Removing the battery cover on a Photomic FN

[peter_schauss2]

<p>I just got this camera. The metering head is the one with the battery cover on the right side, next to the shutter speed dial. The marks on the battery cover look like the previous owner struggled with it a bit and I am not having much luck unscrewing it with a coin. Which way does it turn and what is the best way tool to loosen it? The battery cover on my Nikkormat FT has an arrow showing that you turn it counter clockwise to remove it. Is this model the same?<br>

Thanks,</p>

[rnt]

<p>Lefty loosey righty tighty... Counter clockwise with a nickel (as I remember). You could grab the coin with a pair of pliers if you need to. The battery may be corroded.</p>

[User_4754088]

<p>Also, the threads on those battery covers are very fine, and I've seen them get cross threaded many times. Which can kind of jam the cover on there pretty tight. Also, what Bob said about corrosion can make them pretty tight as well.</p>

[dhbebb]

<p>A replacement can be had from ebay.<br>

If the present cover is jammed. this is likely to be due to battery leakage and resulting corrosion. Trickle a small quantity of WD40 into the thread and allow to soak in before trying to remove the cover - if you are not re-using the old cover, you can use quite a large screwdriver to remove it!</p>

[paul_wheatland]

<p>Lightly tapping on the cover should help to break the corrosion that is jamming the fine threads. A drop of solvent should complete the task! Do not overuse the above hints to avoid damage to the prism and meter!</p>

[Matthew Currie]

<p>Not a great solution for minty things especially those that show, but one way you can both remove and reuse such a cover if it's badly stuck is very carefully to drill a pair of holes in it. Make the holes small, and if you're starting with batteries in, not deep enough to penetrate them. A pair of holes at 90 degrees from the screw slot, a couple of millimeters in from the edge, will give you the ability to use a pin spanner to remove the cap. You can make a makeshift pin spanner from a bicycle spoke. If your initial holes are too shallow for comfort, you can deepen them once the cover is off.</p>

<p>The Photomic FTN cover is not entirely hidden, but it's not conspicuous, so it should be possible to do this.</p>

[Sandy Vongries]

<p>Key point if you want to preserve the cap, and plan to use something like a screwdriver that is harder metal than the cap, use a tool that is a very good fit in the slot or the cap will be damaged.</p>

[JDMvW]

<p>Sandy's point is well taken. If the slot is already damaged, get a new one, once you get it off.</p>

<p><br /> Normally, I consider the use of WD-40 to be "am strengsten Verboten", but if it doesn't get into any other part of the camera, this may be a place for it. If it's the battery acid causing the problem, you might try a little baking soda and water first. As with any kind of fluid around the camera, use it very carefully and use less than you think possible in stages....</p>

[rodeo_joe1]

Most battery covers have a conventional "right

hand" thread, so it should be turned anti-clockwise

to unscrew it.

 

If the coin slot is really chewed, you might try drilling two small (1.5mm dia.) holes toward each end of the slot and using needle-nose pliers to twist it loose.

[Matthew Currie]

<p>Rodeo Joe, I've had better luck drilling 90 degrees from the slot, where there's more meat on the cover. You don't have to go as deep and if you're careful you can avoid penetrating the battery.</p>

[arthur_mcculloch2]

<p>Hi<br>

In the past (on an old spotmatic), I've used liquid nitrogen to snap freeze a locked battery cap. My friendly doctor was able to do it (he uses it to freeze off BCC's and 'sunspots'). Worked for me. And didn't involve invasive drilling and the dreaded WD 40 (which I have used on occasion, but with abundant caution)<br>

Regards, Arthur</p>

[peter_schauss2]

<p>Thanks for all of the advice. I was able to unscrew the cap using a screwdriver with a 1/4" blade. Luckily there was no corrosion (and no batteries). I put in two 675 hearing aid batteries, shimming the first one with a 1/2" id o-ring. I added a bit of aluminum foil between the second one and the cap to make a good electrical contact. To test the meter I shot a roll of Double-X at 650 and another roll of Eastman Double-X at 200 (developed both in Diafine). Negatives were well exposed, consistent, and easy to print.</p>

[JDMvW]

<p>Good for you!</p>