Help... pls save my old camera... someone please

[stonely0]

I think i have just send my Retina to hell... today i was out shooting, realize that the lens focal knob kinda very dif to push up and down to set the distance... it seems that the mechanical thingy inside kinda loose it's lubricant... so when i reach home, i spray some, a few spray of WD40 in the slot bay that the lever move up and dow. it works well again but iafter sometime, i realize that the WD40 had seep into the shutter curtain and aperature curtain!!! ****!!!!!! now the shutter will not close back when i press the shutter release, it got stuck due to the WD40....

what should i do now? buried it and de-xomission it or should i open up the lens element and try to dry it or should i leave it a few days under the fan to let the WD40 dry off?????

pls advice,... i'm loosing my fav camera......

 

[emollientcolt]

Perhaps you should bring it in to a camera servicing shop to get some professional opinion.

 

[stonely0]

Perhaps you should bring it in to a camera servicing shop to get some professional opinion.

my Retina dated 1939 it's a vintage that's the problem.... i don't think they have any spare part now.... i realise that WD40 is not really oil base but it is very difficult to dry... not like those old SWINGER sewing machine oil tat are very oily... i think it will dry off by itself... for now, i try to speed up the process by firing the shutter in B mode and hold the shutter with a remote cable and use a tissue and blower to wipe dry the inside aperature curtain... and occasionally, use tissue to dry wipe the shutter curtain and keep on firinf it to bring out the WD40 oil.... it looks much better now that the shutter are able to fire but at 1 full sec and 'B' mode, the shutter sometime still stuck inside must wait a while before it shoot close. I know this method is not right but i have no choice..

Also, does anyone here know how to really time the shutter in various speed? i'm afraid i have damage the delicate mechanism of the shutter curtain and althoug it still fire but will the micro sec be out? anyway to calibrate it?

thanks for helping

 

[sleeper]

what i think may have happened is that the wd40 loosened some dirt particles and its been "washed" into the mechinism........if this is the case (hopefully not) if you keep forcing the shutter open and close then the speck of dirt might be scratching the shutter as it grinds open and close......

but then again i might be wrong........

 

[Niccon]

http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~Srawhiti/
http://www.host.fptoday.com/melek/retina/buying.html
http://homepage.mac.com/mattdenton/photo/cameras/kodak_retina_1a.html
*tips on repairs http://homepage.mac.com/mattdenton/photo/cameras/repairtips.html[/QUOTE]

Good someone has the link. try to email christ the new zealander I spoke of in my pm in the first link. He is very helpful and experience. but you need a set of micro screwdrive + loupe 5X

Best if you can take picture for each stage of dismantling else you may have problem in assembly if you cannot recall the position of items.

Good Luck.

 

[stonely0]

Guys... i think i may be able to smile again ok... it seems that my method workss but maybe u guys can tell me whether i have damage the shutter and aperature curtain....

1) I use a dish bowl fill with water and mix with detergent/dish washer detergent....

2) i used a cotton swap, dip it into the detergent....

3) **** the camera, set the shutter to 'B', remove the front lens, used the cotton swap with the dipped detergent, swap the shutter curtain gentley... not too wet, then i fire up the shutter release... this way, i get the detergent beneath the folds of the shutter curtain... then release the shutter release.... ofcos, the detergent goes under the area my cotton swap can't reach...

4) i keep on cocking the camera and fire hold the shutter release in 'B' mode to clean them slowly and painfully, neck breakingly pain guys i tell u... my neck almost break from the process... u have to keep on cocking the camera and fire hold the release till all the WD40 + small dirt fibre + some detergent that breaks down the oil... till it is all dry up.... I take a break once in a while and put the camera infront of a fan...

5) after i test fire the shutter in various shutter speed and they no longer stuck!!! but hell i was scare stiff which left me with no choice... i was thinking if i can't get it to work then this piece of vintage will become a showpiece in my living room with it's antique big flash fire buld... this way or the other i got little much to loose... so better die trying then giving up right?

then that's not the end... remember there is still the aperature curtain.... hell... i do it the same way but this time round, the aperature curtain is more easy because they are smaller and more firm and still compare to the shutter curtain.... hell that was intense...


Can anyone here tell me my way of cleaning mention above will it hurt the curtain? the shutter speed mechanism? i check inside the cam under a strong light but see no leak coming thru the shutter & aperature curtain...
------------

But guys... now i'm beging to worry about the shutter speed accuracy... the slower shutter seems alright but i guess i must find a way to time or see whether the faster shutter speed timing is out.

sorry guys this seem to be my longest post...