CLA - Flutot's vs SK Grimes????

[Hugh Sakols]

For CLA's of classic lenes like Synchro Comp Shutter type, is it best to go to Flutot's or SK Grimes? I notice a significant price difference for repair services.

[Jason Greenberg Motamedi]

They are both completely competent and friendly shops; you won't find many complaints about the quality of either. That said, SK Grimes is more expensive and has of been quite slow of late.

[David A. Goldfarb]

I'd kind of lean toward Grimes for old air-braked Compound shutters since they've done such a fine job on them in the past (even after Mr. Grimes passed away) and that's a bit more of a specialty than other leaf shutters, but otherwise they both have a fair number of satisfied customers. Also consider Frank Marshman, particularly for Ilex shutters, because I think he has a store of parts, but he handles all of them just as well.

[John_4185]

Grimes is just too spendy.

[Robert McClure]

Hugh,

Carol, I think her name was, at Flutot's gave excellent service and got the best out of an ancient Ilex I sent her around 6 month ago. She responded to my emails to her and answered all my questions. Good turnaround, too, as I recall.

[Ted Harris]

Don't forget Paul Ebel as well ....equally as good as SKG and Flutot .... Steve was a dear friend and all my work went there before he passed away ... now I use Ebel as well, less expensive often faster, equally knowledgable as the staff at SKG. Paul was recommended to me by Jim at Midwest .. I believe he does all the cleaning and repair work for them.

[Brian Ellis]

I like Grimes and have used them for a variety of things and would highly recommend them for any repair or anything that requires machining. But for a plain old CLA I'd probably go elsewhere, I don't think you need the Grimes expertise (and cost) for something like that.

[James Bleifus]

I've only used Carol Flutat but I found her service and communication excellent. I'd send another lens there again without hesitation.

Cheers, James

[Frank Petronio]

Bob Watkins at http://www.precisioncameraworks.com is also a good large format camera and lens service person (he doesn't do wooden cameras though.) He used to work for Sinar and now does Arca's North American service. But he works on all the brands.

[Juergen Sattler]

I have used both SK Grimes and Carol at Flutot's. Whenever I need something like a lens board adapter I will use Grimes, but for a CLA there is nobody better than Carol. She is competent, friendly and communicates really well. On top of that you just can't beat the price!
Juergen

[Dave Rodenbaugh]

I had Carol do a CLA on my Synchro-Compur about 7 months ago...Came back in excellent shape, and it was cheap, cheap, cheap compared to Grimes!

-D

[John D Gerndt]

There is no doubt that Carol's work (at Flutot's) is a bargin and she is a very pleasant person to deal with ( just got my Ilex #5 syncro back from her today). Hey, I like doing business with nice people, it makes a difference to me!

Cheers Carol!

[Michael Gordon]

Dredging up an old thread, but Flutot's just did some work for me and deserves another mention.

My Wollensak compound shutter needed a bit of work - five aperture blades needed replacing and the speeds were way off - so I sent it to Flutot's Camera Repair. Carol Miller did excellent work and at a bargain price. She was extremely communicative, giving me updates via email (including a jpeg), and ended up getting the job done in a mere fraction of the 4-5 week lead time they quote on their website.

I am very happy with Flutot's service and highly recommend them!
http://www.flutotscamerarepair.com/

[John Kasaian]

I 'dsend my shutters to Carol Miller for CLAs and repairs since I'm on the West Coast and I don't like sending my equiptment any farther away than I have to. She does a great job at a great price. OTOH I don't think she does machining. If you want to mount a Metrogon into an #5 Ilex, SK Grimes would probably be your best bet.

[Bob Gentile]

Carol Miller. If it's something she doesn't do, then Grimes.

[Michael Graves]

Carol Miller for CLA; Grimes for mounting. Seems to be a general agreement to that here. Carol did an excellent job of making an old Ilex #3 and a Betax work for me. But nobody mounts a lens into a shutter like SK Grimes.

[Bob Gentile]

"... Carol did an excellent job of making an old Ilex #3 and a Betax work for me. But nobody mounts a lens into a shutter like SK Grimes..."
For mounting lenses, IIRC Carol even recommends Grimes.

[Capocheny]

So, would everyone agree that, "if I wanted to have a lens mounted in a Copal 3 (it's now mounted in an Ilex #4 shutter) that it's best to send it in to SK Grimes?

Does anyone know if it's a major job to do the mounting from the Ilex #4 to Copal 3 and, if so... has anyone had it done previously? The lens is a 19" Red Dot Artar.

If at all possible, I'd really prefer not to have to send the lens into them just for a quote on the job. But, of course, if I have to... :)

Cheers

[JasonC]

For lens mounting, anyone tried Tim at http://www.lensn2shutter.com ? Any comments? Thanks.

Jason.

[Joseph O'Neil]

Okay, here's the real question (for some of us) - is there anybody left in Canada doing this kind of work? I've done business myself with SK Grimes in the past myself, no complaints at all, but arguing with the taxman that a lens comming back across the border was orignally yours, it was just sent for service, even when you have the documentation to back you up, is frankly becomming too much of a PITA.

joe

[tim atherton]

joe,

I've looked around over the last couple of years, but haven't found any. I tried contacting a couple of places that were suggested by Geoffrey James from his use in the past, but the prices they wanted to charge were ridiculous. One place in Ontario wanted $200+ just to CLA a modern Copal shutter. Another guy in BC wanted $75 or so just to drill a Deardorff lensboard.

I've used Grimes - though I found their more recent (18 months or so ago) general CLA work to not be that great and stuff was very delayed both times. I'd probably try Carol Miller for general CLA's and repairs now.

Not had too much of a problem with the cross border stuff (though it has happened in the past with repairs - and recently, Canada Post/Customs charged me duties and taxes on my own photos being returned from a submission... they did correct that eventually though!)

[Mike Kovacs]

Okay, here's the real question (for some of us) - is there anybody left in Canada doing this kind of work? I've done business myself with SK Grimes in the past myself, no complaints at all, but arguing with the taxman that a lens comming back across the border was orignally yours, it was just sent for service, even when you have the documentation to back you up, is frankly becomming too much of a PITA.

joe

Joe, what do you have? If its just a standard shutter CLA, I can have a look at that for you. Is London Ontario close enough for you? ;) Is two cases of beer cheap enough? ;)

PM me - we should grab a coffee sometime.

[Keith S. Walklet]

Hugh,

Are you familiar with International Camera Technicians on Villa in Mountain View? 650-961-5825. Fred Meuller and son. Very German attitude. Barbara Brudage turned us onto them. They apparently did work for "the big guy."

BTW, how's life in the El Portal cul de sac?

[John Z.]

I have had many lenses (at least 5 or 6) mounted by LensN2shutter by Tim, who does excellent work, and would recommend him. I also have had a lot of work done by S.K. Grimes, and they are very good as well, and have always been very satisfied with their precision work.

[Keith S. Walklet]

Ooops, missed that this was an older thread.

I feel for you guys. Seems that Canadian government is also very protective of local services as well as product.

[Mike Kovacs]

Of course you should not pay duty or sales taxes on items sent out of country for repair and return. You need to cover your tracks and challenge the customs ruling if you do get hit. I sent out a Rolleiflex SL66 camera to California and it came back with no charges. I've sent other things out too but I'm mostly performing my own repairs these days, unless I don't have parts or we're talking about a very specialized camera that I'm too chicken to attempt.

What they can theoretically get you on is PST/GST on the actual cost of the repair work done, same as you would pay for repair work in Ontario.

[Joseph O'Neil]

Joe, what do you have? If its just a standard shutter CLA, I can have a look at that for you. Is London Ontario close enough for you? ;) Is two cases of beer cheap enough? ;)

PM me - we should grab a coffee sometime.


PM sent

..and it'll be one case of beer, but Guiness, the "real" stuff.
:)

joe

[Mike Kovacs]

Sounds good, but "real" Guiness comes from the keg and I'm going to hold you to that. ;)

[JW Dewdney]

Hmmm... the name Mike Kovacs sounds a bit familiar - but I COULD be hallucinating. I'm from London also, though... do you mind me asking how old you are/what high school you went to...? I'm 40 and went to South. But I was at Westminster for a year and had a lot of friends at Central...

[Ole Tjugen]

Of course you should not pay duty or sales taxes on items sent out of country for repair and return.
Contact your local customs office. They should be able to help you by issuing a "transit statement" or similar. At least they did whan I left the country with about $5000 worth of camera gear, and again when I sent a $100 lens for repair in the USA.

[Ron Stowell]

Not that Carol needs anymore acolades, but I send all my work to her. Price, communication and speed of service just can"t be beat.