Repairing a Sinar P2

[healyzh]

I've started moving from a Horseman monorail, to Sinar, since Horseman gear is a lot harder to find.

As of yesterday afternoon, I'm the proud owner of a Sinar P2 (I had already picked up a F1). As of last night, I'm the very mad at myself owner of a broken P2. I managed to strip out the plastic gear for the vertical shift on the front standard while learning the controls.

Two question, is there any place in the US selling vertical replacement gears for the P2 (I'm trying to avoid shipping from Europe). Secondly, obviously the long gear "track" is plastic, is the gear that rolls along it plastic, or metal? I've not disassembled the front standard enough to see that gear, just the damaged track.

I'm also looking for a P2 service manual.

Thanks,
Zane

[Peter De Smidt]

Never force anything with a Sinar. If something doesn't close or move with minimum force, then something is wrong.

Here's a service manual for a Sinar P. (I don't think I have one for a P2). https://www.dropbox.com/s/kexo6swt3ztl1th/sinar-service-manual.pdf?dl=0

In the old days, you could just order from Sinar USA, but I expect they no longer exist. This should give you leads: https://sinar.swiss/en-resellers/

[bob carnie]

not to change the thread, but is there a place in North America that can service 8 x 10 Toyo's.

[j.e.simmons]

For Sinar, try Northwest Camera
https://northwestcamera.com/sinar-repair/

[healyzh]

Thanks! I didn't realize I was forcing it, though now that you mention, in hindsight, I must have been. Now that I think about, and take another look at the instructions, something tells me I bought a marginal camera. I thought I did this by trying to move it with it locked down, as I mistakenly identified the coarse tilt levers as locking levels (well, technically they are, but for the tilt). Obviously that's not the case. It's also likely that there was some debris that got caught in the gear track, as in looking closely with a light, it's filthy.

I've also discovered that, while the levels are all there, all except one are dried out. I'm now debating if I want to fix this myself, or send it off to be repaired.

[Richard Wasserman]

Bob Watkins of Precision Camera Works services Sinar cameras. He's at: https://www.precisioncameraworks.com/about-1

I don't know if he works on Toyos, but it might be worth asking him

[Peter De Smidt]

Bob Watkins has had one of my cameras for over 2 years. He won't return it. I've tried everything I could think of to get it back. No luck. I've heard the same thing from a number of people.

[Richard Wasserman]

Bob Watkins has had one of my cameras for over 2 years. He won't return it. I've tried everything I could think of to get it back. No luck. I've heard the same thing from a number of people.

Yikes, I had no idea. He has worked on several of my cameras over the years and I always received exemplary service. He has moved a couple times fairly recently, first from Chicago to California and then to Texas. Sounds like things maybe got complicated...

Peter I hope you get this resolved!

[Joshua Dunn]

I had a good experience with Bob as well.

-Joshua

[Daniel Unkefer]

George Brown in NYC has been a great resource for me CLA'ing my Norma shutters. He has done three for me so far.

Super quick service for me so far.

He repairs P2's. See here. And a lot more, he is amazing!

https://www.ebay.com/itm/113997635178?hash=item1a8ac9de6a:g:TywAAMXQVgBRGtPr

[Peter De Smidt]

I had a good experience with Bob as well.

-Joshua

Me too.....right up until I didn't. I can never get Bob on the phone. The person who answers has told me lots of stuff, including that Bob had cancer, moved to California, and now moved to Texas. Every time I contact them, I get: "It's on his bench. It's up next! It'll be shipped out soon!" This has gone on for at least 2 years.