Ronsonol to the Rescue.

Sonnar Brian

Sonnar Brian

Product of the Fifties
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Well I finally tried out a trick that is seen posted quite often: Squirting lighter fluid into shutter assemblies. After following the old Nikon Repair manual of cleaning the focus mechanism (after removing it from the camera) in gasoline, I took it much more seriously. (as opposed to WORK or else) I also bought 4 cameras from Rob CHEAP that needed repair and my FAVORITE Kodak Retina IIIS locked up on me right before vacation. So Here is the SCORE so far on 5 cameras:

Ronsonol 3. Retina IIIS; Retina-Reflex S; Canonet QL17 GIII
Mechanical Damage 2.Retina Reflex IV; Nikkorex 35/2

Pretty good for 5 dead cameras!

I found that a few drops of Ronsonol and the VERY Gently sopping up with a Q-Tip helped. The Retina IIIS worked perfectly after air drying; the Reflex-S required longer to dry but is working; the Canonet threw me a curve. The self-timer was jammed and was the culprit for locking up the camera. It started working within a second; the shutter fired; then the aperture stopped working. The Ronsonol itself seemed to lock it up. After trying a few things, I placed the camera shutter down onto the AC vent in my room and let it stay for 10 minutes with the cold dry air getting at the Ronsonol. Worked perfectly after that; I put the front lens cell back on and the Electric-Eye mask. I used a pair of needle nose pliers and a spanner to remove the elements of the Canonet to get to the shutter; name-plate retaining ring, nameplate, then the front lens group. The Ronsonol splashed the element behind the shutter. Careful cleaning with the Q-Tip with the shutter set to "B" worked. I have a 2nd Canonet to try this out on which has a gummed -but working- shutter.

Remember, I am a computer programmer, so if I can do this any of you guys can! I give cameras my best dumb look and have learned to be careful in lining up a good fitting screw driver with those old screws. Use the Ronsonol sparingly, in a vented area, and DO NOT SMOKE ever again after doing this. Lighter fluid is a terrible thing to waste.
 
Interesting. If you need more practice, I think I can help you with training materials. 😀

I have always wished I was better at that myself. Hats off to you.
 
Crazy me, I was putting in my Zippo lighter (grin).

Of course, now that I gave up the evil weed, I can concentrate on fixing cameras with it!

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks
 
Glad to hear you had sucess with the rosonol on the GIII.
What special tools did you use to get into the GIII lens?
My last one may need a little shutter cleaning.
 
I used a pair of needle-nose pliers to get the very thin retaining ring off of the name-plate/electric-eye cover. I used an optical spanner like this one:
Ed Romney Repair Tools

to get the front lens cell off. This type of spanner works quite well, I do have some older ones with interchangeable bit. Occasionally you need the "round bit", but most retaining rings are slotted. Sears also carries some tools made to remove retaining rings, these are more the plier type. They look like they will work as well.
 
I just tore down my Minolat Hi-Matic 7sII, a couple of nights ago, and used the Ronsonol treatment. It did not work, so I called my repair guy, and he said that Ronsonol can be "too" quick to dry. He suggested liberal amounts of Isopropyl Alcohol, because it dries much slower. I gave it the liberal alcohol treatment, and the aperture blades work like new again. I used a small paint brush, and blow dryed it a few times. Hooray for Alcohol. Just try to keep the inner lens, as clean as possible while doing this.

Hooray, for alcohol. Especially Guinness.

Russ
 
Russ said:
I just tore down my Minolat Hi-Matic 7sII, a couple of nights ago, and used the Ronsonol treatment. It did not work, so I called my repair guy, and he said that Ronsonol can be "too" quick to dry. He suggested liberal amounts of Isopropyl Alcohol, because it dries much slower. I gave it the liberal alcohol treatment, and the aperture blades work like new again. I used a small paint brush, and blow dryed it a few times. Hooray for Alcohol. Just try to keep the inner lens, as clean as possible while doing this.

Hooray, for alcohol. Especially Guinness.

Russ
Click to expand...

Russ,

VERY GLAD TO HEAR THIS!!!

Did you ever get my e-mails? It seems that yours were making it to me, but mine back to you were bouncing at your ISP's mail server - I got the bounce messages back. Sorry about that, it seems your ISP doesn't *like* my domain name!

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks
 
Russ,
That is interesting. I will give it a try on the cameras that do not respond to the Ronsonol. The Ronsonol dries much slower than the Acetone cleaners that we used at work; and I do have Isopropyl Alchohol in the Lab that we use often. Maybe it will get the Retina Reflex IV going; but I fear that the rack gear is stripped. It is a beauty though.
 
Brian Sweeney said:
Russ,
That is interesting. I will give it a try on the cameras that do not respond to the Ronsonol. The Ronsonol dries much slower than the Acetone cleaners that we used at work; and I do have Isopropyl Alchohol in the Lab that we use often. Maybe it will get the Retina Reflex IV going; but I fear that the rack gear is stripped. It is a beauty though.
Click to expand...

Brain

Don't be afraid to give it liberal doses of alcohol. It took me a couple of dowsings and cleanings, but it works like new now! And that bad boy, was stuck! Tighter than Donald Duck's arse, in a winter lake. In my fixing that, I accidentally broke the soldered connections to the metering cell, so now I have to resolder that. Once that's done, I'm taking that Hi-Matic 7sII, out for a spin. I've heard that it's a sharp lens.

Russ
 
bmattock said:
Russ,

VERY GLAD TO HEAR THIS!!!

Did you ever get my e-mails? It seems that yours were making it to me, but mine back to you were bouncing at your ISP's mail server - I got the bounce messages back. Sorry about that, it seems your ISP doesn't *like* my domain name!

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks
Click to expand...

Bill

I E-mailed you from the QLP & the Kiron Kid address. We'll see what happens. I'd hate to have to see you change ISP's again....

Russ
 
I used butane liquid gas (in the sense it takes seconds to go from liquid to gas) on a q-tip and dabbed the shutter blades on the gummed up Kowaflex, and it worked a treat after that.
 
Fixed a sticking self-timer/AE lock on an FE-2 with IPA (isopropyl alcohol, not India Pale Ale). I flooded the mechanism to free it up but once it dried out it would stick again so I had to repeat the process three or four times before it was all working again. It saved having to strip the whole camera down and I never had any problems with it after that.
 
Mr_Flibble said:
Doesn't that freeze your fingers?
Click to expand...
No not really, you feel the cold, but it takes little or no energy as it evaporates so quickly. Its more of and ordeal to get any effect out of it before its gone than anything else. But it leaves no residue, and since it evaporates more or less instantly it doesn't leak into the shutter itself, which I'd rather not touch until found faulty.
 
Ah, thanks for explaining that Ezzie. What do you dispense it from? One of those aerosol cans to refill gas lighters? Or a CampingGaz can or something?

Could be something I could try.


John, I had the same problem with Ronsonol and denatured alcohol. The aperture or focus rings on some lenses would freeze up again after the liquid evaporated. Left me with no choice but to tear down a J-3 and clean off the hardened old lube.
 
I bought an inexpensive ultrasound cleaner for CLA of helicals. Drop them in, sometimes hit them with Isopropyl alchohol first.

On the J-3: once the glass is out, you can hit the aperture blades with liberal amounts of Isopropyl Alchohol, or some other solvent. I still use Ronsonol for that. Gently swab, let dry. I have never removd the blades, just do not have the patience to get back together. I should practice, have some spares.
 
Had to reassemble the blades on my Canon 50mm 1.8 as the aperture was all twisted out of shape from the blades being virtually glued together with oil.

Dumping them in a film canister full of IPA was the easy bit. Reassembly left me with a few more grey hairs but once you understand the principle it's not too difficult. It's just getting that very last one tucked in under all the others that needs a steady hand.

I'd be much more confident (and quicker) doing it another time and now I know my blades are absolutely spotless.
 
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