[LargeFormat] Winter oil change

[Richard Knoppow]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mike Finley" <ekng532@f2s.com>
To: <largeformat@f32.net>
Sent: Sunday, January 18, 2004 5:43 AM
Subject: Re: [LargeFormat] Winter oil change


On Sun, 18 Jan 2004 12:57:23 -0000, "philip lambert"
<philip.lambert@ntlworld.com> wrote:

>Cautionary tale:
>
> ...
>
>These odd effects were temporary, as a day later as the
slow speeds were
>working again and most speeds were more or less a half stop
slow. I can live
>with this if speeds are consistent by putting a small
correction table or
>note  on the lensboard. Over-exposure doesn't bother me on
negative film
>(although it would on 'chromes) but unpredictable speeds
are a bother.  I
>suppose a professional overhaul would be good. Regrettably
the firm I used
>for my 203mm Ektar didn't do much of a job.  Philip
>
>

Oh dear, the shutter on my 203 Ektar has just seized up
completely.
Who did you use to get it fixed, Philip, so I can avoid
them! Is there
anyone else in the UK who can fix these old shutters (or
instructions
anywhere on the internet), or do I just need to invest in a
hat and a
stock of ND filters?


  The 203mm Ektar should be in a Kodak Supermatic No.1.
Some Kodak lenses were sold in England in Epsilon shutters.
I know nothing about them, they may be similar to the
Supermatic. Supermatics are very rugged and generally can be
brought to life by cleaning. Jammed shutters are usually due
to dirt on the shutter blades. You can try soaking the
shutter in Naptha, available in the USA as lighter fluid. It
should be fairly pure. Blow this out using canned air. Then
rinse the shutter out with 99% Isopropyl Alcohol and blow it
out. It may take several tries before you seen no residue on
the shutter blades. Once clean let it sit and dry out
thoroughly for a couple of hours at least. The trunions of
the slow speed gears should be lubricated with a tiny amount
of watch oil or the synthetic oil called Nyoil. In the US
suitable very light synthetic oil is available from hobby
shops who specialize in model railroads.
  Apply the oil with the tip of a wooden toothpick or a very
fine brush. A small amount of silicone grease can be applied
to some of the sliding parts, particularly to the rim of the
speed adjusting ring and cam. Sometimes the springs in old
shutters are tired. The highest speed may be slow but the
slower speeds should be quite accurate.
   Kodak began making Supermatic shutters when Compur
shutters stopped being available at the outbreak of WW-2.
   BTW, the 203mm Ektar (and other Ektars) may show some
internal haze when examined by a strong transmitted light.
This haze destroys the contrast of the image. Its easy to
clean off but you must get the lens open. If you have this
problem post back and I will describe how to get to the
insides of this lens.

---
Richard Knoppow
Los Angeles, CA, USA
dickburk@ix.netcom.com