Canon P - jammed self timer

[Davidhel]

Hi all

I have a problem with a Canon P : (

Canon rangefinders are relatively new to me, but I have restored several LTM Leica's over the last few years....

This one came to me in a sorry state. I opened it up, cleaned and lubricated... it was all going so well. I reassembled.. and here's my problem. When I reattached the self timer arm it wasn't quite at vertical (more like 11 o'clock) - I should have taken greater care to put it on correctly and tighten it up first. Instead, because it was slightly angled when I tightened everything back up, when I set it, it won't release with the shutter... My thinking is that I've 'over wound the self time mechanism' through the wrong alignment - see pic.. :bang:

Canon p, self timer mechanism by David Helmore, on Flickr

How to fix is the big question. Everything locks. If you raise 'the arm' slightly on the self timer mechanism the shutter fires perfectly... so I'm thinking I will need to remove the slow speed mechanism and try to fix before reattaching to the camera?

Is this something any of you have had to fix before?... if so, I would appreciate any tips you can give : )

Thanks in advance

Dave

 

[nhchen]

Can you still wind the self timer? When I’ve had the problem of the self timer lever not sitting straight, it usually was due to me not winding it up enough. To install the lever I wind up the self timer mechanism using the lever itself but flipping it the wrong way round, then I quickly lift the lever to start the mechanism and install it the right way round - if that makes any sense. If your one is overwound I would just remove it from the camera and see if you can trigger it yourself, it is only held there by two screws.

Nathan

 

[ForestCap]

https://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=150721 might help

 

[Davidhel]

Thanks so much both! My theory now is that it is not wound up enough rather than over wound. Will check and report back ��

 

[Davidhel]

Hi all

That worked perfectly! It wasn’t wound up enough...

I went back into the camera, removed the self timer and soaked it in lighter fluid to give it a good clean. The camera is now back together... but there is still a small issue with the timer.. when set, it doesn’t always lock, most of the time it starts without the shutter release being pressed. Not a deal breaker as the rest of the camera works great.... but any ideas for a fix?

Thanks again all : )

 

[Dan Daniel]

I don't know anything about this timer, but I am looking at the photo in the first post. Center right, about 1 o'clock from the large hex nut, there is a rusted retaining clip holding a spring in place, it appears. But that spring only has one end retained. The upper end, which goes off to the right, appears to be simply floating in space. That's not how it should be- that kind of spring needs both ends retained to be functional?

 

[rick oleson]

Hi Dan: I think that end is hooked over the edge of the metal plate. Looks to me like it should work normally to drive that lever clockwise.

 

[Davidhel]

Hi again

One thing I didn’t do was to add oil to the timer mechanism.. I treated it like a slow speed mechanism which I normally clean and leave dry. I’m thinking that I maybe should have lubricated the mechanism slightly as it’s an intermittent fault not happening all the time?

 

[Dan Daniel]

Hi Dan: I think that end is hooked over the edge of the metal plate. Looks to me like it should work normally to drive that lever clockwise.

Ah, yep, now I see it.... never mind....