FED 2 shutter very sticky

[J.D.]

Hi guys,

I recently bought a FED 2 from a seller in Germany and have had a couple of problems with it.

The first one was that the lens - an Industar 26 - needed a serious clean and re-lube. Done. The second is that the rangefinder needs to be calibrated properly and that will happen when the tools arrive. But it's the third problem which is bugging me.

After I had taken the wind knob off the top of the camera to have a look at it, I found that the shutter was very slow. It's almost as though it's in bulb mode. I can only assume that I've over tightened something or put it on the wrong way around. I was very careful to put the shutter speed dial back exactly at the right speed and all the wind knob components went back the way they should have.

Meanwhile, if I set the shutter at 1/30, it sounds quite a bit slower and if I set it to 1/250 the shutter release seems only to open the first curtain. The second curtain doesn't seem to want to close.

Any suggestions will be appreciated.

Also have a Zorki 4 for the moment and that is working well.

 

[farlymac]

Hi guys,

I recently bought a FED 2 from a seller in Germany and have had a couple of problems with it.

The first one was that the lens - an Industar 26 - needed a serious clean and re-lube. Done. The second is that the rangefinder needs to be calibrated properly and that will happen when the tools arrive. But it's the third problem which is bugging me.

After I had taken the wind knob off the top of the camera to have a look at it, I found that the shutter was very slow. It's almost as though it's in bulb mode. I can only assume that I've over tightened something or put it on the wrong way around. I was very careful to put the shutter speed dial back exactly at the right speed and all the wind knob components went back the way they should have.

Meanwhile, if I set the shutter at 1/30, it sounds quite a bit slower and if I set it to 1/250 the shutter release seems only to open the first curtain. The second curtain doesn't seem to want to close.

Any suggestions will be appreciated.

Also have a Zorki 4 for the moment and that is working well.

Could just be old lubricant. I've got one that does close to the same thing, and after watching the works for a bit, I found the shaft that goes through the sprocket spool is sticking. Judging from the lens and rangefinder being so out of sorts, I'd say the rest of the camera needs a good cleaning too.

PF

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Nothing special, surprising or new.
You need to take it apart including removal of shutter assembly and get it cleaned in camp fuel, gasoline. Including springs in curtains rollers. Once all of the parts are cleaned - assembly with new lube and curtains springs tension adjustment. The difference it makes is big.

FED-2 is great camera for doing of this. I would never do this with Zorki 4. Too complicated.

 

[David Hughes]

Hi,

Sorry to disagree but I think it's easier to type than to do. Get Oleg on to it...

Regards, David

 

[Dralowid]

Hi,

Sorry to disagree but I think it's easier to type than to do. Get Oleg on to it...

Regards, David

Wise words...squirting lighter fluid at it is one thing...doing the job properly is another, many a poor old Fed has died in bits on the kitchen table.

Having said that, if you do squirt lighter fluid into it around shutter dial etc etc and it starts working you'll at least confirm the old hard lubricant theory.

Apols, no offence intended but some of us are more ham fisted than others.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Hi,

Sorry to disagree but I think it's easier to type than to do. Get Oleg on to it...

Regards, David

Wise words...squirting lighter fluid at it is one thing...doing the job properly is another, many a poor old Fed has died in bits on the kitchen table.

Having said that, if you do squirt lighter fluid into it around shutter dial etc etc and it starts working you'll at least confirm the old hard lubricant theory.

Apols, no offence intended but some of us are more ham fisted than others.

I have done full CLA on FED-2. This is why I wrote, what I would not touch Zorki-4 which I had in my possession for a while, but FED-2 CLA is different story. I replaced the burned, worn out curtain on my FED-2 in this March.
And, yes, I have sent my FED-2 to Oleg. Once, but never again.

I'm deeply sorry if my conversation culture, style and method is different from yours.

Cheers, Ko.

 

[David Hughes]

Oops, I left out "Welcome aboard" to a first time poster. I was worrying about the FED, well, that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it...

Regards, David

PS Stuck with it would be more accurate.

 

[J.D.]

Could just be old lubricant. I've got one that does close to the same thing, and after watching the works for a bit, I found the shaft that goes through the sprocket spool is sticking. Judging from the lens and rangefinder being so out of sorts, I'd say the rest of the camera needs a good cleaning too.

PF

Well, I should have said that it seemed to be working properly before I pulled it apart. I put it back together very carefully but perhaps I've pushed the wind knob down too far.

 

[J.D.]

Nothing special, surprising or new.

Kinda why I asked here... 😉

You need to take it apart including removal of shutter assembly and get it cleaned in camp fuel, gasoline. Including springs in curtains rollers. Once all of the parts are cleaned - assembly with new lube and curtains springs tension adjustment. The difference it makes is big.

This is what I planned to do and in fact, was one of the reasons I bought the FED in the first place. In the end, the problem was solved by squirting a very small amount of lighter fluid down the shaft of the shutter speed dial. This was followed a little while later by a small amount of silicone from a precision oiler. Everything seems okay now but a complete overhaul is not far away. I am still awaiting some specialist tools.

FED-2 is great camera for doing of this. I would never do this with Zorki 4. Too complicated.

The Zorki is fine and I'm not planning to do anything with it at the moment, other than take pictures.