Help with shutter curtains for a Pontiac Lynx repair

Jesito · Expire: 2015-01-07

Hi colleagues,

It has been a long time since I posted my last contribution on camera repair. Lots of work on one side and a some minor health problems on the other, have put me aside of the workbench.

Now I've had a couple of weekends with very little obligations, no family activities and no gardening possible (I've to care my back), so I've taken the opportunity to continue with a long term project: the recovery of an old Pontiac Lynx II that I got from a flea market. It cost me 10�, but it was in a very bad shape. When I opened it to verify the inside, I noticed broken curtains in the shutter and also lots of dust and debris like if it had been poured water inside. But it looked stylish and I didn't know that brand, so I took it. This was one year ago or so.

After some cosmetic cleanup on the outside (just to be able to handle it) the camera looked like this:

To take out the lens block is quite easy, just to unscrew the four screws in the front side.

The top cames out quite simply, unscrewing two screws on it. The shutter mechanism is quite straightforward and simple, so I had good expectations on this repair. So I ordered some shutter fabric to AKI-ASAHI and started to disassemble the shutter, to measure the current curtains and replace the fabric.

So far, so good. But once I had the shutter reels in my hands, I noticed an element which I didn't take into account, the metal clips that protect the edge of the curtains:

They are in bad shape. I'm not sure they could be reused, so I'm currently stuck at this point. Curtains ready to be cut, but no idea on how to replace the clips.

Any ideas, suggestions?. Using some clips coming from a 35mm donor SLR won't be a solution, the Pontiac uses 127 film.

Thanks in advance.

Jes.

jaecarlos714 · Joined: 06 Jun 2013 Posts: 17 Location: Portland, Oregon

Jesito,
Only thought is to make your own...
It looks like you need thin metal sheet (.010-.020" thick). I would try by cutting up a soup can and use the side wall. It is usually thin, bendable steel. Then get a pin vise and put the sheet and a strong metal ruler in the vise, then bend the sheet over the ruler so a long straight line bend is made, slowly fold the sheet over the ruler, until it's bent more than 90degrees. To finish the bend, open the vise and replace the ruler with your shutter fabric edge, then put back in vise and slowly close vise to crimp metal to shutter fabric. It may take a few attempts to get it right.

John

Jesito · Expire: 2015-01-07

Lloydy · Expire: 2022-01-01

I wouldn't bother trying to straighten a can, the curve will be difficult to flatten. A tiny bit of steel such as you need is pennies to buy, most engineering shops will have nice, perfectly flat, pieces in the scrap bin that they'll probably give you. If you can find an engineering / sheet metal workshop that has a machine called a 'box - pan bender' then they can very easily bend a narrow strip accurately, and it's a hand machine so it doesn't take time and effort to set the machine.

The other alternative is filing cabinet suspension files, they have a folded steel strip along the edge of the paper file. If that can be gently prised apart then you might have something that can be useful?

Jesito · Expire: 2015-01-07

Lloydy · Expire: 2022-01-01

The problem with home bending, bending without a machine bender, is that a narrow strip will tend to curve if you bend a strip using hand tools like a hammer and vice. If possible make the bend in the middle of the sheet of metal - then cut it to size. The large area will keep it rigid while bending.

jaecarlos714 · Joined: 06 Jun 2013 Posts: 17 Location: Portland, Oregon

Jesito,
Yes, this is fun isn't it? Trying to craft parts yourself to make something work again.
My proudest attempt was making a replacement shutter blade out of printer paper. Used a good blade as a template and cut out paper blade, then "painted" with permanent black marker, then stiffened it by soaking with the thin super glue. After drying, had same stiffness as the real blades. Luckily had the pivot pins from the damaged blade and superglued them to the paper blade.
I purposely look for broken lenses just to be able to clean/repair them. Haven't ventured into cameras yet. You are brave!
Lloydy has the right idea to start with a flat metal piece, and to first make the bend in a big sheet, then cut it down to size. That lid from the sardine can looks perfect, and attainable. Try to extract it from the can without using the peeling opener so it stays flat. And buy a small vise to clamp the metal when bending. Lloydy is also correct that plyers/hammers are not the way to go.
Good luck and have fun.

John

kansalliskala · Expire: 2016-12-30

don't eat the sardines - they expired on September

Jesito · Expire: 2015-01-07