Fuji GSW690 remove top cover

[shawn]

Anyone have any good tricks for removing the ring above the shutter? I just got a GSW690III and want to clean the finder as it is a bit hazy. It looks like it is on the back side of the cover glass so it should be easy.

But I can't budge that shutter ring at all. I've tried rubber lens openers on it and they slip before the ring loosens. Tried a hairdryer to warm it up, a little naptha on it to try and get the threads loose but it is on there very solidly. Really isn't room for any sort of a wrench on it.

Any other ideas or tools to try? Was going to try a 23ish mm ring wrench tool from nobbysparrow but delivery will be a month or so and I'm not sure the ring is thick enough for that anyway.

Shawn

 

[Dan Daniel]

Find some sort of tube that will fit? Maybe a water bottle or soda bottle? Something smaller? Enough to clear the silver shutter button. Put double sided tape on the contact surface, maybe two layers to get it to conform, press hard into place, and try it then?

 

[shawn]

Thanks, double sided tape is a good idea. I will pick some up and try that with the rubber lens openers to see if maybe that can free it.

Shawn

 

[JeffS7444]

Are you talking about the ring around the shutter release button? Those are usually (not always, but 90%+ of the time) left hand thread.

 

[shawn]

Are you talking about the ring around the shutter release button? Those are usually (not always, but 90%+ of the time) left hand thread.

I've tried both directions. This is an earlier GW690 but in this video it is not a left handed thread.

https://youtu.be/fEVNZWXL2CM?t=347

Thanks,

Shawn

 

[aizan]

I’m waiting for nobbysparrow to be able to ship a flexiclamp, too! Got to get the front lens cell off of a Compur shutter.

 

[Dan Daniel]

I’m waiting for nobbysparrow to be able to ship a flexiclamp, too! Got to get the front lens cell off of a Compur shutter.

If you have access to a laser cutter, you can draw up and make your own from 1/8 inch acrylic. Sure, a bit fragile, but if you scale the design up and down and make two or three sets at one run, you'll be set for a long time.

The shutter surround ring on the Fuji GW's is right-hand threading. Looking down from above, turn counter-clockwise to remove.

 

[Beemermark]

Use resin powder to get a grip on the ring.

 

[shawn]

Thanks, Part of the problem is there is very little ring to grab onto and what there is is rounds up so anything I try and tighten on it is just riding up. Nothing can go over the gap there as the winding level gets in the way.

Just saw Amazon has silicon 'wedding rings' that are almost the exact size. Might get one of them and see if that lets me grab it a little better.

Almost thinking about 3d printing a guide to drill two tiny holes in the ring to use a spanner. Wondering if someone used thread lock on this in the past. It is nuts how hard this is to get off.

Shawn

 

[JeffS7444]

Besides flexiclamp wrenches, rubber cups such as those sold by Japan Hobby Tool can often be used and they have the advantages of leaving no marks.

 

[shawn]

I have the rubber cups and they aren't getting it done. Not enough contact area to prevent slipping. Might with double sided tape but I have to pick that up.

Thanks,

Shawn

 

[nhchen]

Maybe try some heat or solvent to soften any threadlocker that may be in there?
Nathan

 

[shawn]

I've tried naphtha and a hair dryer. Can't do much heat as the wind lever is plastic. Not sure what other solvent to use that would be safe.

Shawn

 

[Dan Daniel]

I've tried naphtha and a hair dryer. Can't do much heat as the wind lever is plastic. Not sure what other solvent to use that would be safe.

Shawn

Get some carpet tape. the smooth type, not the clothe-based stuff. Make a few little strips, place on the on top surface while staying clear of the shutter release button itself. Then use a proper sized tube to unscrew.


Some GW's I've seen have corrosion hidden everywhere. If you have any ammonia around, let a little wick in around the lower rim of the part. This sometimes dissolves aluminum corrosion. But just a little, let it sit for fifteen minutes, then the tape.

 

[nbagno]

Maybe the service manual has some info https://lookaside.fbsbx.com/file/g...SksBLd50yvjVpgrmjWEQJEO3PCEvSunFhlrxg9DyMrKXu


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[maigo]

Try wearing a household cleaning glove to better grasp the ring.
Wash and dry the glove before using for better grip.
I have used this trick to loosen bathroom faucet hardware.


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[shawn]

Thanks everyone. Couldn't get it with any of the above so I designed/3d printed a drill guide for it and put two holes for a lens spanner in it. Came right off then.

Some of the haze was between the lenses and prism in the finder. Didn't want to take that all apart so I snaked lens cleaning paper between them and used a small piece of business card to get it all cleaned out. *Much* better now.

Thanks again,

Shawn

 

[Dan Daniel]

Uh... if you have access to a 3-d printer, why not just print a ring wrench?

 

[shawn]

Couldn't grip it tight enough to get it off. That cap design started as a way to try and remove it. Even with a hose clamp tightened around it it was slipping on the shutter ring.

Shawn