From: zrepachol@cc.curtin.edu.au (Paul Repacholi)
Subject: Re: Proper lubricants for fixing a camera and other hints.
Organization: Curtin University of Technology
Date: Tue, 1 Sep 1992 09:37:00 GMT

In article <2055@deadmin.ucsd.edu>, napier@cs.ucsd.edu (Jim Napier) writes:
> 
...
> 1) The diaphragm leaves (proper terminology?) in the 50mm lens are stuck wide
>    open. I need to clean them and relubricate them with a graphite based
>    lubricant used mainly by camera repair professionals. The stuff is supposed  
>    to be pretty expensive and only available in much larger quantities than
>    I need. What is the exact name of this lubricant and how can I acquire a
>    small quantity? Or is there an acceptable substitute that's easier and 
>    cheaper to come by?
> 
A 6B lead pencil :-) Or hunt arround your auto shops for a plastic bottle of
powdered graphite. Used for locks, and putting into tires to reduce RFI. A 6B
pencil is MUCH less mess, and easier to control where it goes.


> 2) The focal plane shutter is sticking when it fires. This should be easily
>    fixed with some lubrication in the tracks where the curtain rides but what
>    kind of lubricant should I use?

More likely it is crud in the track that needs to be cleaned out. I've never
lubed the curtain track.

> 
> 3) Since I really have nothing to lose I'm doing the work on this myself. I'm
>    pretty mechanically inclined and I intend to be very concientious. However
>    if anyone has any tips about things to be wary of please send them along.
>    Knowing what NOT to do will help me a lot. And if there are any reference
>    works you can recommend to look at before I tackle this please let me know.
> 
> 4) For those in San Diego if you can recommend a reliable camera repair person
>    I can contact for help or for a quote in case I decide to bail out on a
>    do-it-yourself repair I'd appreciate it.
> 

You will need a pin spanner to undo the lens rings, a GOOD set of jewlers screw
drivers ( forget the cheap ones, they aren't strong enough ). Also some 
tri-chlor ethelyne and zylene. The trike is for de-greaseing and cleaning, the 
zylene for cleaning the old glue off the fabric covers and body. A couple of
polythene food containers for putting the bits in is a help too. You should
be able to hunt up a watch maker suplier from the phone book. They will have
good drivers, and watch oil and grease. You will need about #3 oil and the
heaviest grease they have. To oil a point, put a couple of drops of oil in
5 ml of trike, and use the eye of a sewing needle to apply to mix. The trike
will evaporate and leave a thin film of oil in the gap.

I have a old FTb/FT or some such at a friends as a 'bitzer' I could have a look
at if you need info or guidence.

Best would be to borrow a service manual and read it. Having a service tech on-
side is a big plus. The FTb is a pretty easy unit to open up from memory. I
can remember if you need to remove the strap lugs to get the top deck off.

A strip of sticky tape to hold the screws and shoms and other small bits is
wonderfull for keeping things in order. 

Ah yes, borrow a bottle of horrid bright red nail polish from SO to use as a
thread lock. Put it under the head, not on the threads. ( you may want to
remove them at some later time... )

~Paul

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