Good Lens repair experts?

[mb81]

I have an extra Wollenstock 300mm 12" f4.5 lens that is beautiful.

It was given to me for free and I would love to use it, but the only

accurate shutter setting is 1/50. All the others are either too slow

or too fast and the 1/2 setting (which is my most used) sticks. I

really want to get this lens fixed so I can start to use it.

Anyone know of good lens repair service? Thanks.

[michael_briggs2]

<p>What you want is a shutter repair -- with luck, a Clean, Lube and Adjust (CLA) will bring your shutter to good working order. I have had excellent work from both S. K. Grimes, Inc. (<a href="http://www.skgrimes.com/">http://www.skgrimes.com/</a>) and

Flutot's Camera Repair (<a href="http://www.flutotscamerarepair.com/">http://www.flutotscamerarepair.com/</a>).</p>

[william_littman]

Yes SKG is the way to go.

[bob_gentile]

Carol Miller at Flutot's Camera Repair is <em>way</em> cheaper than SKG and shutters are her specialty. You won't be disappointed.<p>

Of course, if you don't mind spending the money, SKG won't disappoint either.

[pvp]

Unscrew the lens elements and set them aside. Remove the front of the shutter. Then put it in a suitable container and cover it with lighter fluid (napthalene) and leave it for a half hour or so. Or, if you don't have enough lighter fluid to cover the works, pour some on and repeat every few minutes. After it's had time to dissolve the dried oil (which is what is causing it to stick,) dry it out by shaking, blowing it out with canned air, and working the aperture blades and shutter until you have no remaining liquid. It might need a couple of days to dry out. If you wish to reoil the bearing points on shaft ends, use something like a sharp toothpick to apply microdrops of oil (I've used light oils like 3-in-1 here) but reoiling seems to be optional. Once it's dried out, reassemble.

 

I was skeptical of this procedure when I first heard of it, but tried it anyway on a bargain shutter I bought, and it worked great. That first shutter has been working perfectly on all speeds for over two years, and I recently got an older Graphex shutter going the same way. Do a photo.net search for "lighter fluid" and you'll get a few more threads that discuss this.

[pvp]

Caveat to the lighter fluid procedure: make sure the aperture and shutter blades are steel or some kind of non-dissolvable plastic, before you start. Though I've never seen one, I have been told there are shutters with thin fibre blades that could be damaged by the liquid.

[brian_schall]

You can also try Paul Ebel (715) 778-4372 in Spring Valley, WI. Jim at Midwest Photo sends his shutters there for servicing. Paul did a great job on an old Steinheil lens I had and very reasonable too. S K Grimes is just too expensive for me.

[shawn_kielty1]

I am not sure the lighter fluid treatment is necessarily a good idea -- I think that it may be trouble, especially if you work the shutter while it is drying out, which may actually damage the blades. I would be really careful with this technique.

[pvp]

<I>... may be trouble, especially if you work the shutter while it is drying out, which may actually damage the blades.</I><P>

Not to start a PM here, Shawn, but what are you basing that supposition on?

[mb81]

Thanks for all the help guys. I actually called a few people and found that Paul Ebel (thanks for the number) will get it in tip top shape for me for only $65. Not too shabby, huh? Thanks again.

[douglas_green1]

I'll ditto the recommendation for Paul Ebel in Spring Valley, Wisconsin.