Contax 139 removing shutter button

[rurmonas]

I have a recently purchased Contax 139. The shutter button needs a fair force to make it trigger. I would guess dirty contacts. However to get the top plate off I need to remove the button, and there is my problem. Rubber bungs or gloves did not do it. I tried the suggestion on Peter Robinson's site with the double sided tape, and even went as far as getting some industrial double sided tape from work, cleaning the area thoroughly with isopropyl alcohol, applying the industrial tape (very sticky stuff) and even after several tries I had no luck loosening the button.

Could anyone suggest what else I could try without defacing the camera?

 

[Steve M.]

Try this

http://www.contax139.info/diy

According the the first page, the shutter contacts are gold plated, but it may have gotten dirt or debris in there.. In any case, once you get the top cover off it should be obvious what the problem is. This link below has a tip on using a toothpick to attempt a fix. If it were me, before taking the top off I would try tapping the camera upside down on a mouse pad while pressing the shutter button repeatedly to try and dislodge what may be in there. If that did not work, I would try a squirt of canned air, followed by some electrical cleaner. If all that fails, off w/ the top, which means you will have to deal w/ the stuck shutter button.. The link above has a suggestion that the author says has never failed (yet). You also may try using a hair dryer to heat the button up, as that will make the button expand from the heat. High test alcohol squirted in there may free it up if you let it sit over night. It can't hurt anything in there, and will evaporate out.

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/classics/forum/messages/15681/10027.html?1214533177

 

[monopix]

Try this

http://www.contax139.info/diy
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That is my site Steve and you must be seeing and old version of it as I updated it from the old toothpick method some time ago.

@Rurmonas
I've never yet had the sticky tape method fail and the only other suggestion I have is to drill the top of the button with two holes and use a wrench. I can probably find you a replacement button if necessary.

If you do get it off you'll probably need to dismantle the switch mechanism and reshape the domed disk that the button presses down on as it's probably become distorted. And clean the contacts as well. It's a fiddly job but possible.

 

[rurmonas]

Thank you for the responses. Since I wrote, the lab tech I work with (who can disassemble about anything) tried a few ideas all with no success. Then I had the mechanical engineer give an opinion and based on that we warmed the camera up to 55 deg C. While hot I tried 3 times with the strong double sided tape with no luck. I now suspect that somewhere in this camera's past someone glued the button on as I can't see how else it could be so firmly attached.

@monopix, any chance you have a spare button because the next step is to drill some holes and use some force.

Thank you!

 

[monopix]

@monopix, any chance you have a spare button because the next step is to drill some holes and use some force.

Thank you!

I'm sure I can find one but wait until you've got it apart as you might need some other parts as well. PM me when you're ready.

 

[rurmonas]

In the end I drilled 2 small holes in the shutter button. It required a surprising amount of force to get it to move. Once I had "broken the bond" it was very easy to unscrew. I don't see anything which would explain why it was stuck so firmly, so no glue / thread lock or gunk.