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Elmarit-M 135/2.8 Balsam Repair


alifie

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Fancied a bit of a challenge and bought an Elmarit 135 with balsam seperation, here is my attempt to fix it!

 

Pictures...

1. The offending rainbow stuck inside my lens.

2. Remove the hood and reatining ring by pushing on some double sided tape and unscrewing.

3. It's off!

4. Make special spanner and remove retaining ring.

5. Took a while to shake it out, but there you have the first element removed.

6. Make another special spanner on the other end of the first (label and put in tollbox!). Remove the ring and after even more shaking the offending pair of elements drop out.

7. Close up of the rainbow.

 

Now it is in the oven at 150C to see if either a) the seperation re-glues itself or B) it comes apart so I can re-glue.

 

Seond part to come soon...

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What effect does the separation have on the photographs taken? Is it obviously visible?

 

I spoke to Malcolm Taylor a while ago about having such a lens repaired and he seemed rather negative about it being possible. Good luck to your efforts of course , I hope it works out.

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Steve,

I think the optical effect will be mostly an increase in flare not much more. Malcom may be thinking it's not economical, my time is free (to me).

 

It's been at 150C for an hour, no real change, trying 200C now, watch this space...

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Brave man, I've always steered clear of lenses. As with anything else, if you have the tools to do the job, in this case to remove the rings, it will be easier.

 

It would be interesting to see a side view of the lens elements. I assume prising them apart is a last resort. Do they still use Canada Balsam to glue elements together, I would have throught there are other choices now but have no idea.

 

BTW, when the glass forms a puddle at the bottom of your oven, you know you've overdone it on the temperature.... LOL.

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I assume prising them apart is a last resort.

 

No no no, that way leads to disaster

 

These must be glued together with UV cure epoxy, no real solvent for that but it does swell a bit, maybe that will do it.

 

The 200C didn't do much, seperated them a bit more but no falling apart. Now in solvent to soak for as long as it takes.

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Guest wls.shanghai

Clever man - respect - wish you luck :)

 

OT

 

some people take a Diamond , let`s say 5 carat but lousy quality like PI

 

after heat-radioactive treatment and other tricks - the Diamond is TOP ;)

 

wls

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Hi,

I have had success with separating U/V curing adhesives by soaking in domestic bleach. It normally takes up to a week. I must say that this has been with only small assemblies but I see no reason why it would not work in your case. It really depends when the lens was manufactured, balsam was used until the late 1960's. Acetone is probably the best for balsam.

 

Cheers,

 

normclarke.

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I had a look at the progress this morning...

 

Oh well! The swelling of the glue must have been too much for the poor old lens.

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Now having a spare M rear cap I have made a telescope eyepiece so I can use my lenses as telescopes. It has an erecting prism in it so the image is the right way up. About 8x on a 90mm lens.

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