[rollei_list] Re: Final Rolleiwide Rebuild update

  • From: "Richard Knoppow" <dickburk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: <rollei_list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Sat, 4 Sep 2010 14:35:52 -0700


----- Original Message ----- From: "Allan Derickson" <alland435@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <rollei_list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Saturday, September 04, 2010 2:18 PM
Subject: [rollei_list] Final Rolleiwide Rebuild update


To finish up what I call my "shoestring Rolleiwide" project:



The infinity focus was off so here is how I went about adjusting it:I took the back off and also the cover of the focusing knob, exposing the adjusting nut. I took an old screwdriver of the appropriate size and ground it to a fork shape that fit the slotted nut. I took a piece of glass from a 6x6 slide mount and put three strips of frosted cellophane tape on it. I made some ink marks with a fine tip pen and for good measure also made some cuts in the tape with a razor blade. I then placed the glass on the film rails and held it in place with a couple of wood strips and rubber bands. I set the camera on a table with a window behind it. I then took a Nikon FM2n with a 300mm lens set at infinity and aimed it at the Rollei's taking lens. Looking through the Nikon's viewfinder gave me a highly magnified view of the taped glass plate and its marks. By loosening and tightening the focusing knob nut I was able to bring the marks into sharp focus with the
knob at the infinity stop.



Next I adjusted the viewing lens as best I could to match the infinity focus. Because I felt I was more likely to use large apertures at close distances I also wanted to check this at focusing knob's minimum stop. I set up a tape measure on a table at a very slight angle so that the markings would be visible in a print. With the focus at its closest setting I took a picture and noted the distance that was in focus in the viewfinder. After developing the film I found that my adjustment had been correct (the closest
focus was 23 1/2 inches at f/4).



Now I was ready to put the new leather covering on. I had repainted the metal parts with some slight changes to the original finish. I used high gloss lacquer on the lens barrels and rim around the wind lever. The rest was semi-gloss which closely matched the factory paint. The replacement covering from Cameraleather is very nice but it is not an exact match to the factory covering. I purchased a new old stock back from Kohs so I could easily compare the two. They have a very similar sheen - quite shiny and very different from my 1971 3.5F which is duller. The grain pattern of the replacement is coarser and "flatter" as if it is pressed more. The cut of the new leather was very precise and it fit well. I was careful to remove all the old glue to give the new stuff an absolutely clean and flat surface to adhere to. It is self adhering with a very aggressive heat sensitive
adhesive.



I'm extremely happy with the camera's appearance now. While not perfect it's much better looking than the hard used studio tool I purchased.



Everything is functioning well. I'm going to use it for a while then decide whether I want to go further into it or send it out for a deeper cleaning and adjustment of the wind and focusing mechanisms. Both feel smooth and work well now. I was able to clean and lubricate the wind parts which are
critical to the frame counting and spacing.



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