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Cooltouch
Tinkerer
Username: Cooltouch
Post Number: 228
Registered: 01-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, February 20, 2013 - 04:01 pm: | 
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I have an Agfa Isolette III that has the typical problems with a frozen focusing ring. The slow speeds are also off by a stop. So I want to dismount the lens to service it.
I've taken the retainer ring loose from the rear of the lens, but the lens doesn't want to come free from the standard. I noticed that when the ring was removed, it revealed a small opening in the plate and there's a slotted screw face showing in that opening now. I'm a bit leery of taking this screw loose, since I don't know what it's holding together, if anything.
But I can't get the lens/shutter loose, so I don't see much else I can do? Recommendations? |
Hanskerensky
Tinkerer
Username: Hanskerensky
Post Number: 239
Registered: 05-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, February 20, 2013 - 11:59 pm: |
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Loosing the rear retaining ring should be enough. Maybe somebody applied some glue to the front shutter plate ?
The slotted screw is probably the one you see on this Flickr image (green arrow). It is used a a key to hold the shutter in the right orientation and doesn't have to be removed.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/29504544@N08/5111414018
Copy the whole link because this forum only activates part of it. |
John_s
Tinkerer
Username: John_s
Post Number: 111
Registered: 07-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, February 21, 2013 - 08:41 am: |
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I was thinking the same. You probably will have to use a bit of force. Alternatively it might be possible to fix it in situ? |
Cooltouch
Tinkerer
Username: Cooltouch
Post Number: 229
Registered: 01-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, February 21, 2013 - 11:56 am: |
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Fixing it in situ will be problematic, since the most common method for getting this ring unstuck that I've read about is dunking the entire assembly in denatured alcohol and just letting it soak for a while.
With the retaining ring loose, the lens/shutter rattles around somewhat against the standard. As near as I can tell, the rear, threaded section of the lens is just binding up against the standard. I'm just afraid of applying much force to it, since this camera is in almost mint condition. I want to keep it that way.
Guess I'll go put on my high-magnification specs and toy with it some more. |
Scott
Tinkerer
Username: Scott
Post Number: 186
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, February 22, 2013 - 03:16 pm: |
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I don't think there are many experienced camera tinkerers who would dunk an entire shutter in anything. I certainly wouldn't. I think that would cause more problems than it would solve.
On my folders, the shutters have always come right off after I removed the retaining rings, so I don't know what the problem is on yours.
If your Isolette is unit focused (with helical threads) then I would begin by removing the whole shutter because it is going to involve significantly more disassembly.
However, with front cell focused designs, the hardened-grease problem is between the middle and the front lens element casings. In most folders, the middle element casing is simply threaded into the shutter, and can be unscrewed without using much force. Those threads were not greased.
If you've got a front-cell focused lens that can't be focused, remove the outer "distance" ring, then just grasp the lens casing and unscrew counter-clockwise.
The part of the lens that comes off is actually the middle element casing with the front element casing stuck inside of it. These are the only parts you need to submerge in denatured alcohol. A shotglass should be plenty big enough. Let it soak overnight.
Your slow speeds can be improved by a drop or two of naptha on the slow-speed escapement. |
Hanskerensky
Tinkerer
Username: Hanskerensky
Post Number: 240
Registered: 05-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, February 23, 2013 - 03:49 pm: |
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With all my Isolettes II and III the shutter came quite easily from the standard once the retaining ring was removed.
Only thing that i still can think off is that the plate in the frontside of the bellows plays a trick. Maybe a bit deformed and acts as a kind of retaining ring.
Guess you have to keep on wriggling ! |
