How to clean dusty Heliar lens from 1947?

[EOTS]

Hello,

I have received my Heliar 30cm 4,5 in Compound V shutter today.
The lens is from around 1947 (if I looked up the serial number correctly) and has accumulated quite an amount of dust on the inside.

So if you would want to clean it up ...
a) could I somehow do that myself without skrewing up the presumably fine tuned adjustments
(like distances between the groups, distances to the shutter, etc, etc)

b) could somebody recommend a professional restoration shop in the EU?

Best regards,
Martin

[Jim Galli]

Martin, all of the distances you're concerned about are idiot proof. The screw threads land on machined surfaces, so you can't re-assemble it wrong. Take the back element off the shutter and both sides are readily accessible. Take the front out and you'll find it is 2 groups screwed together. Seperate the groups and you can clean all the surfaces. CAUTION! Coatings were soft in that era. Use extreme caution in cleaning. Alcohol and a cotton swab used gently is probably OK. Err on the side of caution, but don't worry about assembly clearances. If it's only dust, maybe compressed air is all you need and no surfaces even need to be touched.

Hello,

I have received my Heliar 30cm 4,5 in Compound V shutter today.
The lens is from around 1947 (if I looked up the serial number correctly) and has accumulated quite an amount of dust on the inside.

So if you would want to clean it up ...
a) could I somehow do that myself without skrewing up the presumably fine tuned adjustments
(like distances between the groups, distances to the shutter, etc, etc)

b) could somebody recommend a professional restoration shop in the EU?

Best regards,
Martin

[E. von Hoegh]

Martin, all of the distances you're concerned about are idiot proof. The screw threads land on machined surfaces, so you can't re-assemble it wrong. Take the back element off the shutter and both sides are readily accessible. Take the front out and you'll find it is 2 groups screwed together. Seperate the groups and you can clean all the surfaces. CAUTION! Coatings were soft in that era. Use extreme caution in cleaning. Alcohol and a cotton swab used gently is probably OK. Err on the side of caution, but don't worry about assembly clearances. If it's only dust, maybe compressed air is all you need and no surfaces even need to be touched.

Jim, I'm shocked. If there's one thing nothing is proof against, it's idiots.

[Jim Galli]

Jim, I'm shocked. If there's one thing nothing is proof against, it's idiots.

Well, if anyone reads this, and takes their Heliar apart, and can't figure out how to put it back together . . I'll buy it cheap. PM me.

[EOTS]

Jim, thanks a lot for your detailed response!

Good to hear that it's that simple!
I'll start with compressed air, perhaps that will suffice ...

Best regards,
Martin

[EOTS]

Damn it!

Took a look at the lens again (before opening it)
but the aperture does not open/close smooth ... and does not form a round circle,
but more looks like the packard shutter hole when not completely open ...

Is this somehow correctable or would you rather return it (bought via EBay)?

Best regards,
Martin

[jumanji]

In my experience (I've owned two), these Compound shutters usually have a round aperture and smooth iris. A picture of yours would helpful.
In case it really has problem, you could ask a partial refund to repair it at Flutot camera, or return it (if item not as described).

[Steven Tribe]

It is not easy to get replacement shutters for these big Compounds. I don't know about parts.
I would think that a return/refund is your best/safest bet - it would hard to work out a partial refund that would be acceptible for the seller. You must think about costs, delay, VAT, in connection with a US service. Wasn't there an OK serviceman in France?

Jim's comments about idiot work is spot on. But the position of the central lens in Cooke triplet design is important for a good focus. I can't remember how sensible the central mount is in the Heliar - certainly on the early T,T & H lenses it was a bit more dicey.

[Jim Galli]

It is not easy to get replacement shutters for these big Compounds. I don't know about parts.
I would think that a return/refund is your best/safest bet - it would hard to work out a partial refund that would be acceptible for the seller. You must think about costs, delay, VAT, in connection with a US service. Wasn't there an OK serviceman in France?

Price Price Price. We don't know what you paid. If it was 200 bucks I'd try to get a hundred back and then live with it. It's a grand old lens and the oblong doesn't hurt anything if you're careful. Heliar's were made to be shot wide open which will be round. If you paid premium price, maybe then it would be best returned. I looked on completed ebay but didn't find this one. I was curious.

Jim's comments about idiot work is spot on. But the position of the central lens in Cooke triplet design is important for a good focus. I can't remember how sensible the central mount is in the Heliar - certainly on the early T,T & H lenses it was a bit more dicey.

On Heliar's the front comes out with both the front doublet and the center element threaded together. No spacing issues.

[jumanji]

This lens looks familiar with me. I think it came from UK.