Home

Please support mflenses.com if you need any graphic related work order it from us, click on above banner to order!

SearchSearch MemberlistMemberlist RegisterRegister ProfileProfile Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages Log inLog in

Mir-1 "Grand Prix Brussels" black re-lubing
View previous topic :: View next topic  


PostPosted: Sat Mar 21, 2009 11:08 pm    Post subject: Mir-1 "Grand Prix Brussels" black re-lubing Reply with quote

Just won this lens on the Bay and, of course, the focusing ring is stiff Rolling Eyes

I searched the Net for disassembly instructions but can't find any ...

Only one source suggest to remove the focusing ring and spray WD40 ... I'm sceptical about it.

Anyone knowing where to find a Mir-1 dismantling tutorial ?


PostPosted: Sun Mar 22, 2009 8:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

pm sent


PostPosted: Sun Mar 22, 2009 9:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hold the front with one hand, and the back with another, and twist. The focusing assembly is held on to the optical assembly by a ring at the back (the one with two holes and 1 or 2 grub screws). Once loosened this can be removed and the two parts separated. You can see the clean metal of the helix. Adding petrol and working the ring in and out will bring the dark grey/black lubricant (MoS2 ?) to the surface which can be wiped off periodically. Lubricant can then be placed on the clean surface of the helix and, hopefully, worked in.



This approach has worked successfully on 3 Mir 1s and I am currently working on the one in the picture - which is proving to be difficult !

If you remove the focus ring (3 grub screws) you will see a route to completely dismantling the focusing assembly. There is a grub screw which must be removed. Unfortunately an overlong screw is sometimes used and its head is filed flat in order to allow mounting of the focus ring.


PostPosted: Mon Mar 23, 2009 1:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I successfully tried this morning Sichko's method.

The focusing ring is now really easy to use.

I'll wait a few days to be sure the change will be permanent (old grease cleaned with lighter fluid tend to re-harden once the petrol has evaporated).

If not, I still have the choice to further dismantle the lens, thanks to the instructions kindly supplied by member Poolhall.

A big thank to both of you !


PostPosted: Mon Mar 23, 2009 2:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Jieffe wrote:
I'll wait a few days to be sure the change will be permanent (old grease cleaned with lighter fluid tend to re-harden once the petrol has evaporated).


You are right. The lighter fuel will evaporate. I think that you will need to get some new grease in between the helicoids.


PostPosted: Mon Mar 23, 2009 2:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

sichko wrote:
You are right. The lighter fuel will evaporate. I think that you will need to get some new grease in between the helicoids.

I've done that too ... I just hope that there is not too much of the old grease left on the helicoids.

The first (quick) test shows a sharp lens (as already said on this forum), it would be a shame not to use it Very Happy


PostPosted: Thu Apr 30, 2009 9:41 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

hello,
(soory for my english i'm french Smile )
i just bought a MIR-1 from 1967 at internet, and i look for a disassemble guide to repair it.
i couldn't find one on internet (gogole is not my friend Sad ), but i saw that at least two people on this thread have info.
could one of you pm me the info or mail it at " chocobography at yahoo dot fr " ?
thanks in advance


PostPosted: Thu Apr 30, 2009 9:59 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

mographer wrote:
hello,
(soory for my english i'm french Smile )

PM sent (vérifie ta boîte à mail)


PostPosted: Thu Apr 30, 2009 12:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Welcome mographer - bienvenu


patrickh


PostPosted: Thu Apr 30, 2009 1:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

mographer wrote:
.... i look for a disassemble guide to repair it.


How far do you want to go ?


PostPosted: Thu Apr 30, 2009 2:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

patrickh wrote:
Welcome mographer - bienvenu


patrickh


thx !
is there a presentation page such as in some forums ?


PostPosted: Thu Apr 30, 2009 3:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

mographer wrote:

thx !
is there a presentation page such as in some forums ?


yes, the Café


PostPosted: Fri Aug 07, 2009 1:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have a similar problem with the Mir 20N so I - or rather my husband - tried the above method, but without success. The lens seems to be too different. Does anybody have any info about the 'insides' of the Mir 20 or about how to fix the much too tight focussingring.
Many thanks in advance.


PostPosted: Fri Aug 07, 2009 2:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Steffie wrote:
I have a similar problem with the Mir 20N so I - or rather my husband - tried the above method, but without success. The lens seems to be too different. Does anybody have any info about the 'insides' of the Mir 20 or about how to fix the much too tight focussingring.
Many thanks in advance.

I don't have a Mir-20 but if it looks similar to the Mir-26, our member Rawhead has a set on Flickr showing the disassembly of that lens : http://www.flickr.com/photos/rawhead/sets/72157612881464671/


PostPosted: Sat Aug 08, 2009 8:40 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thank you. I bookmarked that site because it is a very good step-by-step howto. But unfortunately it did not work out on the mir-20. Of course that could very well be our fault. I am not technical at all, while my husband who has never done this kind of thing before, is afraid he will go too far and will never be able to reassemble the lens again. He read too many horrorstories about that.
So for now we tried a tiny bit of 96% alcohol to solve the old grease. This seem to have helped a bit. And then we will probably try to old lighterfluid trick.


PostPosted: Sat Aug 08, 2009 9:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Steffie wrote:
So for now we tried a tiny bit of 96% alcohol to solve the old grease. This seem to have helped a bit. And then we will probably try to old lighterfluid trick.

That will work for a few days and then the grease will harden again (after the alcohol/zippo fuel has evaporated). Only long lasting solution is disassembly and relube unfortunately.
But your husband is right, I now have a few door-stops thanks to my inability to reassemble after cleaning ...


PostPosted: Sat Aug 08, 2009 5:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well, I will just have to be patient then. By way of experiment my husband dissembled a 'no name' lens with stuck aperture blades this afternoon. It took him hours and hours before he finally had the thing back together again. But a few more of those experiments and maybe he is ready to tackle that mir once more.
Thanks for your input.


PostPosted: Sun Feb 06, 2011 10:39 pm    Post subject: MIR 1 wil not focus ... Reply with quote

hello I have the same or something like that probelm , just received a MIR 1 and focus is not working ( or maybe I undeerstood something wrong ??? ) It is quite hard to move the focus ring ...it moves.... but hardly any difference in what one sees through the lens. The iris ring moves ok. I have a GF1. ANybody with a good tip. Greetings JUlio , my first question ..


PostPosted: Sat Dec 28, 2013 9:43 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hello MIR-1 user,
I experienced exactly the same issue.
I bought a "mint condition" Mir-1 lens on the bay it was apparently cleaned and serviced before sending it to me. I then received it and never used it. It's been a year hold on its box and I now want to give it a try but the focus ring is nearly impossible to turn without using some force...
What is strange is that, if I hold the lens in my hand and turn the focus ring it's smoother than mounted on the camera ???

As one of you recommanded, I tried to hold both ends of the lens and twisted it but the only thing I got is being able to remove the front lens element.

I want to clean the helix and relube it as well, like you all did apparently successfuly.

Do I have to loosen the tiny screw on the focusing ring (less than 1mm screwdriver) or do I have to remove the 4 grub screws of the rear ring so as to open it like on the 1st picture?

If someone can provide me some details about the 1st step of MIR-1 disassembly that would be so nice Wink

You can also PM me in french since I am from Quebec, I'd post my experience with pix on this page once done.

Thanks a lot in advance for your precious help

Damien


PostPosted: Sat Oct 25, 2014 2:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I finally found out how to remove the rear element ring with the 2 screws.
The ring was stuck really hard and could not remove it even with spanners.
I had to take some big pliers with masking tape on it not to scrape the paint.
like this :
and it's now working, I could remove the ring and then clean up the helicoid with acetone and 99% isopropyl alcohol.
I need to put some lubricant on it it's bare metal now but still works smoothly.
What kind of grease do you recommand for this?

thanks


PostPosted: Sat Oct 25, 2014 8:36 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I use general purpose grease, the sort used on car bearings and bicycle cranks. It has more than enough temperature range, and pressure rating. And it doesn't separate like the grey lithium grease can.
There's all kinds of expensive grease out there, some sold as 'special grease for helicoids' which is absolutely fine, but I have done a few lenses with G P Grease without any problems.


PostPosted: Tue Nov 11, 2014 4:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have reloaded the pics for my relubing description here
http://forum.mflenses.com/viewtopic,p,1372102.html#1372102


PostPosted: Sat Nov 15, 2014 5:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Greetings!

Hope no-one minds if I borrow this thread for a question regarding a mir Smile

Got myself one of these mir-1B's and well, at least my item, not quite
there in terms of assembly or tolerances or somethig. The optics are clean to my eye and image
quality is good, no problem in that part. However the mounting end of the thing
wobbles and that is ticking my OCD bad time and annoys the crap out of me.

Here's an in action clip of it, hopefully you can see the problem from it.



Link here if the animated gif doesn't show properly.


btw, the focus ring started to move all the way to infinity mark today just
like that, don't know what happened but there you go..and it wobbles also
in that position now.

Question: In your estimates, is that wobbliness something (hopefully easily) repairable and worth doing?

Thank you for your time. And hi to all! This was my first post here Smile


Last edited by YetAnotherNicholas on Sat Nov 15, 2014 5:39 pm; edited 2 times in total


PostPosted: Sat Nov 15, 2014 5:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote



Hi YetAnotherNicholas, welcome to the forum! Smile

You can't post links or photos in your first message, an anti-spam measure, but you'll be ok from now on.