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Agfa Isolette frozen focus ring ! Ro... Log in | Log Out | Topics | Search
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Classic Camera Repair » Archives-2006 » Agfa Isolette frozen focus ring ! Ronson or Acetone ? « Previous Next »

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Rak Agfa

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Posted on Tuesday, February 21, 2006 - 02:09 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

...As for my task next week to come..to free the frozen focus ring of Agfa Isolette. Which one is the best solvent to free "green goo" by not damaging the lens coating. (Ronson or Acetone ?)

...Do we have to "soak" all the front component in a cup of lighter fluid or Acetone, doing that ruined the lense coating ?
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mike kovacs

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Posted on Tuesday, February 21, 2006 - 05:25 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

I would try heat first, from a hair dryer. I assume you are going to CLA the shutter too anyway?
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rick

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Posted on Tuesday, February 21, 2006 - 06:41 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Ronsonol will not damage the lens coating. It will take a long time for it to soften the lubricant, heat would be faster.

Don't combine heat AND Ronsonol - you might set fire to yourself.

Don't ever use acetone for anything.
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Scott

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Posted on Tuesday, February 21, 2006 - 06:57 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

re-posting this from a previous thread:

...I broke a nice lens the first time I tried to "un-stick" an Agfa lens like yours using tools.

The next time, I tried heating the two stuck pieces a few minutes in the oven. Then, I took it out with oven mitts and was able to unscrew the two pieces with just moderate force (no tools). I think the heat softens the old grease somewhat.

On other cameras with hardened grease in the focus threads, I have been able to loosen things up by soaking the stubborn pieces a couple of days in strong alcohol. What I used was industrial-use alcohol. The stronger, the better perhaps.

I had assumed lighter fluid would be the best solvent, and so I tried that first. But, evidently, on that particular sort of grease, the alcohol was a better solvent.
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Rak Agfa

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Posted on Tuesday, February 21, 2006 - 07:36 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Thank you all of your advice.
...I'm gonna try heat them both ...if not ...then using some solvent as Ronsonol or Paintwork Alcohol.
...Special thanks to stop me burning my house with that heating Ronson !
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George Welcher

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Posted on Tuesday, February 21, 2006 - 09:45 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

I found Ronsonal loosened up the focus ring on my Isolette within a few minutes. Within an hour I was able to remove the focus ring and clean it properly, also with Ronsonal. Glad I found a use for the stuff since I quit smoking!

Take note (or better yet, a digital photo) of the position of the focus ring at infinity before you remove it.
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Winfried

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Posted on Wednesday, February 22, 2006 - 12:20 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

You were lucky - on one of my Isolette lenses NO solvent did the trick. I tried with solvents for more than one hour or so. Next day I took a hot air gun which freed the focus in one minute.
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George Welcher

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Posted on Wednesday, February 22, 2006 - 07:32 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Thanks for the tip Winfried. I'll add a heat gun to my small but growing collection of camera repair tools.
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Mike Kovacs

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Posted on Friday, February 24, 2006 - 07:23 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

I think you want heat, more at the level of a hair dryer than a paint stripper for this application.

I'd hate to see you ruin your camera!

You can heat it up somewhat more if you have the middle and front cells out of the camera, and stuck together.
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martin

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Posted on Saturday, March 04, 2006 - 04:48 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

I found that heating with hair dryer solved the focussing ring problem on my Super Isolette without dismantling the lens. It had been stiff rather than stuck. Still a little firm but quite usable. When using the hair dry, I protected all other parts of the camera with cloth.

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