taking apart and cleaning an Ilex 4 ACME shutter

**Havoc** · 31-Jan-2021, 07:52

Don't know if it can help anyone but I'll put it here just in case. The Ilex 4 ACME of my National Photocolor 3T44 was more than sluggish. Not having a repairer close by and reading that these shutters simple I took courage and took it apart, cleaned each part and lubricatred it when reassembling.

DISCLAIMER: I do not take any responsabillity if you take your shutter apart and break it doing so. You do this at your own risk.

At the start I opened the diaphragm completely.

Take off the diaphragm scale to find the second screw holding the cover.

Next the 2 screws and the speed selector.

This plate isn't fixed but it hold on well. Don't force it you need to keep it flat. Keep note of where the little selector tabs go through.

**Havoc** · 31-Jan-2021, 07:56

There are 4 screws retaining the cover.

This cover does not come off easy. Gently go around the openings of the levers and pry it slowly off. Then you can get to the innards.

A: connection for a flexible shutter release with a long trow
B: shutter release
C: "T" et "B" command levers
D: shutter spring
E: connection for a flexible shutter release with a short trow
F: shutter cocking lever
G: speed selector
H: echapment
I did not find a slow speed mechanism.

Next we take on the mechanism itself. First the "T" and "B" levers.

Below each lever is a washer, keep them together with the levers as they all look different. Next the shutter release. Take care, there is a spring just below the plate.

**Havoc** · 31-Jan-2021, 08:00

When you have removed the shutter release socket, take care of the length of brass that is inside the split tube!

If you have problems using this shutter release, the piece of brass might be missing. If it is, the point of the shutter release slips off the lever that is in the split.
Next is the shutter spring and the cocking lever.

Again, there are washers under it.

Continue with the lever for the short shutter release and again, a washer under it.

**Havoc** · 31-Jan-2021, 08:04

Then comes the shutter cocking mechanism.

Note how the springs are put here, this is critical for the functioning.

Also look how the springs cross each other. I left them in place as the kept the shutter blades closed.

**Havoc** · 31-Jan-2021, 08:05

Now it is the turn to the speed selection. It consists of 3 parts and each time there is again a washer under them.

**Havoc** · 31-Jan-2021, 08:11

The echapment is fixed from below. So you need to take off the connection for the long trow shutter release and the 3 scews that keep the bottom plate in position.

Now you need to be careful because you need to turn the shutter over but at the same time keep the bottom plate into position or the shutter blades will fall out like it is autumn.

The blades are put in against the clock and the first and last overlap. So you need to take them off clockwise. In red the fixed blade axis that go into the holes in the bottom part of the shutter. This is esssential when putting it back together.

Now we can remove the echapement.

If you need to access the diaphragm then you need to take the other 5 screws on the brass plate out. I didn't so that as the diaphragm moved smooth and it was clean.

**Havoc** · 31-Jan-2021, 08:23

Cleaning and putting back together:
- I put the echapement in Metryl (an trichlorethylene susbstitute). Let it soak a while, then action it a few times until a tissue underneath it stays clean. I put very small "drops" of Moebius 9010 on the axes bearings and a few here and there on the teeth of the gears. Used an oiler for clocks for this.
- when you put the blades back, take care of the 2 springs that stayed in place. Also make sure about the orientation of the bottom plate into the shutter housing. The fixed axis of the blades need to go into those holes. If they don't and you turn over the shutter again... the blades don't stay in place.
- all other pieces where degreased in Metryl, wiped clean and blown dry. All axis got a drop of 9010.
- think about all those washers! They are needed.
- the shutter spring is a bit hard to get back (and stay in place). It isn't really locked in place.
- when placing back the black cover of the shutter you need to pay attention to the orientation of the connection for the short trow shutter release. The flat side needs to be parallel to the edge so the little opening for it fits.

- make sure the little tabs for the speed selection are in the right slits when you put back the speed selector disc.

**Conrad . Marvin** · 31-Jan-2021, 12:23

It’s nice that we still have some mechanical things around that have screws to be taken out to allow maintenance. Thanks for documenting the project. I have two Ilex shutters that are operating fine right now but it was good to see that they can be taken care of because who knows when...?