Screwdriver

[ClaremontPhoto]

Tom Abrahamsson:


A mundane question; but nevertheless important to me...

On the back of the Voigtlander R3A there is a small screw just near the viewfinder in the five o'clock position. What's the official designation of the screwdriver needed to tighten that screw please?

Mine keeps getting loose, and sometimes lost, so I'd like to tighten it every so often with the correct tool.

I would ask the factory but I can't see an email address for them, and I know you work closely with Cosina and will know the correct tool to use.

 

[Petroleum V. Nasby]

A "little eensy-weeny" screwdriver is how it's described in the manual.

 

[nickdando]

I don't know the size of screwdriver to use, but to make sure that the screw doesn't loosen again, a tip I picked up from Malcolm Taylor was to use a small amount of hair spray or lacquer. It'll hold the screw in place, but it won't prevent it from being removed in the future.

Nick

 

[hexar_hp5]

Along the same lines of the hairspray, a light dab of clear nailpolish or coloured if you don't mind the colour, will also do the job.

There's actually proper 'adhesives' by loctite to do this with different strengths of hold.

 

[Tom A]

That is a #1 Phillips head screwdriver. Any jewellery supply store will have them as they are quite common in watchmaking. You dont need the $60 swiss made one - just get a good one with hardened tip. You can buy cheap kits but those screwdrivers are crap and do more damage than good.
A small dab (use a toothpick) on the thread of nailpolish (let is set for a couple of minutes until it is a bit sticky, but not runny) will do the trick.
It is always a good idea to go over all screws on cameras now and then, particularly if you spend a lot of time in airplanes. The vibration can easily dislodge screws and retaining rings. Worst case is if you put the camera on the floor of the plane, without something under it (even if it is in the camerabag) - the floor vibrates like a drumskin and things fall of the camera!
I once lost all four lens lock screws on my M4P/M4-2's and had to finish the job by brutally poking a screwdriver into the lenslock cavity every time I wanted to shift lenses around! Leica Canada was not happy with my skill - they had to replace all four threaded parts and springs too (and these were the days when you got 3 year warranty - no questions asked!).

 

[ClaremontPhoto]

Tom:


Many thanks for that clear information.

There are no jewellery supply places anywhere near here so it will have to be mail order.

I can see this one online. In your opinion is that the right one to order?

 

[Tom A]

That looks like the right one. I have bought mine from a local jewellry supplier and also from Snap On Tools. Good products, not cheap but if they break - they will replace them. You dont need that fancy as you dont have to torque down these small screws anyway.

 

[ClaremontPhoto]

Thanks Tom, i'll go ahead and get one.

 

[tedwhite]

Hi, Jon: How are things in Alentejo? Re: the #1 Phillips Head, Tom is right, you don't need to spend a fortune on a set. That on at 3.65 Euros is no doubt very nice. I got a nice set from Sears (#1 and #0 and 4 regular screwdrivers) for something like $30 US for working on my guns, then belatedly realized they also worked just fine on cameras. Duh.

Ted

 

[eli griggs]

Radio Shack sells several nice screwdriver sets by Kronus, here are two links. I have these and am very pleased with them.

http://www.radioshack.com/product/i...ewdriver&origkw=screwdriver&parentPage=search

http://www.radioshack.com/product/i...ver&origkw=screwdriver&pg=2&parentPage=search

Cheers

 

[ClaremontPhoto]

Ted: Alentejo is now ISO100 and not searingly hot as it was in the summer, but just as photogenic. In about three or four months we'll get our yearly rain and I'll go to ISO400 for a few weeks.


All: I can't justify that screwdriver I found as the shipping from Germany brings the price to something approaching €20!

There aren't the kind of stores and mail order here that you have access to, although thank you for suggestions and advice.

Next week I'll talk to a jeweler who's a neighbor at my branch office and ask her to tighten the screw and at the same time ask where she gets her tools from.

 

[ClaremontPhoto]

The jeweler didn't have any idea about her tools at all. It's put me off every shopping there in the future.

So I got a very inexpensive Philips #1 from a general store. I reasoned that I'd be real careful using it and never twist at all hard.

 

[ElrodCod]

I'm thinkin' that the screw in question needs a #O Phillips screwdriver not a #1.

 

[Tom A]

I wish that the world would standarize things too. In Europe the Phillips head is classified as a #1 and you might be right, that is the same as the #0 here. There is also a couple of even smaller heads available #00 and #000, but they are pretty well designated for miniature electronic components.

 

[Glenn2]

This site might be of interest.... http://www.micro-tools.com/4.html

Glenn

 

[sepiareverb]

I could use several screwdrivers right about now.

 

[nunojorge]

ClaremontPhoto, you can go to the store name is Aki and there you have the screwdrive you want, they are not cheap but they have.
I dont know where in Alentejo are you, but i think you have one near you, if you cant find one send me a PM with your adress and I send you one from Lisboa.

 

[ClaremontPhoto]

nunojorge:

Many thanks for your very kind offer.

I actually found one in a Chinese shop for €0.40.

There's no marking on it such as #1 or #0 but I took the camera and tried it and it fitted.

 

[SergioGuerra]

The screwdriver blues 😀

Glad you found one cheap.. 🙂 If not I could mail you one...

 

[ClaremontPhoto]

It's actually gone to Phantomas (Zurab) this morning since he bought the camera from me.