Ilex #3 Acme Synchro shutter disassembly for CLA??

[Memento Mori]

Hey folks, I have accrued a couple lenses for my portrait use and have run into a stumbling block. Maybe one of you can help.

I tried the soak/rinse/actuate, in naptha/painter's solvent and while the shutter started to function perfectly after a dozen actuations at every setting submerged...now that it is well dry, it has some glitches. Time to open'er up! Question is how. It looks like the top ringplate cannot come off without removing the large ring marked #1 in attached pics. There is also a smaller ring (#2) that appears to be threaded into ring #1 but that may not affect disassembly. Who knows how to get that #1 ring loose, if indeed that's what's necessary? I tried my hard rubber cone, which usually works on everything. I even tried Channel lock pliers carefully with what should've been enough pressure, to no avail. Is it a matter of a couple very carefully placed drops of penetrating oil, some heat around the body with a hair dryer and more torque with the pliers? or am I barking up the wrong tree?

[Duolab123]

Hey folks, I have accrued a couple lenses for my portrait use and have run into a stumbling block. Maybe one of you can help.

I tried the soak/rinse/actuate, in naptha/painter's solvent and while the shutter started to function perfectly after a dozen actuations at every setting submerged...now that it is well dry, it has some glitches. Time to open'er up! Question is how. It looks like the top ringplate cannot come off without removing the large ring marked #1 in attached pics. There is also a smaller ring (#2) that appears to be threaded into ring #1 but that may not affect disassembly. Who knows how to get that #1 ring loose, if indeed that's what's necessary? I tried my hard rubber cone, which usually works on everything. I even tried Channel lock pliers carefully with what should've been enough pressure, to no avail. Is it a matter of a couple very carefully placed drops of penetrating oil, some heat around the body with a hair dryer and more torque with the pliers? or am I barking up the wrong tree?

Before I would open up the shutter try slowly drop by drop, rinsing off the shutter blade with the cleanest solvent you can find. I have just a dribble of old Kodak movie film cleaner. Whatever you can find that's pure solvent, maybe hexane or xylene. One key is to get the shutter blades as free from oil as possible. So when your pure solvent evaporates from the blades they don't stick, because they are clean.

[paulbarden]

I’m assuming the component marked “1” in your photo is the lens tube (threaded on the inside)? It should be possible to unscrew it, but it sounds like you’ve already tried all reasonable methods to unscrew. I’d remove the aperture marker plate and get the second front cover plate screw out, and see if the plate lifts off over the lens tube. (I cant tell if the tube is actually obstructing the removal of the cover plate)

If you can’t remove the lens tube, and it IS obstructing the front plate removal, then you’re pretty much at a dead end.

That said, there’s a pdf that describes (mostly diagrams) the servicing of this shutter at: https://ia903205.us.archive.org/34/i.../TM11-2352.pdf

[Memento Mori]

I’m assuming the component marked “1” in your photo is the lens tube (threaded on the inside)? It should be possible to unscrew it, but it sounds like you’ve already tried all reasonable methods to unscrew. I’d remove the aperture marker plate and get the second front cover plate screw out, and see if the plate lifts off over the lens tube. (I cant tell if the tube is actually obstructing the removal of the cover plate)

If you can’t remove the lens tube, and it IS obstructing the front plate removal, then you’re pretty much at a dead end.

That said, there’s a pdf that describes (mostly diagrams) the servicing of this shutter at: https://ia903205.us.archive.org/34/i.../TM11-2352.pdf

Thank you for the pdf, Paul. Very helpful indeed! It’ll go in the Manuals folder. In answer to your statement, yes, the lens tube diameter ( now I know what to call it) appears to bevel inward at the bottom, thus locking in anything below it, although not sandwiching, to allow for rotation.
Surprise surprise, the second teeny weeny screw is not there either. That allows for a slight lifting of the top faceplate on that side. Perhaps that’s allowing some unplanned movement internally which may in turn be responsible for the odd glitches down at T and B.

I’m away from home for a couple weeks but will try once more when home to remove the lens tube for a thorough cleaning. The shutter DID function perfectly when flat and submerged in solvent. It had issues after letting dry overnight but then perfectly again when resubmerged. Me thinks the missing screw/hole and loose fit of the faceplate may have allowed twigs and berries to get in there over the decades.
Thanks again for the wonderfully detailed manual! So much better than the Graflex offerings.

Now where in heck do I find one of those minuscule screws? I’d sure like to get that faceplate down properly…

[Memento Mori]

Thank you Duo! I will certainly do that once more before attempting the dangerous unscrewing again.

[Havoc]

Don't know that particular shutter, but I would start by taking off the diaphragm plate. Very often there are other screws under it. And there is another screw visible in photo 1 just at the edge of that diaphragm plate and the center tube.

[Memento Mori]

Yes, I’ve removed that screw and it’s opposite is missing. The plate rotates loosely but can’t come up due to the conical shape of the lens tube. I’ll be trying to get that tube off again when I get home.