you could practice on that or the next one you have coming in before tackling the DE-1 prism.
I remembered Phenolic as one of the materials along with Micarta, so from Wikipedia below is a brief description.
Phenolic: is a material often used to make printed circuit board substrates...
Micarta: is a trademark of Norplex-Micarta industrial high pressure laminates and refers to a composite of linen, canvas, paper, fiberglass, carbon fiber or other fabric in a thermosetting plastic, originally used in electrical and decorative applications. Micarta(R) was developed by George Westinghouse at least as early as 1910 using phenolic resins...
The Best Mike.... |
Brcamera
Tinkerer
Username: Brcamera
Post Number: 94
Registered: 08-2010
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, June 06, 2011 - 05:35 pm: |
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Good information on this post! Dent removal can be a slow, careful process. Over the last 30 years, I have made a variety of tools for dent removal. I have made tools specific for the size of the lens filter ring and have attached a photo showing the various bits that I have in my arsenal and the variety of materials that I have used. |
Old_school
Tinkerer
Username: Old_school
Post Number: 71
Registered: 04-2011
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, June 06, 2011 - 07:56 pm: |
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Ha!
The Number six, seven, & nine from the left front look like a couple of mine & farthest right! I use to have a block of wood similar to the top pieces. I just took one board & cut out a few C cuts with different radius.
Thanks for sharing.
The best Mike..... |
Cooltouch
Tinkerer
Username: Cooltouch
Post Number: 102
Registered: 01-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, June 08, 2011 - 06:48 pm: |
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Old school, thanks for the response regarding the DE-1 finder. As a matter of fact the prism is chipped. When I bought this DE-1 some 20 years ago, they could be had for cheap. Think I paid about $60 for it in close to mint condition, and I kept it that way until about a year ago when I slipped and it got whacked into something hard. Chipped the prism too so now I have a blurry dark spot inside the prism as well. Very annoying. Anyway, clean ones are going on fleabay now for upwards of $300, so I'm hoping I can burnish out the ding and maybe find a prism out of a beat-up one or maybe out of another finder that uses the same one? My own fault that the prism got chipped. It was loose and rattling around inside the finder and I'd been putting off opening it up and tightening everything down, and that's what I get for putting it off.
Anyway I'll take you guys advice and take things slow. I don't have any phenolic or micarta, but I have access to a good selection of hardwoods, some of which are very hard, like ebony and rosewood, and some of which are just moderately hard, like walnut and mahogany. So I hope I can cobble up something that'll help me get most of this ding out. |
Paul_ron
Tinkerer
Username: Paul_ron
Post Number: 260
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, June 09, 2011 - 02:39 pm: |
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The best woods I find as dollies are Maple and Poplar, very common, tight grained, n non maring. |
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