Can This Damage Be Repaired?

[seadrive]

Hi boys and girls,

As you can see in the thumbnails below, someone apparently "fixed" this poor 2-D by soldering the metal parts on the right side of the camera bed. The result is that, while you can focus the camera using the right-side focussing gear, you can't fold the camera into itself. In the first photo, that's as far back as you can rack the front standard.

So basically, I have a field camera that acts like a monorail camera <sigh>.

Anyone have an opinion on whether or not these metal parts could be replaced, without my having to track down and buy another 2-D?

TIA!

Steve

[John Koehrer]

Steve
Can you tell why the plates were installed?
At worst, if you remove them and they're needed you could modify the installation. Possibly drill & tap for small screws & grind the backs flush for clearance.
I'd probably use a torch or soldering gun to remove that solder since it's lead & you don't want to be breathing lead dust.

[Photo Engineer]

There is a solder wick material that can be used to remove solder. It is a copper mesh sold at radio shack among others, and is used simply by holding down on the solder with a soldering iron. The solder wicks into the mesh and vanishes like magic.

I've used it to 'clean' parts, but I have never had to clean up that much.

Good luck

PE

[Tom Hoskinson]

Good advice, P.E.

What a botched job - that's a "ton" of solder!

Before wicking off the solder, I'd be inclined to remove the plates from the camera so as to avoid thermal damage to the wood.

In the worst case, new plates could be fabricated. You might check with Robert Ritter.

[Photo Engineer]

Good advice, P.E.

What a botched job - that's a "ton" of solder!

Before wicking off the solder, I'd be inclined to remove the plates from the camera so as to avoid thermal damage to the wood.

In the worst case, new plates could be fabricated. You might check with Robert Ritter.

Thanks Tom.

I thought about the damage to the wood and figured that it would already be done by the original 'installation' so removal wouldn't do much more damage. But then, who knows. Good point that you bring it up.

PE

[jimgalli]

Mercy, the ubiquitous 2D. Some had a very long and difficult life. I'd remove the offending parts, heat the solder with a torch, blow most of it away with compressed air, and get down to the original break. Then have someone who knows what they're doing braze (sic?) the brass pieces back together correctly so they can be ground down to pretty much original config. Sure be nice to find a parts camera. I looked at one on Ebay just now but didn't really see the parts you need for this in the photo. Easy to sink too much $$ into a piece that doesn't have the return possibilities.

[seadrive]

Thanks to everyone for your advice.

John, it's difficult to tell for sure what the original damage was, with all that solder covering everything.

As Jim says, any money thrown at fixing the problem would probably be better spent on a camera that's in better shape to begin with.

[Dave Parker]

Actually the only way to tell if it is going to be a worthwhile fix, is to first get the solder off of there to see what the damage is, fixing the 2D is not a difficult thing, but you are going to have to find someone to braze the metal, as looking at what they did to fix it, I can only imagine they stressed and then broke the metal, as it is a functioning camera, I would not be so quick to say you need another one, I have had to fix a couple of brackets over the years, and really it is not that big of a deal, but your first step is going to be getting the "Fix" off to see what is underneath it. Actually I might even have a couple of these pieces around here...

Dave

[papagene]

Contact Richard Ritter at www.lg4mat.net

gene

[Aggie]

stupid question here, What does the other side's pieces look like? If you have that, I can easily make a piece just like it for you. Jusat akes a bit of brass, which I have a lot of sitting around, and some files. I can work harden it for you as well. It doesn't look to be anything that hard to fabricate. I've made gears before that had to have exact tooth placements.