Fotoman Problems

[David Cerbone]

I am having the damnedest time getting started with my recently acquired Fotoman 612. I bought the Fotoman part several weeks back and only more recently picked up a lens (a Fuji 125mm W). Now, when the fun of putting it all together and making pictures should be happening, it's all a big mess. Specifically:

1) I planned to remove the HFM from the lens cone in order to change the shims. The previous owner had used a different lens and, according to Paul Droluk at Fotoman, the shims needed to be slightly different. However, the small jeweler's screws holding the HFM to the cone were overtightened and partly stripped. :mad: I managed to get two of them out using a flat-head jeweler's screwdriver, but two of them are really stuck (and they are now, thanks to my efforts, even more stripped:eek:). Does anyone have any suggestions for getting the remaining two out? I'm afraid to apply more effort lest I damage the HFM and/or the cone.

2) Of course, after furthering this damage, I find out from Paul that I MIGHT not have to change the shims if I can calibrate the focus with things as they stand. Now comes the second problem. The retaining ring I have for my Fuji is too narrow for the opening of the HFM, i.e. it fits through and so cannot be used to attach the lens. Is there something I can add to what I've got to hold the lens to the HFM? In searching around online today, it looked like I might need a "mounting flange" but I don't know if that's right.

Any help with (1) and/or (2) would be appreciated. If it turns out that the answer to (1) is that nothing can be done about stripped screws, then I better hope that I can attach and calibrate the lens as it stands! Hence, an answer to (2) to help me figure that out would be great!

Many thanks!

[evan clarke]

I am having the damnedest time getting started with my recently acquired Fotoman 612. I bought the Fotoman part several weeks back and only more recently picked up a lens (a Fuji 125mm W). Now, when the fun of putting it all together and making pictures should be happening, it's all a big mess. Specifically:

1) I planned to remove the HFM from the lens cone in order to change the shims. The previous owner had used a different lens and, according to Paul Droluk at Fotoman, the shims needed to be slightly different. However, the small jeweler's screws holding the HFM to the cone were overtightened and partly stripped. :mad: I managed to get two of them out using a flat-head jeweler's screwdriver, but two of them are really stuck (and they are now, thanks to my efforts, even more stripped:eek:). Does anyone have any suggestions for getting the remaining two out? I'm afraid to apply more effort lest I damage the HFM and/or the cone.

2) Of course, after furthering this damage, I find out from Paul that I MIGHT not have to change the shims if I can calibrate the focus with things as they stand. Now comes the second problem. The retaining ring I have for my Fuji is too narrow for the opening of the HFM, i.e. it fits through and so cannot be used to attach the lens. Is there something I can add to what I've got to hold the lens to the HFM? In searching around online today, it looked like I might need a "mounting flange" but I don't know if that's right.

Any help with (1) and/or (2) would be appreciated. If it turns out that the answer to (1) is that nothing can be done about stripped screws, then I better hope that I can attach and calibrate the lens as it stands! Hence, an answer to (2) to help me figure that out would be great!

Many thanks!

If worst comes to worst, you could get the proper cone for your lens. I have this camera and it is really pretty good and I have had no problems with it...Evan Clarke

[David Cerbone]

Sorry, one perhaps unnecessary clarification: when I say that the screws are stripped, I mean the heads, not the threads. Where I nice little "X" for a Phillips screwdriver once was, there is now a rounded pit. Ugh.

[David Karp]

I think that there is a tool (like a drill bit) that you can use to remove stripped screws. The question is whether the one that you can find at the local hardware store will be small enough to work with the small screws on the camera.

[Jorge Gasteazoro]

I think that there is a tool (like a drill bit) that you can use to remove stripped screws. The question is whether the one that you can find at the local hardware store will be small enough to work with the small screws on the camera.

Yes there is a drill bit used for tripped screws, but they are no where near the size he needs. I was going to suggest to just drill the screws with a 1/16 bit (the smaller I have been able to find at HD) and re tap the holes, they usually come in a pair drill bit and tap. But this requires a drill press and a very secure way of clamping the part to the drill press tray. If he has the equipment this is easily done, if not, best take it to a machinist to do it.

[Henry Ambrose]

If the heads are above the surface you can cut a new slot for a straight blade screwdriver with a cut-off wheel in a Dremel tool. If they are countersunk then you can drill the head with a drill that is just ever so slightly bigger that the shank of the screw. Stop immediately when the head comes free. Then you can pull it apart and have a little stub of screw to grab with you smallest pliers or vise-grips. Think about this process for a while before you start. If you can't see it happening it might be time to send it to the camera hospital.

[Gordon Moat]

There are things called reverse drills, which basically turn and cut the other direction. What usually happens when using these is that they get stuck on the end of the screw, and end up turning it out. You might want more than one of these.

Ciao!

Gordon Moat Photography (http://www.gordonmoat.com)

[Wayne Crider]

Check Micro Tools for what they have in small sizes that will help you. http://www.micro-tools.com/ Or a machinist or camera repair guys can fix the problem.

You can make a flange out of anything practically that will work. I've used double mat board, but wood, metal or 1/8-1/4 plastic, etc will work.

[Scott Kathe]

This may be a little late and a bad idea but did you try any penetrating oil to get down into the tapped hole and help loosen the screw.

Scott

[David Cerbone]

Thanks everyone for the many replies. My sense from reading all of them is that I should leave the screws alone unless they REALLY need to come out, in which case I'm bringing in an expert. I've read a lot about S. K. Grimes of late -- if I don't just send it back to Fotoman, would he be a good place to make inquiries?

As for the flange, thanks Wayne. I'll see if I can rig up a makeshift one just to see if the lens will calibrate with the shims as they are. That will help me make a decision about the screws. (And note to evan clarke: this IS the proper cone. I made sure of that before I bought the camera.)

Dave

[Darryl Baird]

David,

1) I'd had similar problems with tiny screws in the past. I'd carefully tap a new slot with a very hard screwdriver (a new, clean blade is good) tip or other hard metal tool (tiny chisel?) to get at the screw. Once I got it free, I trashed the old screw and replaced with the best quality replacement I could find. The problems was probably weak metal to begin with and a "gorilla" approach to tightening.

2) ... or how about a thin metal washer (paint it black after figuring our if it works) for a lens washer/shim/flange thingy?

[bbauer]

KROIL penetrating oil is about a thousand times better than the stuff you normally find in a hardware store--the downside is that it can be difficult to find without some help from google, smells horribly, and is a pain to clean up.

But I've had what I thought were impossibly stuck screws come free with almost no effort after applying it and waiting 24 hours.

[GPS]

Some small screws on cameras are secured with a drop of glue (horrible, isn't it?). Before trying to unscrew them you should introduce a drop of solvent on them (acetone etc.) That's for your future reference, I don't think it's the case of your HFM. As you describe it you need a pro with proper instruments and knowledge to free your HFM.

[vann webb]

KROIL penetrating oil is about a thousand times better than the stuff you normally find in a hardware store--the downside is that it can be difficult to find without some help from google, smells horribly, and is a pain to clean up.

But I've had what I thought were impossibly stuck screws come free with almost no effort after applying it and waiting 24 hours.

Wow. Thanks. You learn something new every day. I don't have a camera stuck screw problem, but food machinery frozen bolts are very common headache for our company.