The Kiev Project - Part 1B - Setting Up Our Working Table And "Parts Box"

R

ruben

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All in all, I have felt in different ways, including silence, some fears that in the first stage of our Project, i.e. Part 1, some of us may end with a bunch of parts without knowing how to assemble, or jamming our camera, for those among us using our single working Kiev, or one of our working Kievs, for the Project.
We are dealing with fear, and fear has some basis ingrained in reality.

It is precisely regarding this fears, that setting up properly our working table and "parts box" deals with, as the mother of all battles.

"PARTS BOX"
For sure you have seen a parts box at the KSS:
http://www3.telus.net/public/rpnchbck/the basics top casting removal.html

this type of box ensures several functions. The first is that you lay parts and screws according to disassembling, and automatically you will have signed your path to come back home safely, via looking at the last division and re-assembling according to the reverse order. Not at the Kiev Project. We will take much stronger measures.

First we will mark each division with a number starting from 1. Then we all will put exactly the same parts at the same division numbers. And finnaly we will have a special thread documenting both in words and pictures what should be at each box division. This will apply both for Kiev models 2A (4A if you want) and 4AM .

I take for granted that all of us will do our most for obtaining such a box. Yet out there, perhaps in the Apalachian mountains, some lonely RFF member may find himself out of supply from his all-including store, after some hour drive. What to do ? The basic idea is to have sealed numbered divisions (from 1 up to 20 perhaps), so if you work at a jewelery store and can have 20 or 30 sealable small boxes - fine. If you consume for years some medicinal drug and have sealable canisters - fine. If you, like me, for some unclear reason have collected transparent or clear toned plastic film canisters with their caps - fine.
You must have divisions, and these division MUST be sealable.

But if you have the best, a parts box, please be really lazy, and number each division.

SETTING UP OUR WORKING SPACE

When I talk about it, I am talking first and foremost about not loosing screws. Here we must talk even more extensively than my usual already extensive talking character.

First let's face plain reality: screws are lost. They are lost by me, they are lost at camera repair shops (I have seen it with my eyes). They are lost due to different factors, ranging from the repairman state of mind, by not knowing the lenght of the specific screw, by being the screw terrible small, etc. etc. You may loose screws.

But let's talk too about the less dramatic side of it. Some screws among the potential ones to be lost, are possible to find back, due either to their size or their tone. Other screws are not absolutely necessary. And our final fortification is no one else than Alex photo goods, selling parts Kievs by $7 a unit.

Furthermore, you the beginner, have better chances of not loosing screws, since like any starter you will be more keen here than anyone else. Your caution plays a central role.

Therefore, when I talk about our working table, or space, I am talking about a steryle area trapping the screws falling from our camera, hands or tweezers.

It is a bit rare that a screw will fall directly from our hands to the floor, unless we are working at the near edge of our table. Ussualy the sputnik is going to fall in our table, and from here it will bounce either to another hidden place at our working table or to the floor.

So the steryle area of our working table will be absolutely clean from anything else but our camera, and our parts box. Secondly and higly important our steryle area will be covered by a white felt towel, helping very much in preventing falling screws from bouncing, but trapping them instead. We are talking about an area of at least 24 inch by 24, or 60 by 60cm.

The next prevention measure I can recommend before the third, is to study the relationship between your chair and your working table. A relative "normal" chair will result in a relative high table, and this will slowly dragg your hands and Kiev to the edge of your table, increasing the risks enourmously. On the contrary, we look for a high chair or low table, prompting our body towards the center of the table, or as far from the edge as possible.

The third prevention measure is to build around our steryle area a real square U shaped wooden wall, by a height of 12 inches. This wall will really separate between the steryle area and all other stuff, either camera gear or your laundry, sandwiches etc, and further limit the possiblities of our sputnik jelous screws.

Finnaly consider two additional factors: your eyes and your light. Having a main powerful light at the room you work, will help a lot. Having a second mobile one you can change its position, will make it really really good. Having a device diopter increasing your vision, while freeing your both hands will make you a pro.

Now to end this bible, remember the most important: Yourself. Setting up your working space is related to your possibilities, character and imagination. I have described the needs and some examples to help yourself, you are fully entitled to find the answers that fit You, very much like when setting up a home darkroom. Scratch your capabilities and you will find the best.

Cheers,
Ruben

Next we will deal with some basic tools, with pics.
 
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Very good avices Ruben.

I started by using those plastic boxes from film, to which I attached a stripe of paper with written description of what is inside and where it belongs on the camera.
Recently I bought me a larger box with compartments and I put parts in the little comúpartments acompanied by a piece of paper with written description where that part goes...

One more handy thing you didn't mention is a magnet. If you can find a big and strong one (like from a loudpeaker or something similar) it might help you find lost screws which manage to "escape" from the working tray and fall on the ground...
 
There are also "magnetic sheets" that should be useful. They are plastic or rubber with embedded magnetic particles in them. Sometimes with an adhesive back side. I think placing one of those underneath the white towel would add a bit more retention to the towel. Long ago, I worked for a gunsmith and he used this kind of set up for his work. Springs and screws are probably magnetic but I don't know what other metal parts are in a Kiev.
And while the magnet should catch springs and screws that drop free, it likely won't catch a spring that, well, springs free.
Rob
 
panic

panic

Ruben

I use a large plastic storage box, and long length of sticky tape. The box is about 6 inches deep.

So I'm not perfect, but I have a Dyson (vacuum cleaner) and a powerful magnet, when you can't find the screw that you dropped clean the carpet, and show the dust in the Dysons capture bin the magnet, most of the Kiev screws are ferro magnetic, at least all the ones the magnet pulls out of the dust are.

I've dropped the 135mm objective lens from the FSU multifinder, its retaining ring came undone by itself, it fell on to a hardwood floor, ting ting, only found it using the shadow it created in flash light beam...

Noel
 
Welcome Noel !

I was scratching my head for a long time thinking about what else crazy idea should I add into writing, in order for you to bite and start giving us all from your extensive knowledge. You are much needed here.

Now, when I say that we all should think and act by ourselves, I really mean it. Thus for example my vacuum cleaner is not suitable for the task, not to speak about my dog leaving his long hairs everywhere... But your idea works for you, it is your own, and offers an alternative for other folks here I didn't even came close to it. So I would not say at all that you are not perfect. You are Noel, and I am Ruben. Am I perfect ? Each of us live in different environments and have different available things, both inside and outside our heads.

From your post, as well as from the one of Spyderman and the other by rbiemer, besides mine, people are getting comfirmation from different corners about tne need to avoid screw get lost, as well as different methods to choose from or inspire for the creation of a new one.

Now, could you explain what the sticky tape is used for ? Perhaps if I understand it I could apply it.

Cheers,
Ruben
 
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Ruben

I dont use a parts bin (chocolate box) like Russ, insteaad as I remove a small part I stick it to the sticky tape in sequence, if you are lucky when you drop the camera or the box none of the screws detach from the sticky tape.

It is difficult removing the parts from the tape during reassembly.

My other sin is discarding the kiev's viewfinder covers, painting their edges mat black helps, diamond cutter and 2x2 glass projector slides make good subs.

Noel

P.S. My hair is as long as your dog's... buy new vacuum cleaner.
 
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