I recently pulled my Yashica-MAT off the shelf intending to do some shooting with it, but the shutter doesn't work properly. It opens and closes, but really slow, as if gunked up.

Now for the weird part: I've done the good old Ronsonol soak three times, and it works perfectly while it's full of lighter fluid, but slows down again when it dries out.

Any ideas? Do I just need more lighter fluid to wash the crap away?

Quote:

On 2006-03-10 13:19, Baker wrote: I recently pulled my Yashica-MAT off the shelf intending to do some shooting with it, but the shutter doesn't work properly. It opens and closes, but really slow, as if gunked up. Now for the weird part: I've done the good old Ronsonol soak three times, and it works perfectly while it's full of lighter fluid, but slows down again when it dries out. Any ideas? Do I just need more lighter fluid to wash the crap away?

Have it cleaned properly.

putting solvents or lighter fluid in a shutter does a couple things. It may break down the gunked up old grease and dirt, but it then spreads throughout the inside of the shutter, and once dry, can leave an even harder residue making the shutter work even worse than it did before the rinse job. According to some this soak thing may work, but it is really not a very viable solution for anyone that wants thier equipment to perform reliably and consistent. The only way to insure this is to dissaemble the shutter and clean things individually and properly with the appropriate cleaners.
I akin this rinsing, flushing, soaking thing to having a bad solenoid on your car's starter. You can jump it with a screw driver for a while, or beat it with a hammer, but if you want it to work right, you will eventually have to fix it, or take it to the shop...

It could be gunked up and/or weak springs. I've used fine powdered graphite in Ronsonol on three Optar lenses and they are all performing up to snuff and reliably so. YRMV. Certainly if there are underlying mechanical problems, a solvent isn't going to fix them.

It could be that the Ronsonol is providing a degree of lubrication which vanishes as it evaporates. A CLA seems to be in order. If it were my shutter I would try the graphite/Ronsonol first; others will recoil in horror at the very thought. Works for me.

Horrors!

I recently obtained a shutter that was terribly slow and gunky. Did the same thing with lighter fluid and a touch of graphite. Worked perfectly wet, then quit when dry. After a dozen shutters, this was the first that did this. I finally poped the front plate after it was dry and did a bit of liquid lubrication at key point with Nyoil. It's worked perfectly ecer since. I honestly can't remember, but I think it was a Copal shutter...

For those of us who accept the Ronsonol drill, note that not all lighter fluid is good for the process. Some of the off-brand stuff is oily and reluctant to dry; avoid using it to clean assembled mechanisms such as the shutters. Real Ronsinol is not oily and dries fast. It leaves no residue. So before using an off-brand, test it for its behavior.