Zorki 1 - Retensioning curtains

[fabiolanotte]

After posting the following thread:

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=27227

I'm retensioning the second curtain of my Zorki 1.
I opened the camera and I'm following the instructions on http://jay.fedka.com/index_files/Page510.htm

I have some questions.
Look at the figure: what's the roller that he's screwing? First or second curtain? And then, screw or unscrew the roller?

Thanks a lot 😀

Fabio

 

[reagan]

Yeah, I kinda struggled there too the first time. Key statement: "The second curtain roller is the one on the front left side of the crate." I sat the camera down in front of me with the front of the camera away from me, as if taking a picture and figured out which screw is in front. So I believe in in the photo there, the screwdriver is placed on the first curtain adjustment.

Also, I started from scratch, one at a time completely untensioning each roller, and followed the instructions in the paragraph beginning with, "Initially tense the shutter..." That way I don't have to guess how many turns the former owner might have on each roller. If I remember correctly, Jay's instructions on "how many turns" were just pretty darn close. I adjusted and test fired several times while making minor adjustments while remembering key words, "snappy first curtain" - "smooth, quiet." I took my time until I liked the way it felt and sounded, put it back together and shot a test roll.

The adjustment screws aren't hard to get to, just tiny and takes patience, as you know. But once done, I was happy with the pics and performance of the shutter. (Thanks Jay!!)

Good luck with your Zorki.1!

 

[ZorkiKat]

After posting the following thread:


I have some questions.
Look at the figure: what's the roller that he's screwing? First or second curtain? And then, screw or unscrew the roller?

Thanks a lot 😀

Fabio

I also found it confusing😀

The roller screw being tensioned in the picture belongs to the first (short) curtain blind. Four to 5 turns are usually enough for this roller to tense it properly. Give the second roller three or four.

Reagan's right - it's often better to relax the tension first with Zorki or FED cameras. This is the state of the shutter if you work with a camera which has just been dismantled. And IT will likely happen when you try to adjust the tension on one which you decide to recalibrate: removing the lock screw is sometimes enough to release the roller's tension.

With the tension relaxed, it's easier to count the turns. Make sure that the curtain blinds are reeled into their respective rollers before making any tensioning.

Jay

 

[reagan]

Jay, I've visited your site so many times, when I type in the address, the corners of my web-browser become dog-eared and dirty. Thanks for all the work on great (sometimes life-saving) website.

 

[micromoogman]

Thanks to that instruction my Zorki1 is now much smoother and sounds better than before! I had some capping earlier so the next roll will tell if it's gone...

 

[comp_wiz101]

I had the same problem on my Zorki 3.... a home-brewed CLA and retension straightened it out.... and it's easier to wind now!