Another couple questions, possibly stupid ...

[dmr]

Two other questions I'll throw out to the combined expertise of the group here. 🙂

These both apply to the Mamiya SD, even though this is to the shutter, which appears to be a very generic Copal, very similar to that on the GIII. (I found some excellent notes on working with this shutter on the web.)

1. Is it safe to leave out the self-timer when putting the thing back together? I have it out now and the shutter seems to cock and fire normally. I really don't care about this "feature" and I've heard of people having all kinds of problems with it.

2. The shutter is cocked by way of a gear connected to a shaft at the bottom of the shutter. This gear is held in place by a screw which was originally sealed with some fairly heavy lacquer or glue. This took about 10 minutes to soften with NPR enough so I could unscrew it. When I started reassembling it, it was obvious that it wasn't intended for the screw to be tightened all the way, since that prevents the gear and shaft from rotating freely. When I put it together I coated the threads with nail polish, screwed it in by feel so it can rotate, and then sealed the screw with nail polish in the same manner as it was.

My question ... should I be using a commercial thing such as Lock-Tight or maybe even epoxy for this instead of nail polish? It appears to be holding and working fine, but I don't want this to fall apart in a few months.

Thanks again, gang. 🙂 🙂

 

[Fedzilla_Bob]

Nail polish holds tight. I even think it dries faster than Loctite. Which, for me, makes it handier.

Using a color might also help you later when (or if) you need to do surgery again. It will remind you where it was used before. Not so evident if you use a clear lacquer. Loctite uses red or blue depending on the product.

 

[dmr]

Thanks for the quick replies, everybody. 🙂

1) yes you can leave out the self timer.

Thanks. I really regard that as a nuisance and not a feature. I remember on the old one I've accidentally set it, and you can't un-set it easily.

LOL -- Use it to simulate the shutter delay in a "modern" digital camera. 🙂

That is a cute little fascinating gadget. I lost count of the times I just set it and watched it whirrrrrrrrrr down.

Nail polish holds tight. I even think it dries faster than Loctite. Which, for me, makes it handier.

Good, I'll just leave it as is. Saves me a trip to the hardware store over lunch too. 🙂

Using a color might also help you later when (or if) you need to do surgery again. It will remind you where it was used before. Not so evident if you use a clear lacquer. Loctite uses red or blue depending on the product.

This one was sealed with Sally Hansen gold chrome. It's a shade I don't use myself, and the only reason I got it was when the "Chrome" line first came out it was a bit scarce, so I picked up some whenever I found it.

I'm sealing most of the screws I replace, even if they didn't have lacquer on them to begin with.

Now I just need to get the rest of the thing back together. 🙂

 

[doubs43]

On the subject of nail polish, it should hold just fine. I've used it for years to secure the mount screws on rifles that, I'm certain, put much more vibration on the screws than the shutter does. I've never had a screw loosen when held by nail polish.

The secret IMO is the flexability of the polish when it sets. It acts like a shock absorber, flexing enough to soak up the vibrations but never enough to break loose. Good stuff and in an off-brand from the Dollar Store, it's cheap enough.

Walker

 

[dmr]

And another camera repair guru is born. 🙂

Oh, I'm definitely not up to "Guru" standing yet! This one is baptism by fire, second course. For this one I'm flying blind, no service manual. In a few cases I've taken apart what didn't need to be taken apart. 🙂

I do think the Mamiya SD is much easier to work on that the Canon GIII, but this one is in much worse shape than it first seemed. Lots of electronics issues like corrosion and a smudge on the beam splitter. 🙁

I'm really debating the type of feedback I'm going to leave, if any. The camera was most definitely not in the shape they said! 🙁 However, I'm gonna keep it, if only for parts for another one. $18 is probably a fair price for a parts camera, but I am a little miffed that what I got is totally trashed inside when they said "totally overhauled" and such. 🙁 Had I paid my full bid price I would have definitely asked for my $$$ back.

I do appreciate the help and encouragement I get here. 🙂

Oh well ... so it goes! (And so do I ...)