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Wayne

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Posted on Tuesday, August 23, 2005 - 08:10 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Hi there

I'm working on a Contax III at the moment and I've managed to get the shutter jammed. The shutter was very sluggish when I first got the camera so I removed it for cleaning. After an initial solvent wash it seemed to free up, but when I went to try the slow speeds it got jammed. The jam may have occured because the spindle for the upper curtain roller slipped out of position (I didn't notice this straight away) and so the roller gear may have fallen out of mesh. I now have the spindle back in place and the I'm pretty sure the flywheel and other gears are in the correct position, but the shutter won't cock.

As I turn the wind knob the film advance works OK, but almost as soon as the shutter cocking part of the cycle starts it jams. I can continue to turn the knob if I depress the release button, but this obviously doesn't cock the shutter. I feel that something has gotten out of synch, but I'm not sure what or how to remedy it. If I had another Contax or Kiev unit to compare I'd probably be able to spot the problem.

On the wind knob shaft below the shutter body casting but above the big drive gear there's a disc/washer which has two cam-like protrusions. This disc starts to turn with the drive gear once the shutter cocking part of the cycle begins. One of the cams seems to be encountering the part of the shutter body casting which projects into it's path at the same time that the jam starts to occur - I'm not sure if this may be the cause. It seems like this disc should start the cocking part of the cycle with the cam just past the part of the casting which stops it, rather than just before it as it does now?

I've just ordered a copy of Peter Tooke's repair guide, but in the meantime any hints or suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks, Wayne
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rick

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Posted on Tuesday, August 23, 2005 - 08:25 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

I have some photos which MIGHT help you establish whether you have the curtains synched correctly.... please email me if you'd like a copy.

[email protected]
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Wayne

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Posted on Saturday, August 27, 2005 - 08:51 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Thanks to Rick I've got the shutter ALMOST right, but not quite correct. I can now get a full wind on most shutter speeds, but not all. I really need the starting positions for all of the little doodads under the wind knob as well as the shutter gears. I guess I'll wait for the book to turn up unless somebody can help me out. My advice is not to let things get out of synch on one of these shutters unless you have some time to waste. I didn't realise that the spindle for the upper curtain could fall out so easily, and by the time I realised it had happened it was too late and the gears had come out of mesh.

Can't wait to get it all assembled and working though, I'll just have to be patient I suppose.

Cheers
Wayne

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