kknox
kknox
My mint 3.5f shutter will not close. The shutter release button works, but now when I crank the shutter the you can see the shutter try and close. I loaded film, you wind crank, cock shutter then it will wind to the next frame w/out pushing the shutter button. All the way to the end of the film.
Does anyone now how to get the shutter to release?
Thanks.
Does anyone now how to get the shutter to release?
Thanks.
hanskerensky
Well-known
Sounds like a gummed up shutter.
Did you allready tried a cable release ?
Did you allready tried a cable release ?
kknox
kknox
yes did try cable release. Thanks
Robert Lai
Well-known
You may need a new shutter mainspring. I had mine replaced on my 3.5F as part of its overhaul. Usually the slow speeds become slower and slower before the shutter fails entirely.
Or, the works may be gummed up entirely with hardened grease.
Or, the works may be gummed up entirely with hardened grease.
Clearly it is stuck open or partly open. Getting it closed is unlikely to achieve anything as it's almost certain to manifest the problem again. The shutter will need to be examined and cleaned at the least. I wouldn't recommend continually winding the camera with the shutter stuck open, it won't achieve anything constructive.
If portions of the shutter blades are visible, you might try dabbing them with a cotton tip moistened in lighter fluid. I'm not advocating this as a repair, incidentally. Rather, as a means of isolating the fault. If you subsequently cycle the speed selector several times, (what is it set to, you haven't told us?) or wind the camera a couple of times and the shutter then commences normal operation, it's fairly likely that the main fault is oil-contaminated shutter blades which can certainly cause this sort of behaviour. The fluid will break the surface tension on the shutter blades, permitting them to function normally for a period (maybe a few hours to a few days, likely the former).
If, on the other hand, lightly (and I do mean lightly) moistening the shutter blades with some lighter fluid makes no difference to the state of the shutter you can probably assume the mechanism itself requires attending to. In which case, a dash of lighter fluid to the blades is neither here nor there, as it will need to be stripped and of course cleaned, anyway. If the shutter runs off at faster speeds and sticks at 1/8 or slower this is especially likely as it is probably a sticking speed escapement that is the problem. If faster speeds are affected as well, this points to dirty blades or another fault, as they will cause malfunctions not limited only to the slower speeds.
Either way, it requires some skilled TLC.
Regards,
Brett
If portions of the shutter blades are visible, you might try dabbing them with a cotton tip moistened in lighter fluid. I'm not advocating this as a repair, incidentally. Rather, as a means of isolating the fault. If you subsequently cycle the speed selector several times, (what is it set to, you haven't told us?) or wind the camera a couple of times and the shutter then commences normal operation, it's fairly likely that the main fault is oil-contaminated shutter blades which can certainly cause this sort of behaviour. The fluid will break the surface tension on the shutter blades, permitting them to function normally for a period (maybe a few hours to a few days, likely the former).
If, on the other hand, lightly (and I do mean lightly) moistening the shutter blades with some lighter fluid makes no difference to the state of the shutter you can probably assume the mechanism itself requires attending to. In which case, a dash of lighter fluid to the blades is neither here nor there, as it will need to be stripped and of course cleaned, anyway. If the shutter runs off at faster speeds and sticks at 1/8 or slower this is especially likely as it is probably a sticking speed escapement that is the problem. If faster speeds are affected as well, this points to dirty blades or another fault, as they will cause malfunctions not limited only to the slower speeds.
Either way, it requires some skilled TLC.
Regards,
Brett
kknox
kknox
Thanks Brett, it has never been opened up. It is not to smooth compared to my other Rollei. Winding does advance the shutter counter, it did work at all speeds w/out issue. Nothing is visible on the blades. It just goes though the cycle with the shutter blades moving slightly while advancing the winder. Do you think its just a CLA fix or shutter rebuild, or is that one in the same?
Dan Daniel
Well-known
Get it cleaned. What you describe is typical for gummed up shutters and cocking levers. Paul Ebel in the US is a good choice in a case like this if everything is basically working. Fleenor if new parts/assemblies might be needed. Krmar has a good reputation among some people, especially on late models like your F.
This whole 'main spring replacement' thing confuses me. It seems that it is always Krimar Camera who is doing this, his answer to every shutter problem. I've had shutters to Ebel, Fleenor, Flutot- never had someone say I needed a new main spring. Anyone know what is going on with main spring replacements? Is it really such a common cure in other places/other repair people?
This whole 'main spring replacement' thing confuses me. It seems that it is always Krimar Camera who is doing this, his answer to every shutter problem. I've had shutters to Ebel, Fleenor, Flutot- never had someone say I needed a new main spring. Anyone know what is going on with main spring replacements? Is it really such a common cure in other places/other repair people?
furbs
Well-known
I had a similar problem with a severely beat-up 2.8 E2 I found at an estate sale - shutter hanging on slow speeds, then all speeds. Sent it to Harry Fleenor and he fixed the shutter, along with the misaligned focusing, sticking film advance, and unresponsive front controls. The Rollei came back to me a completely different camera. I've also heard only good things about Paul Ebel.
Gumby
Veteran
I don't think it is a common cure. Perhaps that one guy is replacing mainspring routinely on the assumption that they are old and deserve to be changed. I have only once met a mainspring that needed to be replaced; it was broken, not "old and weak".
kknox
kknox
Thanks everyone. I will send it in, it started working again. Hang at some slow speeds.
I guess 50 yrs of not much use will do it.
I guess 50 yrs of not much use will do it.