stuart_115
Member
Hi everyone,
I need some help with my Canonfex R. Althoug it is not a rangefinder, perhaps there is some similarities with other Canon rangefinders.
I acquired an R which had a blocked shutter and non-functioning mirror return. It was possible to move the advance lever crank, however the curtains did not move and stayed in the closed position. The film sprockets also remained in the same position.
I managed to open the bottom of the camera and fixed the mirror return, which was a relatively easy fix. The shutter took more time, but I figured out how it worked. In picture 1 the bottom of the camera is shown. When the film advance lever is used the no.1 gear rotates together with no.2, which in turn rotates no.3 which is used for the curtains and timing mechanism. Gear no.4 is used rotate the lever to cock the spring mechanism of the R lenses.
The problem is that with my specimen, when the film advance lever is actuated, gear no.1 rotates, but gear no.2 moves a bit, but stops moving when no.3 requires counterforce for the spring mechanism of the curtains. The lever then slips and it is possible to continue the advance and set the lever back into the original position.
I found out that by using a screw driver to rotate gear no.4 clockwise it is possible to cock the shutter correctly. After some cleaning of the gears the timing now seems correct and the camera seems to be working correctly except that the film advance lever does not work, with the lever slipping when there is more force needed. When a use a screw driver to rotate gear no3, advance goes further but stops again when more force is needed.
I disassembled the camera further and was able to remove gear no.1. This is depicted in picture 2 and 3. I saw that there was an epoxy between the shaft no.1 and the gear no.2. I found out that the reason that the gear slips is because the epoxy does not fix the shaft with the gear anymore. My guess is that a previous user used to much force and broke the bond. Perhaps by cocking the shutter twice. So my guess is in order to fix the camera I have to fix the bond between the shaft and the gear.
Does anyone know which epoxy to use to re-fix the shaft and the gear? I tried some thread locker, however it is difficult to get the thread locker in between to actually bond. Should I try soldering or something else?
I need some help with my Canonfex R. Althoug it is not a rangefinder, perhaps there is some similarities with other Canon rangefinders.
I acquired an R which had a blocked shutter and non-functioning mirror return. It was possible to move the advance lever crank, however the curtains did not move and stayed in the closed position. The film sprockets also remained in the same position.
I managed to open the bottom of the camera and fixed the mirror return, which was a relatively easy fix. The shutter took more time, but I figured out how it worked. In picture 1 the bottom of the camera is shown. When the film advance lever is used the no.1 gear rotates together with no.2, which in turn rotates no.3 which is used for the curtains and timing mechanism. Gear no.4 is used rotate the lever to cock the spring mechanism of the R lenses.
The problem is that with my specimen, when the film advance lever is actuated, gear no.1 rotates, but gear no.2 moves a bit, but stops moving when no.3 requires counterforce for the spring mechanism of the curtains. The lever then slips and it is possible to continue the advance and set the lever back into the original position.
I found out that by using a screw driver to rotate gear no.4 clockwise it is possible to cock the shutter correctly. After some cleaning of the gears the timing now seems correct and the camera seems to be working correctly except that the film advance lever does not work, with the lever slipping when there is more force needed. When a use a screw driver to rotate gear no3, advance goes further but stops again when more force is needed.
I disassembled the camera further and was able to remove gear no.1. This is depicted in picture 2 and 3. I saw that there was an epoxy between the shaft no.1 and the gear no.2. I found out that the reason that the gear slips is because the epoxy does not fix the shaft with the gear anymore. My guess is that a previous user used to much force and broke the bond. Perhaps by cocking the shutter twice. So my guess is in order to fix the camera I have to fix the bond between the shaft and the gear.
Does anyone know which epoxy to use to re-fix the shaft and the gear? I tried some thread locker, however it is difficult to get the thread locker in between to actually bond. Should I try soldering or something else?
Livesteamer
Well-known
I am doubtful the shaft was originally assembled with epoxy. I suspect it was a press fit which loosened over time and then someone repaired it with epoxy. I am not a camera repair person but I am a retired machinist. One trick to get such a shaft to press back in is to take a center punch and use it to punch dimples on the shaft where it would press together. The center punch raises up metal around the center dimple and this might work to hold things together.
Good Luck,
Joe
Good Luck,
Joe
stuart_115
Member
Hi Joe,
Thanks. It makes sense that someone tried to repair it. The leatherette was easy to remove compared to other places and of the four screws that held the assembly together, one screw was completely different.
I will try your suggestion and use a center punch.
Thanks for the tips.
Stuart
Thanks. It makes sense that someone tried to repair it. The leatherette was easy to remove compared to other places and of the four screws that held the assembly together, one screw was completely different.
I will try your suggestion and use a center punch.
Thanks for the tips.
Stuart
steveyork
Well-known
Love the shutter sound of those old Canonflex. Such a solid camera, and the bottom winder was cool/different. What's a little radioactivity?
stuart_115
Member
In the end I managed to fix the problem. I used JB Weld for fixing the gear. I had to redo it two times, both because there was too much friction for winding, due to old grease and misalignment of a gear. I was just too eager to get it up and running.
There is still some work left though. The spring of the lever need some retentioning as it blocks the complete rotation of the shutter curtain. In picture 1, the flippy thing should be straight up. When it's not, the shutter gets blocked.
I like it a lot too. Easy to open and easy to identify the parts. By using radioactive lenses I don't have to get an orange filter
.
There is still some work left though. The spring of the lever need some retentioning as it blocks the complete rotation of the shutter curtain. In picture 1, the flippy thing should be straight up. When it's not, the shutter gets blocked.
I like it a lot too. Easy to open and easy to identify the parts. By using radioactive lenses I don't have to get an orange filter
.