Ilex Wide Field Process Paragon

OK here is the story to give you some background. I sold a Ilex Wide Field Process Paragon in a Ilex #3 universal shutter on a certain site only to have it returned to me as defective. I checked that both cells threaded on smoothly and completely as well as the shutter operation. It did not a very light haze to both elements but nothing major. All good and disclosed beforehand.

 

Well it was returned to me with the front element hopelessly stuck and not completely screwed in. I tried everything I know to unscrew it gently but finally putting the shutter into a vice and using a automotive oil filter wrench to torque the front element lose. I can't image what the buyer screwed it on with.

 

Anyway the shutter still mostly works with a little bit bent cocking and aperture lever. Long side (1 sec side) is slow but it always was. Also looks like front cell has some damage to the threads.

 

Anyway to make a long story short if anyone can make use of the parts of this thing (rear element looks goodish...) please contact me and I will give it to you for the price of shipping.

 

Thanks - I hate to just throw it away you know.

Hi,

I'd love to have that Ilex, please.

Can you please contact me so we can work this out?

Thanks!

the guy must have cross threaded the cell n forced it to seat. im sure the threads are striped. you should have refused to refund the money since he trashed a good lens.

the guy must have cross threaded the cell n forced it to seat. im sure the threads are striped. you should have refused to refund the money since he trashed a good lens.

 

Sorry I didn't update this thread. A couple of days ago I figured I had nothing to lost since the situation is just as Paul described.

 

I dissembled the shutter and found that it was hanging just because of a bent PC post. Bending it back and reinstalling it fixed the shutter back to normal. It's my understanding that ilex universal shutters are only good to 1 stop of accuracy when new so it's functioning within spec now.

 

As to the lens threads only half of them were stripped. I took a Dremel grinding bit in a drill press and a piece of porcelain floor tile to keep things flat and machined off rearmost half of threads creating a shoulder. This feeds into the shutter and then the thread picks up and locks in good and tight at the proper depth using the remaining threads. Crude but effective.

 

Anyway, while I would not recommend this to anyone who wants to keep a good lens, I did manage to create a working "monster" of a lens.

 

As anyone who has dealt with a certain auction site if buyer says not as described they come a running.

 

Anyway the free lens offer is withdrawn here. Thank you to those that replied.

nice to hear you salvaged it using some creative juice. good save!