Taylor Hobson Cooke Series ii 15” soft focus ring stuck

**sombreroisland** · 2-Jun-2018, 07:28

Hi,

Does anyone have any info on how to dismantle this lens? The soft focus ring is stuck like white on rice. I’m all the way in Manila, Philippines and taking this lens to SK Grimes to CLA is not going to be easy nor cheap.

I’ve taken out the front element and taken out the rear and the retainer ring. After that, I’ve got no idea where to go.

Bing

**Steven Tribe** · 2-Jun-2018, 08:53

Depends on the version you have!

Was it like this when you got this lens - or has it happened recently?

**sombreroisland** · 2-Jun-2018, 08:57

Originally Posted by Steven Tribe

Depends on the version you have!

Was it like this when you got this lens - or has it happened recently?

It’s a series II with the soft focus ring that turns from Sharp > Soft with 1, 2, 3 settings

**Steven Tribe** · 2-Jun-2018, 14:41

I'll check with the plain barrel version to-morrow.

**andrewch59** · 2-Jun-2018, 16:46

You are most of the way there, the internal cylinder unscrews from the outer barrel, but be careful! There is a small ovoid made of steel, inside the barrel as well, that makes the clicks. Have you taken that out?

**sombreroisland** · 2-Jun-2018, 20:01

Originally Posted by andrewch59

You are most of the way there, the internal cylinder unscrews from the outer barrel, but be careful! There is a small ovoid made of steel, inside the barrel as well, that makes the clicks. Have you taken that out?

When I took out the retainer ring at the rear, I saw that small ovoid. Even that was stuck when I first took it out.

How do you unscrew the internal from the external?

ME looking at the rear barrel, forcing the internal to move counter clockwise?

Or

ME looking at the front barrel, forcing the internal to move counter clockwise?

B

**sombreroisland** · 2-Jun-2018, 20:04

Andrew, excluding shipping, how much did you spend on the actual service?

I’m going to do one try, I’ve read Jim Galli’s thread and I’ve purchased the napa buffing solution and also bought a bottle of tricholoroethylene. Let me try spending the $40 before I spend the $1000!

**andrewch59** · 2-Jun-2018, 16:39

I have a series IIa F3.5 15 inch, it weighs a ton, but if you want it fixed S.K GRIMES is the only way. I asked locally for a lens repair person, and the recommended person started butchering it, even though I had told them not to start on it until they had rung me. No, bum up head down trying to separate the lens by taking out the front lens cover! I retrieved it and sent it straight to S.K. Grimes, cost me about $1000 for the round trip, including repairs, but it was well worth it, piece of mind and a job well done! I needed two new iris leaves, and a buckle taken out of the iris plate, so it could be re-attached to the barrel.
This all started with a quick tightening of the knuckles, but all went wrong from there! Get the job done right the first time.

**andrewch59** · 2-Jun-2018, 21:57

No probs, just wanted to point out that these are high end, well engineered lenses, and if frustration sets in, give it to the experts.
Mine only cost me about three hundred to have new pins made for the iris leaves, and fixing the warped plate on the back from the other so-called repairer.
I cannot remember how it unscrews and would hate to lead you astray.