Just do it yourself

btgc

btgc

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Some time ago I paid for aperture overhaul as I couldn't find broken parts. After repair I didn't notice anything bad but recently aperture became sluggish and I discovered, to my surprise, oily blades. 12 blades create big friction and are more delicate than those in less round apertures.

Long story short, I cleaned aperture blades and assembled them back - assembling them back actually were biggest time consumer in this task. Now I have chance to wipe shutter blades even if they weren't sticking but show slight residue. Then I will know what's there and what's not.

This is not to bash repairman but to learn if there are chances to contaminate blades if I fail to find any source of oil around aperture? Casing outside and inside is clean, no one has vandalized it by flushing WD40 or even lighter fluid into. Just blade surfaces.

Someone, please explain this.
 
I never had any trouble with flushing with lighter fluid. WD40 is, of course, a no no. f you have oily blades on a leaf shutter after an overhaul, which I once did, it may require a flush w/ 91% alcohol or higher proof. That removed the stickiness that was still on mine. Don't discount the possibility of a misassembled or broken spring in the escapement mechanism. If that were the case I would simply buy another shutter as escapements are not that easy to be repaired/adjusted, unless it is also simply gummed up.
 
From my limited experience, what seemed to be the smallest trace of lube on the blades pivot points,eventually led to slowing and then seizing of blades altogether. Pure alcohol flushed them clean and finally convinced me that no lube was the best lube. Peter
 
Steve, shutter itself runs fine (at least, so far), it were aperture which bothered me.

Moto-uno, hm, I like your explanation. Pivots are only points where I could imagine someone applying oil (not oiling there myself, though).

Anyway, now both sets of blades are cleaned up and tomorrow I will put shutter back (allowing overnight to evaporate bits of nail polish I used to touch up screw heads).
 
It seems to me that oil from helical lube will settle on the aperture blades first, before it migrates to the shutter blades. If the blades are that oily, after removing the escapement and delay I'll remove the entire assembly, and soak in as one piece in lighter fluid, with at least two rinses, working the blades back and forth until everything is clean and dry. I don't like using alcohol for cleaning shutters as it has a somewhat high water content, and will interact with stuff in a weird way.

PF
 
Thing is, that shutter sits in its own bed, it's kind of delimited from helical. I tried to find if it could migrate from helicoid, but there is only small amount of grease which is not migrating. Even if it would do, shutter casing were dry. Just don't see how oil could penetrate metal casing or rear glass unit. A bit puzzing, still.
 
Lighter fluid flush is evil, in my book. It only succeeds in moving dirt to new areas and spreading oily residue around. Tear the shutter down, fix it right.
 
hamradio said:
Lighter fluid flush is evil, in my book. It only succeeds in moving dirt to new areas and spreading oily residue around. Tear the shutter down, fix it right.
Click to expand...

I have found it both ways. I have had it work quite successfully. But I have a Avus that could not be cleaned by serious, repeated flushing. But when I took it apart and flushed it, it was OK, except that I then needed a very small amount of oil on the part that moves the shutter blades when the shutter is tripped. All it needed was just a light coating from a cloth that had a little oil on it. It drove me nuts trying to figure that out. :bang:
 
I've used lighter fluid a few times and with old lenses it works great, just to use a
little at a time never over do it.

Range
 
Well, cleaning with ronsonol without full teardown can help, I'm not against it.
Just want to know wqhy oil appeared on blades, if there other versions besides oiled studs.

btw shutter is assembled and sits waiting installation into camera.
Now it runs even smooooother or it just sounds to me :)

Well, one working workhorse is better than three most-of-times-working beauties.
 
^ Couldn't agree more, and after the last week I've succeeded in getting all my cameras to
work everytime, the Iskra selftimer was more like work though. Peter
 
Something that could look like oil could come from grease used to lube the diaphragma ring.

If this is not the right kind of grease it could degenerate by heat (camera lying in baking sun) or lifetime and oil could be migrated to other parts of camera.

Outgassing of grease (or oil) also sometimes occurs, this could fog the lenses.
 
No no....shutter is made of two halves connecting together rather firmly, it is closed system, especially aperture is well delimited from helicoid by metal casing with no holes - I don't see possibility how theoretical outgassing could happen. Then why oil vapour would deposit on aperture blades but not on shutter blades which are right there?

Thanks to all for replying. I think I have established deeper connection with particular camera. This helps to use gear better. This isn't productive, maybe, from current point of view, but I'm still lagging behind progres.
 
I think we misunderstand (google translator ?).
Diaphragma (Aperture) blades inside shutter.
Ring to adjust Diaphragma also inside shutter.
This Diaphragma Ring is sometimes lubricated with Grease (or maybe even Oil).
Bad Grease or Grease too hot (shutter in baking sun) then Liquid like oil escapes from grease.
This Liquid like oil goes many times to Diaphragma Blades.
Shutter Blades not affected because they are far from Diaphragma Blades.

Usual procedure :
Clean Diaphragma mechanism with lighter fluid.
If necessary apply tiny amount of GOOD grease to Diaphragma Ring.
 
Yes, English isn't my native lingo so maybe I've read something that weren't written :)

In this case aperture activating ring is outside of shutter, between shutter casing and camera. Even if I would grease thoroughly casing has no holes. Yet aperture blades are next to shutter blades there. One set of blades were oily, other were dry. Doesn't sum up for outgassing. Or I know little about this (and I don't insist I know much).
 
The out-gassing that Hans mentions will leave a haze on the lens elements, btgc. It won't cause oil to move from the aperture to the shutter. Most times, oil from the focusing helical is what gets on the aperture and shutter blades. Or if someone oiled the mechanism, of which most are designed to run dry.

You say it has a two bladed shutter design, so I'm thinking you are working on a more modern compact 35mm (Olympus comes to mind). Don't forget that these are not sealed designs, there is always the chance for something to get inside, and be spread around. Lubricant from rangefinder push rods and cocking levers can also get inside shutters on compact cameras. Long time storage is the big culprit on this, especially if not in a cool place.

PF
 
Guys, I'm not mentioning exact model because my intention is to discuss technical issue not blame repairman.

PF, now I get, but glass is clean as maiden's eye.

I should clarify I mentioned two sets of blades, one for aperture and one for shutter. This is a classic design, variation of even more classic design :) In my book this is last generation of cameras which feel quite decent, later they came just decent, sure except big names which still make Things.

Surry if anyone feels unnecessary puzzled by me.
 
btgc said:
Surry if anyone feels unnecessary puzzled by me.
Click to expand...

Not at all, we like discussions like this :)

English is also not my native language but we try to struggle on.

Indeed as Phil wrote, outgassing mostly is visible on the optics (lens and mirror surfaces).

In your case we talk about migration (creeping) of oily fluid. It creeps many times to diaphragma blades probably because near pivot points of blades grease or oil was applied (on ring). IMO Diaphragma blades have strong capilar working and that's why the oily fluid creeps relatively fast along the blades.
Also Diaphragma Blades move slowly, they cannot throw away the oil when moving. Shutter Blades move fast and can.

From pivot point of Diaphragma Blade to pivot point of Shutter Blade is long way and many space without capilar working. No chance of oily fluid to creep that far.
 
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