Requesting Fed 3b Repair Advice

[Bradd Cluckey]

Greetings Comrades,

Monday afternoon I stopped by my local used camera/random stuff shop to see if the FED 3b that made eyes at me on a previous trip was still there. It was and the shopkeeper said he'd part with it for the piddly fee of $40. He said that it was "half assed working" and that the lens alone (a decent looking but stiff J-8) was probably worth the price. I agreed and gladly handed him the cash. I took the jupiter home, de-gunked and lubed the helical, and mounted it on my Zorki 1.

My questions concern the body. The exposure dial is stuck pointing to 1/30th and giving about a one second exposure when you fire the shutter. Any attempt to change the dial results in the dial snapping back to 1/30th and buzzing. Also the lens mount flange is missing two screws and wiggles. Everything else on the body (film transport, rangefinder and viewfinder, self timer) seems to be in good working order.

Is there anyone out there who recognizes the symptoms and could help me diagnose the problem with the shutter timing? (Did somebody break the FSU rangefinder golden rule?) What can I do about it? Is there a place to source the screws for the lens mount? If the problem is above the level of an FSU/rangefinder novice such as myself, what are my repair options? I know of Eddy Smolov, Fedka, and Oleg. Are these my best bets in terms of professional repair? Between the three who would be best (with a good balance between turnaround time and price)?

Oi! What a post!

Sorry Comrades for my rambling,

Thanks in advance as always,

Bradd.

 

[Bradd Cluckey]

Thank you Mr. Jenkenson!

And although I cannot switch the exposure dial to "B" if I hold my finger on the button the shutter will stay open until it is released. I forgot to mention that bit actually.

 

[Kino Glaz]

The problem sounds more serious that what Mr Jenkins suggested. What you described appears to be the symptom of a FED shutter whose speed dial was turned to shift speeds WITHOUT cocking.

 

[Bradd Cluckey]

I actually brought that up with the shopkeeper while we discussed the camera. Is there any way to tell conclusively if this is the case?

Edit: I forgot to mention that moving the shutter speed dial in ANY way seems at the moment impossible, so actually switching to a b exposure is out of the question. The misaligned dial was a good thought anyway. Thanks Mr. Jenkinson.

 

[Kino Glaz]

I forgot to mention that moving the shutter speed dial in ANY way seems at the moment impossible, so actually switching to a b exposure is out of the question. The misaligned dial was a good thought anyway. .

That's what happens when the speeds are changed without cocking the shutter first. The dial is almost impossible to move if not outright impossible.

Let me venture to guess othere symptoms too- the shutter curtains would traverse only half way, or else fire and hang with one blind stuck in the middle of the frame.

The pin which engages in the shutter selector dial has already meshed with the slow speed mechanism.

I have a FED-5 in this state. Wrecked by careless shutter-changing too. It's waiting to be repaired, but I can't find anyone here who knows anything about FSU cameras.

 

[Bradd Cluckey]

Actually the shutter curtains' travel....looks.....ok at the moment. Tthe slow speed mechanism is definately being acted upon though, any time I attempt to turn the shutter speed dial I hear it buzz. Perhaps someone will come along with a solution to both of our problems.

I did come across this site http://rick_oleson.tripod.com/index-58.html it at least covers basic fed disassembly, maybe I will attempt that in the near future.

 

[wolves3012]

The problem sounds more serious that what Mr Jenkins suggested. What you described appears to be the symptom of a FED shutter whose speed dial was turned to shift speeds WITHOUT cocking.

Sounds exactly like that to me too. The pin on the escapement has jumped past the pin on the speed selector, probably. Removing the slow-speed gear and re-fitting it would probably put things right, if nothing's broken....