Any way to open Aero Ektar with dented rear barrel?

kathala · Joined: 13 May 2022 Posts: 129

Hi folks,

I bought an Aero Ektar 178mm from Flint auctions, which was presented much better than it is (same with another item from them! I'll certainly not return). It is full of debris between the lenses, and it has a huge dent at the back of the barrel.
If I get all the debris out, I can probably rebuild the matching airplane with it. But HOW might I get it out, given that the dent ate right into the retaining rings, which are now oval and won't move with a lens wrench? I'll just scratch the barrel or the rear lens. And the front lens has no access points at all.
Any tips are much appreciated! <3

visualopsins · Expire: 2025-04-11

Can you use a vise to squeeze the lens barrel round enough to get the retaining ring off?

kiddo · Joined: 29 Jun 2018 Posts: 1123

I have same issue with Minolta apo 200mm , front element has a bit of fungus behind, but retaining ring for the front element is very thin and I suspect it's been glued with the front element, I've tried to unscrew it but no chance. As ultimate option would be to use a Dremel to cut it out (it would be the worse option not having that nice apo ring for this lens) but finding another retaining ring same size wouldn't be easy.
Maybe for your case ,as last option might work better as there is nothing written on it, it would cost you to make another same size.
Some time ago I've read that one of the worse things of working with lenses when doing cla is removing retaining rings (especially very thin ones and large elemens) , with this Minolta I've learned what that means . My lens won't reach infinity, I suspect the retaining ring might have been improperly mounted so the front element it's not perfectly fitted.

BrianSVP · Joined: 09 Jun 2023 Posts: 301 Location: Philadelphia

You might be able to get the rings back into more-or-less round by working them with a heavy rubber mallet and a small piece of PVD pipe or similarly soft plastic. Obviously be careful to angle the force into the rings and avoid hammering toward the glass. Then try applying a very small amount of penetrating oil like Tri-flow or PB Blaster to the threads, heat/cold etc.

Cutting should be a last resort, but if you have to do that, then it might bebetter to have a machine shop make you a new retainer than trying to repair the old one.