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splou
8-Jun-2008, 10:48
I picked up a magnesium calumet c-1 and would like to clean up the magnesium
since it has a fair amount of oxidation on it. Any suggestions on what to use
on the rails etc..the focusing and movements are a little stiff so I was also wondering if safe to use any kind of lubrication on those after cleaning.

Robbie Shymanski
8-Jun-2008, 11:05
I had to do a good deal of similar clean up on my C-1. First thing I did was to take the whole thing apart. It really isn't that hard. Just keep track of your parts. 0000 steel wool will work wonders. I was shocked at the amount of dirt had built up in/on the rails. The focus motion works off friction. Dirt build up on the rails and the friction wheels will reduce even transport motion. Both the rail and the wheel need to be cleaned. The steel wool will physically remove build up. I also stripped old grease and lube off with acetone. The rails will clean easy, although you will need to thoroughly clean the grooves. I took apart and cleaned the front and read standards. The one additional action I performed was to stone the all the ways. This not only removed oxidation but also flattened the connections. Now all the movements are smooth and even. I used a very sparse amount of petroleum jelly to lubricate the connections. The rails will not require it. The shafts with the frictions bearings will. Good Luck! Once they are clean, they are a wonderful workhorse.

Glenn Thoreson
8-Jun-2008, 12:14
Good advice. To finish off the job, you may want to go to the auto parts store for some mag wheel cleaner. It might help getting any crud out of whatever pores the metal may have. The C-1 is that "Green Monster", is it not? I'd paint it black.

Scott Davis
9-Jun-2008, 05:09
Glenn-

the downside of painting your "Green Monster" black is that all the originally black C-1's are the non-magnesium ones, which are heavier and less desireable. Not all green ones are magnesium; but all magnesium ones originally were green. They discontinued the magnesium in favor of (aluminum?) because they were ordered to by the fire marshalls - a suprise inspection of the factory revealed fine magnesium shavings all over the factory floor, on the machinery, etc. A breeze and a spark would have been all that was required to turn the factory into a raging inferno.

splou
9-Jun-2008, 07:56
I would never paint my green monster. Looks too cool.:cool:

seawolf66
9-Jun-2008, 08:11
I have found steel wool for remove-ing dirt and years of hard times , I use the scotch brite pads dry , and the nice thing is I do not have any steel spliters in my fingers that way:

Turner Reich
9-Jun-2008, 08:36
Go to the auto parts store and get the paint that changes colors as you view it from different angles, that would be a great looking camera.

Peter K
9-Jun-2008, 08:41
Go to the auto parts store and get the paint that changes colors as you view it from different angles, that would be a great looking camera.
And than you can say, "Not only my lenses are multicoated." :p