'Nother one finished!

[Scott]

I'm having far too much fun with this.

Ok, I've decided that I enjoy working on old cameras at least as much as shooting them.  It's calming to me, therapeutic.  To that end, I've been buying a few old cameras recently with an eye just toward fixing them up.  I'll try 'em out, but my goal isn't accumulating cameras (anymore).

Case in point: I picked up this Speedex Special R a few weeks ago.  Had all the usual problems - frozen front cell, grimy lenses, locked rangefinder, seive for bellows.  I pulled the escapement for a long soak in xylene, cleaned the self timer, and adjusted the speeds.  The rangefinder was pulled completely apart, relubed with Teflon grease, and adjusted.  Best of all, though, I got one of Sandeha's replacement bellows for this one, and went with the Royal blue.  Easy as pie to install, and now it's ready for film!



Have some Acros arriving tomorrow, then I'll be out shooting this puppy shortly thereafter.

Now that this'n is finished, I have a couple Konica I rangefinders to work on, and my newly-resurrected Super Memar Solagon project.  I'm loving this.

Scott

[Julio1fer]

Another step down the slippery staircase. Well done!

[Wayne]

Nice work Scott - that does look very classy with the blue Sandeha bellows.

[Dean Williams]

You've turned out another beauty, Scott.  Very nice work!
Sandeha, you sure make a pretty bellows.
Well done, both you guys.

Dean

[Scott]

Well, even after collimating the lens on this, when checking the focus at the film plane versus the rangefinder, there was a little disagreement.  Recollimated a couple times, and finally figured it out - the lens I was using to collimate with (a 200/4 SMC Takumar) needs to be collimated.  Tried with a different, Canon lens, and everything matches up spot on.

Now I need to figure out how to collimate the Takumar!  Whatever - the Speedex is loaded up with Acros now.