Chinon SLR strap lug swap?

**pres589** · 03-20-2020, 11:16 AM

I just received a Chinon CE-4 from an online auction sale. For the most part it is in good condition but there are a couple of issues. One is that one of the strap lugs is pretty badly worn from the inside. One looks perfect and there's a split bushing inside that I assume is made of quite hard steel. The other is missing its bushing and that one is quite worn. Here they are side by side;

It looks like the top deck is slotted so that it comes of and the lugs are still attached to the camera. What happens after that, are they bolted down from the top, or can they be unscrewed without removing the top deck? I've been warned that trying to remove the top deck is a good way to screw one of these cameras up. The other option is to try and press out one of those bushings from a broken CE-5 that I have. The lug bushings on that camera look perfect and that camera is never coming back into use so it wouldn't be a huge loss but if I can avoid that kind of thing I would. My thought there is press one out with my vice and something to act as a drift kind of like changing out the caps on a u-joint. I would dope up the hole on the worn lug on the CE-4 with something like JB Weld, press in the "new" bushing, and then clean it up after giving it 24 hours to cure.

Anyone been here and dealt with this kind of thing before? Either way the replacement strap will have circular attachment rings and not the triangular type which might help reduce wear to a slight degree.

**stevebrot** · 03-20-2020, 12:12 PM

Originally posted by pres589

Anyone been here and dealt with this kind of thing before? Either way the replacement strap will have circular attachment rings and not the triangular type which might help reduce wear to a slight degree.

Much depends on how the lugs are anchored. Some are on a threaded stud and on others the stud is pressed or cemented into the chassis casting. Several years ago, I sheared off the strap lugs of a Singlex TLS in a skiing mishap (yes, the rest of the camera survived with no additional damage...tough camera). The local camera repair was able to drill out the stud and epoxy in a replacement.

Steve

**pres589** · 03-20-2020, 12:31 PM

I guess I could see how are it is to get to the lugs in their entirety on the CE-5 and figure out from there if there are options that make more or less sense to try. I guess that would also be a way to find out how hard it is to take the top deck off and not end up with a bigger mess. I would also love to magically swap focusing screens between that camera and this one as this one has a lot of specs of something on the screen while that one is much better.

Yes, the Singlex TLS is a brick of a camera, I think the only delicate part on the camera is the lens that is currently attached.

**murrelet** · 03-20-2020, 01:05 PM

Originally posted by pres589

I just received a Chinon CE-4 from an online auction sale.

I think I sold you that CE-4. From Portland, OR? Glad it's getting a new life.

**pres589** · 03-20-2020, 01:18 PM

Ha, yes, that's me. Felt like I stole it but it could use some love. I've already got some marine-grade leatherette and contact cement coming. Three batteries and cleaning the corrosion off of the battery cap and it fires right up. Meter seems good based on comparisons with my K-5 II. It and that Sears 50 are the anchor of what I'm considering a low cost / high value film kit project I've wanted to do for a while, and now I have more than enough time to kill...

**murrelet** · 03-20-2020, 05:27 PM

Originally posted by pres589

Ha, yes, that's me. Felt like I stole it but it could use some love. I've already got some marine-grade leatherette and contact cement coming. Three batteries and cleaning the corrosion off of the battery cap and it fires right up. Meter seems good based on comparisons with my K-5 II. It and that Sears 50 are the anchor of what I'm considering a low cost / high value film kit project I've wanted to do for a while, and now I have more than enough time to kill...

No worries. I've had my share of steals and it was going to sit in a junk pile for a long time otherwise.

pid · 03-21-2020, 07:17 AM - **1 Like**

Vintage Chinon CM-4 Original Strap Eyelets | eBay
try this ;-)

**pres589** · 03-21-2020, 07:31 AM

Originally posted by pid

Vintage Chinon CM-4 Original Strap Eyelets | eBay
try this ;-)

That tells me they slide into a receiver below the top deck, a screw is used to secure them, and then the deck slides on over and is screwed down. Which means the deck has to come off to replace one whole. It's good information.

I think later today I'll be pulling the top off of my CE-5 to find out how much of a challenge that is. I'll pull one of the lugs and either see about pulling the bushing out to insert in the bad one on my CE-4 or pull the top off of the CE-4 if it isn't too difficult on the CE-5. I already ordered JB Weld if pulling the deck off of these cameras is indeed as much of as hassle as I'm lead to believe. The epoxy will be used to keep the "new" bushing tight and fixed in the worn lug on the CE-4. I would rather replace the lug entirely but it might not be the smart path.

Thanks for the good find.

Astro-Baby · 03-23-2020, 12:17 AM

I have never found a guide for the Chinons but the biggest headache I can see is getting the shutter speed dial away. They are normally glued on amd you have to get tyat off to access the screw holding the dial in place.

Lord knows what the process is a and whether there are any horrors like the Canon AE1 pulley system. For sure make sure shutter and film soeed are set to a known value before starting.

**pres589** · 03-23-2020, 03:30 AM

I think I'm going to press a replacement bushing into the existing damaged lug and not pull the top deck. I'll document this to show how I pull that off. I'd like to know how to pull the focusing screen, if possible; ever tried that?

Astro-Baby · 03-24-2020, 12:34 AM

Nope, never tried, my bet looking at my CM3 and CE5 is that you would need to get the top off and remove the prism. On the CM3 you could do this probably but on the CE5 my bet would be the peism is covered with a flex circuit board like most other electronic SLRs and it would be very hard work.

The CM3 has the shutter speed dial top glued down, its a very thin printed foil and trying to remove it would be tough without causing any damage, probably near impossible. You could maybe slowly try and soak it off with repeated IPA wipe downs. I did try that ages ago and made no progress with it at all. Whatever is holding it down is very solid glue.

On the upside neither of my Chinons have much grot on the focus screens.

I have the same grief with an AE1, theres a dead bug right in the centre of the screen and a tear down of that to get atthe focus screen is way beyond me.

03-20-2020, 11:16 AM	#1
pres589 Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Baltimore, MD Photos: Albums Posts: 2,848	Chinon SLR strap lug swap? I just received a Chinon CE-4 from an online auction sale. For the most part it is in good condition but there are a couple of issues. One is that one of the strap lugs is pretty badly worn from the inside. One looks perfect and there's a split bushing inside that I assume is made of quite hard steel. The other is missing its bushing and that one is quite worn. Here they are side by side; It looks like the top deck is slotted so that it comes of and the lugs are still attached to the camera. What happens after that, are they bolted down from the top, or can they be unscrewed without removing the top deck? I've been warned that trying to remove the top deck is a good way to screw one of these cameras up. The other option is to try and press out one of those bushings from a broken CE-5 that I have. The lug bushings on that camera look perfect and that camera is never coming back into use so it wouldn't be a huge loss but if I can avoid that kind of thing I would. My thought there is press one out with my vice and something to act as a drift kind of like changing out the caps on a u-joint. I would dope up the hole on the worn lug on the CE-4 with something like JB Weld, press in the "new" bushing, and then clean it up after giving it 24 hours to cure. Anyone been here and dealt with this kind of thing before? Either way the replacement strap will have circular attachment rings and not the triangular type which might help reduce wear to a slight degree.

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03-20-2020, 12:12 PM	#2
stevebrot Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Vancouver (USA) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 35,588	Originally posted by pres589 Anyone been here and dealt with this kind of thing before? Either way the replacement strap will have circular attachment rings and not the triangular type which might help reduce wear to a slight degree. Much depends on how the lugs are anchored. Some are on a threaded stud and on others the stud is pressed or cemented into the chassis casting. Several years ago, I sheared off the strap lugs of a Singlex TLS in a skiing mishap (yes, the rest of the camera survived with no additional damage...tough camera). The local camera repair was able to drill out the stud and epoxy in a replacement. Steve

03-20-2020, 12:31 PM	#3
pres589 Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Baltimore, MD Photos: Albums Posts: 2,848 Original Poster	I guess I could see how are it is to get to the lugs in their entirety on the CE-5 and figure out from there if there are options that make more or less sense to try. I guess that would also be a way to find out how hard it is to take the top deck off and not end up with a bigger mess. I would also love to magically swap focusing screens between that camera and this one as this one has a lot of specs of something on the screen while that one is much better. Yes, the Singlex TLS is a brick of a camera, I think the only delicate part on the camera is the lens that is currently attached.

03-20-2020, 01:05 PM	#4
murrelet Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Portland, OR, USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 434	Originally posted by pres589 I just received a Chinon CE-4 from an online auction sale. I think I sold you that CE-4. From Portland, OR? Glad it's getting a new life.

03-20-2020, 01:18 PM	#5
pres589 Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Baltimore, MD Photos: Albums Posts: 2,848 Original Poster	Ha, yes, that's me. Felt like I stole it but it could use some love. I've already got some marine-grade leatherette and contact cement coming. Three batteries and cleaning the corrosion off of the battery cap and it fires right up. Meter seems good based on comparisons with my K-5 II. It and that Sears 50 are the anchor of what I'm considering a low cost / high value film kit project I've wanted to do for a while, and now I have more than enough time to kill...

03-20-2020, 05:27 PM	#6
murrelet Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Portland, OR, USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 434	Originally posted by pres589 Ha, yes, that's me. Felt like I stole it but it could use some love. I've already got some marine-grade leatherette and contact cement coming. Three batteries and cleaning the corrosion off of the battery cap and it fires right up. Meter seems good based on comparisons with my K-5 II. It and that Sears 50 are the anchor of what I'm considering a low cost / high value film kit project I've wanted to do for a while, and now I have more than enough time to kill... No worries. I've had my share of steals and it was going to sit in a junk pile for a long time otherwise.

03-21-2020, 07:17 AM - 1 Like	#7
pid Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2010 Photos: Gallery Posts: 386	Vintage Chinon CM-4 Original Strap Eyelets \| eBay try this ;-)

03-21-2020, 07:31 AM	#8
pres589 Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Baltimore, MD Photos: Albums Posts: 2,848 Original Poster	Originally posted by pid Vintage Chinon CM-4 Original Strap Eyelets \| eBay try this ;-) That tells me they slide into a receiver below the top deck, a screw is used to secure them, and then the deck slides on over and is screwed down. Which means the deck has to come off to replace one whole. It's good information. I think later today I'll be pulling the top off of my CE-5 to find out how much of a challenge that is. I'll pull one of the lugs and either see about pulling the bushing out to insert in the bad one on my CE-4 or pull the top off of the CE-4 if it isn't too difficult on the CE-5. I already ordered JB Weld if pulling the deck off of these cameras is indeed as much of as hassle as I'm lead to believe. The epoxy will be used to keep the "new" bushing tight and fixed in the worn lug on the CE-4. I would rather replace the lug entirely but it might not be the smart path. Thanks for the good find.

03-23-2020, 12:17 AM	#9
Astro-Baby Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2018 Location: Reigate, Surrey Posts: 343	I have never found a guide for the Chinons but the biggest headache I can see is getting the shutter speed dial away. They are normally glued on amd you have to get tyat off to access the screw holding the dial in place. Lord knows what the process is a and whether there are any horrors like the Canon AE1 pulley system. For sure make sure shutter and film soeed are set to a known value before starting.

03-23-2020, 03:30 AM	#10
pres589 Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Baltimore, MD Photos: Albums Posts: 2,848 Original Poster	I think I'm going to press a replacement bushing into the existing damaged lug and not pull the top deck. I'll document this to show how I pull that off. I'd like to know how to pull the focusing screen, if possible; ever tried that?

03-24-2020, 12:34 AM	#11
Astro-Baby Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2018 Location: Reigate, Surrey Posts: 343	Nope, never tried, my bet looking at my CM3 and CE5 is that you would need to get the top off and remove the prism. On the CM3 you could do this probably but on the CE5 my bet would be the peism is covered with a flex circuit board like most other electronic SLRs and it would be very hard work. The CM3 has the shutter speed dial top glued down, its a very thin printed foil and trying to remove it would be tough without causing any damage, probably near impossible. You could maybe slowly try and soak it off with repeated IPA wipe downs. I did try that ages ago and made no progress with it at all. Whatever is holding it down is very solid glue. On the upside neither of my Chinons have much grot on the focus screens. I have the same grief with an AE1, theres a dead bug right in the centre of the screen and a tear down of that to get atthe focus screen is way beyond me.

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