Another Robot II fixer-upper

[Mr_Flibble]

I recently picked up another "Luftwaffen-eigentum" Berning Robot II camera. They always find their way to me with spring-motor problems.

The first one was given to me, back in the day. It had a broken motor-spring and I had it overhauled by Robot-Kameradienst. (Shortly before they closed up shop) Then I had to buy a matching Luftwaffe-marked Tele-Xenar for it. The free camera became an expensive camera 🙄

The second one I traded for a military Kodak 35 "PH-324" camera. The ratchet pawl's tooth on top of the motor drive was worn down.
A few minutes with a dremel fixed that. It came with a luftwaffe-marked Tele-Xenar.

Both cameras work fine now

Now, freshly arrived number 3 is going to be a bit harder to fix. The ratchet wheel was missing and the leaf spring that pushes the pawl against the wheel has broken off.

So I spent an hour with a dremel making a ratchet wheel, literally a 1 euro cent part. 😀

No idea how to fix the broken blade spring yet, though. I can probably punch out the remains of the old one, but I need to come up with a replacement or figure out an alternative....

....and find yet another "Luftwaffen-eigentum" lens for it. 😱

 

[Hasku]

Take the old spring to a clockamaker, maybe he can make you a newone.

 

[oftheherd]

Take the old spring to a clockamaker, maybe he can make you a newone.

Clockmaker in the Lowlands? You're kidding right? 😀 😀 😀

Something harder to find the USA, but might well work. A machinist could probably help as well. Failing those options, perhaps broken off steel blades from a street sweeper.

Is the rounded thing with what looks like two rivets what you are talking about? Being rounded and riveted would cut down on the places you could get donor parts, but watchmakers and machinist could still probably do it and maybe even attach it.

Let us know what you come up with. Fascinating you can get and revive those old cameras.

 

[Mr_Flibble]

I have complete samples of these springs on my other two Robots.
It's indeed riveted at the 11 o'clock position of that photo. The blade lies flat on the motor spring housing and runs around the ratchet wheel and pushes the pawl at the 3 o'clock position up against the wheel.

I'll post a clearer photo later.

 

[Mr_Flibble]

This is one of my other Robots with the complete spring, next to the spring housing of the broken one.

I've manage to actually make it work with a cut down paperclip.

 

[citizen99]

Nice work ! and the 1-cent piece still shows its identity.

 

[Mr_Flibble]

I should change my name to MacGyver 😀

Facebook movie of working shutter

Of course, now that I have it back together I think one of the frame-counter gears is misaligned as it isn't advancing properly. 🙂

 

[rick oleson]

Very nice work! Since you've made it work with the paper clip, how about now substituting a similar piece of music wire so it retains its spring properties over time? I think then you'll have a permanent fix.

 

[Mr_Flibble]

I was planning to fine-tune the fix a bit. And I do have some electric guitar strings that would be a suitable replacement.
I'll add a zig-zag to the end so it grips the remaining part of the old spring. And then I think I'll put a disc of some thin material over the ratchet and spring so the knob cover will push it all down and keep it in position.