Lens Flange Damage: How to un-bend?

[Joe Ortola]

Hello, I am sure that many in this forum have experienced an accidential mishap whereby your precious lens slipped and fell only to to damage to the front element flange. I did not drop my lens but had received it in this "damaged" condition from shipment just recently. Contributing factors were rough handling by DHL/ USPS and inadequate protection in packageing. The damage will now prevent a filter to be screwed onto the flange to go in front of the front lens element. Has anyone of you attempted to "un-bend" a dented-in flange successfully and do so without damage to the filter threads or the front lens element? Is there a professional source out there that can "fix" the problem? Any suggestions would be most greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[el french]

IIRC, SK Grimes does this type of repair. You may be able to reshape it using a piece of wood and tapping on it with a small hammer.

[Leigh]

There is a special tool made for this purpose.

Micro-Tools sells it, but they're currently out of stock. http://www.micro-tools.com/store/P-L...Ring-Vise.aspx

Any camera repair shop should have one.

- Leigh

[Joe Ortola]

Thank you Leigh for that lead. I assume the tool will not damage the very fine metal threads.

[Leigh]

I assume the tool will not damage the very fine metal threads.

No thread damage. They're designed for the job.

- Leigh

[ataim]

Googled "Lens Filter Ring Vise " and found lots to choose from.

[fecaleagle]

eBay has them for cheap from a number of sellers.

[r_a_feldman]

It’s not an elegant solution, but I have used a wood anvil and punch to pound out the dent in a filter ring on an Olympus Pen FT lens. I first cut a curved depression, the same diameter as the outside of the filter ring, in a piece of ¾” oak. I then cut a positive curve, the same diameter as the inside of the ring, on the end of a 1” x ¼” x about 6” piece of oak. I positioned the lens in the first piece and tapped the dent out using the second piece as the punch.

Bob

[Kevin Crisp]

Go slowly, the material can be very brittle.

[Simon Benton]

The ring vise does a great job but I always put a piece of thin rubber over the jaws to minimize marring.