Unever spacing (Kiev 4A) suggested fix

Daniel,
I have a couple of Kievs, and your theory does not work for me - all of my Kievs have original take-up spools (the ones with the dimple), but only one has the inconsistent frame spacing.
Roman
 
The spacing on my 4A has definitely improved once I started to use a Kiev cassette in place of take up spool. The cassette's spool is hollow as well, but the shell probably prevents it from wiggling too much.
 
Daniel, in my case your theory applies perfectly as both are non-original spools. The 4am with its fixed one doesnt show this behaviour...

Btw, been checking your PAW and loved your pictures ! They all, but mainly the portraits are great !
 
Spacing is mostly controled thru the sprocket that engages the edge holes in 35mm film. Changing shutter speeds before advancing the film can sometimes lead to unequal spacing in the frames of the film.
 
I had just emailed Oleg about sending my camera in for a CLA, with that being the number one problem I am experiencing. I will have to try that out before sending my camera in. If that solves my problem, you're my hero! :D

As for my observations with the frame spacing being controlled by the frame sprockets...would anyone be albe to clarify? From what I've been able to ascertain by testing on both a Kiev 4A, and a Contax III, the frame spacing is controlled by a slippage in the take up spool fork linkage, where it slips from too much pull from the film. From the tests I've run, the sprockets move 8 teeth, regardless of the shutter speed, and no matter how hard I try to hold the sprockets, they turn regardless. This is on both models. The one difference I have seen is in that take up fork on the Contax tends to "give" before the one on my Kiev does, and a closer inspection of the fork itself does show washers and grease present after the slotted screw inside the fork assembly. This would make more sense to me, as there would be a necessary amount of slip required to make up for differences in spool diameter as more of the roll was wound onto the takeup spool.

I would appreciate any corrections to this.
 
UPDATE TO THE ABOVE STATEMENT!!!

I just loosened the screw on the takeup fork, and ran a VERY scientific test ;) (I put in a roll of 24 exposure film, and counted the frames I got), and I was able to get 26 frames off of the roll (that's the 2 to wind, and 24 exposures) mind you normally, I was losing 3-4 frames on the average over a 24 exposure roll, so I think I found it! It only took about a half turn anti-clockwise to loosen it. I also noticed that a noise had disappeared totally, which to me sounded like the film being ripped over the sprockets. Everything sounds wonderfully quiet, and my film rewind is as butter smooth as an FSu gets. There is no resistance when I rewind (in the proper way), and all works much better. tomorrow, I'm running a roll through, and getting it developed to see if I end up with frame overlap. I will repaort back when I get the results, or the morning after (tomorrow is my brother's 25th birthday, and I may be predisposed :))
 
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