Contax I ribbons

Great work of both Deklari and Michael. This is essential for really understanding the mechanism of the Contax I. The drawing of Deklari is priceless! The central spring is the aorta of the Contax I. The lesson to learn is never to buy a broken Contax I without checking this part, wich is very difficult.

Erik.
 
Erik van Straten said:
Great work of both Deklari and Michael. This is essential for really understanding the mechanism of the Contax I. The drawing of Deklari is priceless! The central spring is the aorta of the Contax I. The lesson to learn is never to buy a broken Contax I without checking this part, wich is very difficult.

Erik.
Click to expand...

Erik,

You and others deserve credit for some very good advice and suggestions without which I wouldn't have got this far. Deklari does indeed deserve credit for his great drawing.

Next week I'm going to phone a couple of old retired repair people I used to deal with. Both have said in the past that they had a box of early Contax bits somewhere.

This is my first course of action and if it fails I will destroy a Kiev...though I am not sure that I have the skills to instal springs into a roller.
 
Dralowid said:
So if a anyone can offer a step by step of dismantling the roller it would be a great help.
Click to expand...

IF it is constructed the same as the Contax II/III/Kiev it is not difficult to get it apart. This is from my notes:

Remove soft pad after marking its position. Isopropyl alcohol may help release.
[I don't see this pad on your Contax I pictures so maybe it doesn't exist on the 'I']

Remove screws and end caps and detach ribbons from their mounts.
[The end-caps just slide off when you have removed the little countersunk screws, and the ribbon loops will slide off - you don't have to cut your new ribbons!]

Rotate spring clip so that end of curtain is at the gap.

Slide curtain out of slot.
[The slot in the 1st curtain roller]

Remove 4 countersunk steel screws from outer sleeve.
[These hold the bearing bushes]

Open the sleeve slightly by wedging a piece of .015"? shim in the slot. Pull out inner spindle with springs and bearings holding on to the pulley (from the RH end to avoid coggling springs).
[It should slide out easily: force may damage springs]

The LH ribbon pulley can be removed over the spring if the tiny screw is removed to separate it from its bearing, but dismantling cannot go further without detaching the LH spring from the axle, which would mean bending the inner end of the spring and probably destroying it due to the tight fitting.

When reassembling the inner spindle to the outer sleeve insert it from the LH end and push on the axle (open the slot slightly as before, and insert the shim far enough so that it forms a guide to keep the inner bushes in line).

I hope this makes some kind of sense. Let me know if it doesn't. As Deklari has suggested, it may be very difficult to replace a spring because of the way it is attached to the axle, but I think it may be possible for a centre spring to become unhooked if the roller is tensioned in the wrong direction.
 
Grytpype said:
IF it is constructed the same as the Contax II/III/Kiev it is not difficult to get it apart. This is from my notes:

I hope this makes some kind of sense. Let me know if it doesn't. As Deklari has suggested, it may be very difficult to replace a spring because of the way it is attached to the axle, but I think it may be possible for a centre spring to become unhooked if the roller is tensioned in the wrong direction.
Click to expand...

Thanks! It totally make sense
 
Deklari said:
Dralowid said:
New drawing of anatomy bottom roller
It is a same as Kiev or Contax II/III.. only different central axis have left adjustment for screwdriver (Contax II/III, Kiev from right)
Contax II/III, Kiev roller (not central axis)a little wider. View attachment 104939
Click to expand...


Wauw! Rick Oleson must see this! Great work Deklari. You are a very gifted draughtsman! Thank you for sharing this!

Erik.
Click to expand...
 
Deklari said:
Dralowid said:
New drawing of anatomy bottom roller
It is a same as Kiev or Contax II/III.. only different central axis have left adjustment for screwdriver (Contax II/III, Kiev from right)
Contax II/III, Kiev roller (not central axis)a little wider. View attachment 104939
Click to expand...

So maybe the springs of a Kiev can be used, (but not the central axis, if I understand well) if you can connect the springs to the axis of the Contax I of course.

Erik.
Click to expand...
 
Erik van Straten said:
Deklari said:
f you can connect the springs to the axis of the Contax I of course.

Erik.
Click to expand...

This is most challenging part. I have try on Contax III..no luck, probably I don't have a right tools for this. I think two needle nose pliers will help. In general: first need to remove spring from one site (careful "unhook" from axis). Second re-move old central spring and install new one. Hook central spring to axis, after all, hook the site spring. Unfortunately to get just central spring... need to buy whole fully working Kiev camera from Russia/Ukraine . Fortunately, they cost 30-40$ on e-bay.
Click to expand...
 
Deklari, These drawings are better then anything I have seen of the spring and roller assembly. Thank you.

You and Rick should coordinate to build a new disassembly/assembly manual. As many of these cameras as I have floating around the house, I would be happy to pay the two of you for this.
 
Pioneer said:
Deklari, These drawings are better then anything I have seen of the spring and roller assembly. Thank you.

You and Rick should coordinate to build a new disassembly/assembly manual. As many of these cameras as I have floating around the house, I would be happy to pay the two of you for this.
Click to expand...

Thanks. I will think about. But my original plain to be photographer not a writer 🙂
 
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