Zone VI 8x10 Parts? Lifetime Guarantee? Reducing back?

[David Grant]

I have a Zone VI 8x10 that I bought from Zone VI while they were being swallowed by Calumet. I bought it from Zone VI and it was shipped from Calumet. One of the reasons I bought it was the lifetime guarantee. Does anyone know if Calumet is obligated to this guarantee? I have as yet received a response from them. I would also like some screws for the bail brackets... they came loose and I lost one. They are stainless allen screws. Where could I get some more? Again-.. no response from Calumet. I would also like a 4x5 reducing back and they seem to have disappeared from Calumet. I have been searching ebay to no avail. Maybe I should give Wisner a call. I regret not buying a camera from him, but I was unaware of the Zone VI/Wisner debacle at the time. I now live in Japan, so this complicates matters even more. If anyone has any suggestions or answers, please let me know. Thank you.

[Brian Ellis]

If by "obligated" you mean legally obligated,that depends on the form that the acquisition took (statutory merger, asset acquisition, stock acquisition followed by liquidation, etc.) and applicable state law. Given the potential exposure from these lifetime guarantees, I'd be surprised if Calumet and Zone VI didn't structure the transaction in a way such that Calumet isn't legally liable. Morally is another matter. I thought I read somewhere that Calumet wasn't honoring these lifetime guarantees but I'm not sure.

How have you been communicating with Calumet? If by e mail their failure to repsond isn't real surprising, large companies get so inundated with e mail that it can easily get lost in the shuffle of orders, spam, etc. The best thing to do would be to call though I realize that would be expensive from Japan. Otherwise maybe try it the old fashioned way, write a letter.

[John Boeckeler]

I bought a variable contrast cold-light head from Zone VI. I returned it to Calumet for repairs twice, and they honored the Zone VI warranty. The first time I had a problem with the head they sent me a replacement immediately when I telephoned them. They wouldn't do that the second time, but they repaired the problem pretty fast and didn't charge me for it. I think that was a little over four years ago.

[Ted Harris]

Richard Ritter can supply the parts you need and, if necessary do any repairs. He also likely has or can easily make the reducing back. Richard is a straightforward guy and he will let you know what the situation is viz your camera and Calumet. I agree with the above post that you may need to call or write snail mail to get an answer. In any event contact Richard. You can reach him through his web site http://www.lg4mat.net/ .....





Richard used to build the cameras for Fred Picker.

[Jean-Louis Llech]

David,
you might ask to japanese camera manufacturers, like Wista or Tachihara if they could repair your camera.
Several spare parts are probably common to many wooden LF cameras.
If they don't have the exact screws you need, they probably use some almost identical ones for their own cameras.

[Michael S. Briggs]

If Calumet doesn't have the screws you are looking for, there are other sources. It is very likely that Zone VI used a standard American size screw. My memory is that Zone VI mostly used machine screws threaded into inserts rather than wood screws -- this fits with the screw having an Allen head. One supplier with an online catalog is Reid Tool: http://www.reidtool.com/. The name they use for this style of screw is "socket head cap screws". I guess that the screws will be difficult to locate in Japan because Japan uses metric screws.





If the screw is a wood screw, replacing it will be easier because an exact match isn't needed. For a machine screw, you have to match the diameter and threads pitch (threads per inch) exactly. In the US, you could just take the screw into an excellent hardware store and ask for a match. Since you will probably have to order by mail, you need to figure out which screw you have: diameter (labeled by number size), thread pitch and length. See http://www.sizes.com/tools/thread_screw.htm and http://www.sizes.com/tools/thread_american.htm. If American, the threads will almost certainly be either UNC or UNF, so ignore the other columns.





Once you have the screws, you could use a small amount of thread locker, such as thread grade Loctite, to keep the screw from coming loose again. You want a grade that can be broken with handtools anad without applying heat. There must be equivalent products in Japan.





If this is too difficult or confusing, someone like Richard Ritter should be able to help.

[RichardRitter]

Screw size is 4 - 40 by 1/4 long. E mail me off line I will check and see if I have a redusing back laying around.

[Mark Sampson]

I bought a 4x5 from Zone VI/Calumet in 1992, with the lifetime warranty. In January 2000 the tripod collapsed, and on impact, several parts of the camera were splintered. Calumet honored the warranty and repaired the camera for free. They did use current parts from the 'lightweight' model, so some wooden parts now have a satin, rather than high-gloss finish, a matter of minimal concern to me. I would expect good treatment from Calumet. As they only offer a five-year warranty now, I wouldn't be surpriised if they would now charge for repairs- but I hope to never find out.

[Ed Pierce]

Years ago, Calumet did honor the guarantee for me. This spring, however, they would not fix my compensating timer for free.

I think the "lifetime" guarantee really means the lifetime of the company, not yours.

[John Boeckeler]

Maybe Fred Picker's lifetime.