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jb7
2-May-2008, 02:38
I've got an empty bubble on the back of my Arca-
and perhaps its time I did something about it-

Now, maybe its because I'm a 'tightwad',
but I don't think it should be beyond me to refill it or replace it myself-
However, the main reason is that I don't want to be parted from my camera for such an inconsequential repair-

So, if anyone has already carried out this operation,
I'd appreciate your views-

The bubble appears to be seated in silicone,
so it should be possible to chop it out with a knife?

Anyone?

Many thanks-

joseph

Walter Calahan
2-May-2008, 07:24
An Arca camera deserves fine surgery, not chopped out with a knife.

E-mail Arca directly for their advice first. They might suggest a scalpel. HA!

Even a tightwad should recognized that an Arca is an expensive machine deserving the best care and maintenance.

Good luck. All my Arca bubble levels are shipshape.

Pete Roody
2-May-2008, 07:52
You could ask Bob Watkins at Precision Camera Works. They service Arca's and sell replacement levels. www.precisioncameraworks.com

Pete Roody
2-May-2008, 07:54
You could ask Bob Watkins at Precision Camera Works. They service Arca's and sell replacement levels. www.precisioncameraworks.com

I hadn't noticed you are from Dublin. It might be easier to call Arca direct as Walter suggested versus the US service rep as I suggested.

jb7
2-May-2008, 08:00
Thanks Walter and Pete-
I might just do that-
However, when I said 'Knife'
I was thinking more surgical than butcher's-

I've lived with it a long time now,
so I wouldn't be any worse off, either way-

j

Sheldon N
2-May-2008, 17:39
I've done it on a couple older Arca model B cameras as well as on an F-Line last year. It is definitely not rocket science.

The bubble levels will pop out easily with a knife, they are typically held in with silicone. You can buy replacement bubbles from Bob at Precision Camera Works for around $12 each (last I checked). You then just glue the new bubble level back in place using a couple drops of black silicone on the back side.

The only critical item is making sure that you set the bubble level so that it shows exactly the right level point. When the silicone is still wet, there is a little play that allows you to fine tune the positioning. Either match it up with the other side of the camera, or use a hand level to level the camera first then set the bubble level in place.

Takes about 5 minutes to do.

jb7
2-May-2008, 17:46
That's great Sheldon, thanks for that-

It certainly looks like it should be a simple job-
so I reckon its time to give it a go-

Thanks again-

j

Jerzy Pawlowski
27-May-2008, 12:42
The bubble levels will pop out easily with a knife, they are typically held in with silicone. You can buy replacement bubbles from Bob at Precision Camera Works for around $12 each (last I checked). You then just glue the new bubble level back in place using a couple drops of black silicone on the back side.

I am about to replace few bubble levels in my Arca (got them from Precision Camera for about $12 per piece).
My question: is this black silicone the same type as standard one used to seal windows or sink, or any other special silicone.

EuGene Smith
27-May-2008, 14:22
Joseph:

You can go to www.mcmaster.com and in their SEARCH box at the upper left of their opening screen type bulls eye level (or you can type tubular level - both types are on catalog page 2240) and it will take you to a whole page of level inserts. Most of the small tubular types as used on cameras and tripods cost less than a doller each in small quantities. The little "troughs" that they mount in cost between 34 to 53 cents each.

While you are at it type in all sorts of stuff in their search box. Those folks sell every type of hardware known to man, like knobs, oddball bolts and fasteners, latches, etc. Probably anything one finds on a view camera is in their catalogue somewhere . . . manufacturers of nearly any type of product (not just cameras) rarely make their own hardware and fittings - they buy them on the open market.

By the way, their PRINT button near the top left of their page prints out a beautiful catalogue page (if you have Adobe). I printed out a gob of them for all sorts of parts and pieces and put them in a quick reference folder. Oh what fun!!

Eu

jb7
27-May-2008, 15:11
Thanks very much EuGene-
look forward to that-
my kinda site-

Still haven't had the carriers apart-
not brave enough just yet-

Thanks again-
will have a look-

j

Struan Gray
27-May-2008, 15:26
If you're really skint it is possible to drill a small hole in one end of the cylinder level and inject a new aliquot of alcohol/water mix (you need the alcohol to stop green gunk from growing). Seal with a dab of bathroom sealant, or Araldite.

It won't work if the level is full of dried up crud, but if you already have the tools it's not a big or expensive job.

jb7
27-May-2008, 15:33
not a question of being that skint-
its just that I can do easy things like disassembly, and assembly-
at least, the disassembly part-

I get things repaired where calibration is an issue,
such as shutters- so far-
but some things are not beyond me-

I had considered drilling and re-filling-
even to the point of deciding on 2 holes for venting purposes-
and a hypodermic-

It might still be the least invasive option-
so, Smirnoff?

thanks for that-
might still happen-

j

Struan Gray
27-May-2008, 15:40
not a question of being that skint-


It usually is for me :-)

Also, I tend to go on holiday in places where there are lots of people with tools, but poor connections to the outside world. "Can I borrow your smallest twist drill?" usually gets results faster than "do you have the number for B+H?"

Smirnoff will do. Anything will do in a pinch, but avoid agressive solvents like acetone as they will craze the plastic. Too much alcohol and it will evaporate again too fast. Too little and things will grow in it. 50-50 water and iso-propyl alcohol (aka propan-2-ol) would be my first choice.

jb7
27-May-2008, 15:48
Believe me, I'm only keeping up appearances...
Thanks for the tips about the alcohol-
my carpentry tools are a little less safe from now on...

Definitely vodka or gin though...

thanks again-

j

One other advantage of drilling over replacing, is that re-calibration shouldn't be necessary-

John Powers
27-May-2008, 17:34
Believe me, I'm only keeping up appearances...
Thanks for the tips about the alcohol-
my carpentry tools are a little less safe from now on...

Definitely vodka or gin though...

thanks again-

j

One other advantage of drilling over replacing, is that re-calibration shouldn't be necessary-

It depends on how much of the vodka or gin gets into the level and how much gets into the operator.

John

jb7
28-May-2008, 05:22
good point-
I might need some re-calibrating myself,
but the camera should be ok...

Maybe I should use Brandy,
in the style of an Arca Swiss St.Bernard...

j

Struan Gray
28-May-2008, 06:14
I believe it is traditional to send calibration standards to laboratories in other countries to ensure scientific credibility and reproducibility of results. For a simple task like this one such expatriate lab should suffice.

Bushmill's malt will do nicely :-)

W K Longcor
28-May-2008, 08:44
Hello: As a newcomer to this forum -- I hope I'm not rehashing something that has been gone over far too much already. There seems to be a lot of dicussion about bubble levels. After several years retirement from commercial photography, I just dug out my LF equipment again ( I've always considered my Hasselblad to be a "miniature camera format") -- just for FUN! Most of the equipment is in as good a condition as when it went away to storage. The Sinar P2 is fine --- but the Sinar F1 has ALL of the bubble levels dried up! Since they were stored in the same room -- under rather pleasant heat and humidity conditions, I'm perplexed. I have some cheap plastic levels that are 30 years older than the cameras , and they never dry up. From things I've read on this forum, I'm thinking that this camera level problem is rather wide spread. One would think it should not be a problem on an instrument that costs as much as these cameras do! Any one care to comment further????:rolleyes: