ME Super Help. Back stuck.

**montman** · 02-24-2013, 09:26 AM

I can't pop the back open on my ME Super. It had been working fine so I don't know what the deal is. Any ideas on alternative ways to opening the back. I do have a roll in it that is only partially rewound. So I probably will have to do it in a change bag.

manacho2005 · 02-24-2013, 09:55 AM

Curious as to why you want to open it half way through a roll of film?

**montman** · 02-24-2013, 09:58 AM

Originally posted by manacho2005

Curious as to why you want to open it half way through a roll of film?

Shot the whole roll but it seized up while halfway through winding it back.

**mattt** · 02-24-2013, 10:05 AM

What I have experienced is the white rods on the take up spool bends the very end of the film into a hook shape which catches on the pressure plate of the door. You might be suffering similar maybe... I'm now in the habit of counting my rewind cranks to make sure I've wound the roll in.

**montman** · 02-24-2013, 10:16 AM

Originally posted by mattt

What I have experienced is the white rods on the take up spool bends the very end of the film into a hook shape which catches on the pressure plate of the door. You might be suffering similar maybe... I'm now in the habit of counting my rewind cranks to make sure I've wound the roll in.

Interesting, How did you get the back open. When I pull up on the rewind reel it does not pop open.

Vendee · 02-24-2013, 10:19 AM

Originally posted by mattt

What I have experienced is the white rods on the take up spool bends the very end of the film into a hook shape which catches on the pressure plate of the door. You might be suffering similar maybe... I'm now in the habit of counting my rewind cranks to make sure I've wound the roll in.

That's a good point....I've had that happen to me before. Montman, the rewind problem and the door problem could be related. If the film leader has caught on the pressure plate like Matt has suggested, the tension might be stopping the rewind spool from moving fully. Try winding the rewind lever the wrong way a little to release the tension and attempt to open the door again. Do it in the changing bag as a precaution.

wombat2go · 02-24-2013, 10:22 AM

I have a roll of Fuji 800 in the camera now and it was unusually tight winding on the first 12 shots now it has freed up.
I hope we are not getting canister quality issues.
Montman, Is it jammed because you can't pull the rewind crank up, or are you able to pull the crank up into the spring loaded door opening position?

**montman** · 02-24-2013, 10:25 AM

Originally posted by wombat2go

I have a roll of Fuji 800 in the camera now and it was unusually tight winding on the first 12 shots now it has freed up.
I hope we are not getting canister quality issues.
Montman, Is it jammed because you can't pull the rewind crank up, or are you able to pull the crank up into the spring loaded door opening position?

I can't even pull it up. I took the lens off, put it in bulb mode to take a look inside. All I see is the pressure plate so it looks like the film was rolled up all the way. I just can't get the door open.

manacho2005 · 02-24-2013, 10:27 AM

You may have possibly popped the rewind button out while rewinding...

**montman** · 02-24-2013, 10:29 AM

Originally posted by manacho2005

You may have possibly popped the rewind button out while rewinding...

I pushed it back in and tried it, then it came, out, I pushed it back in again. Now it seems stuck in.

wombat2go · 02-24-2013, 10:33 AM - **1 Like**

It might be that the dog clutch on the shaft is jammed in the top of the canister.
The teeth on the canister might have bent tangentially and are now grabbing the clutch and preventing it being pulled out

manacho2005 · 02-24-2013, 10:37 AM

hmmmm, the advanced lever isn't half cocked is it?
If it is advance it all the way and push the rewind button again....rinse and repeat until you can freely rewind the film fully.
Had a burr on a Kodak canister that put an awkward angle that led to tension needing the above steps.

**montman** · 02-24-2013, 10:48 AM

Originally posted by manacho2005

hmmmm, the advanced lever isn't half cocked is it?
If it is advance it all the way and push the rewind button again....rinse and repeat until you can freely rewind the film fully.
Had a burr on a Kodak canister that put an awkward angle that led to tension needing the above steps.

I took a flat head and just added a tad of pressure to the back and it popped open. Now the canister is stuck, because I can't lift up the release.

manacho2005 · 02-24-2013, 10:50 AM

Push the release down flush and spin counter-clockwise and then pull up

**montman** · 02-24-2013, 11:09 AM

Thanks for the help manacho! But... Nothing was working, I broke a screw trying to take a plate off, and then... I got a little forceful and killed it

Sad day.... Good news is it looks like I was able to save my wifes roll from her trip.

02-24-2013, 09:26 AM	#1
montman Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Kansas City Photos: Gallery Posts: 576	ME Super Help. Back stuck. I can't pop the back open on my ME Super. It had been working fine so I don't know what the deal is. Any ideas on alternative ways to opening the back. I do have a roll in it that is only partially rewound. So I probably will have to do it in a change bag.

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02-24-2013, 09:55 AM	#2
manacho2005 Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Red Oak, TX Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 462	Curious as to why you want to open it half way through a roll of film?

02-24-2013, 09:58 AM	#3
montman Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Kansas City Photos: Gallery Posts: 576 Original Poster	Originally posted by manacho2005 Curious as to why you want to open it half way through a roll of film? Shot the whole roll but it seized up while halfway through winding it back.

02-24-2013, 10:05 AM	#4
mattt Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Niagara Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,907	What I have experienced is the white rods on the take up spool bends the very end of the film into a hook shape which catches on the pressure plate of the door. You might be suffering similar maybe... I'm now in the habit of counting my rewind cranks to make sure I've wound the roll in.

02-24-2013, 10:16 AM	#5
montman Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Kansas City Photos: Gallery Posts: 576 Original Poster	Originally posted by mattt What I have experienced is the white rods on the take up spool bends the very end of the film into a hook shape which catches on the pressure plate of the door. You might be suffering similar maybe... I'm now in the habit of counting my rewind cranks to make sure I've wound the roll in. Interesting, How did you get the back open. When I pull up on the rewind reel it does not pop open.

02-24-2013, 10:19 AM	#6
Vendee Pentaxian Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Norfolk, UK Posts: 1,134	Originally posted by mattt What I have experienced is the white rods on the take up spool bends the very end of the film into a hook shape which catches on the pressure plate of the door. You might be suffering similar maybe... I'm now in the habit of counting my rewind cranks to make sure I've wound the roll in. That's a good point....I've had that happen to me before. Montman, the rewind problem and the door problem could be related. If the film leader has caught on the pressure plate like Matt has suggested, the tension might be stopping the rewind spool from moving fully. Try winding the rewind lever the wrong way a little to release the tension and attempt to open the door again. Do it in the changing bag as a precaution.

02-24-2013, 10:22 AM	#7
wombat2go Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Michigan Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,207	I have a roll of Fuji 800 in the camera now and it was unusually tight winding on the first 12 shots now it has freed up. I hope we are not getting canister quality issues. Montman, Is it jammed because you can't pull the rewind crank up, or are you able to pull the crank up into the spring loaded door opening position?

02-24-2013, 10:25 AM	#8
montman Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Kansas City Photos: Gallery Posts: 576 Original Poster	Originally posted by wombat2go I have a roll of Fuji 800 in the camera now and it was unusually tight winding on the first 12 shots now it has freed up. I hope we are not getting canister quality issues. Montman, Is it jammed because you can't pull the rewind crank up, or are you able to pull the crank up into the spring loaded door opening position? I can't even pull it up. I took the lens off, put it in bulb mode to take a look inside. All I see is the pressure plate so it looks like the film was rolled up all the way. I just can't get the door open.

02-24-2013, 10:27 AM	#9
manacho2005 Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Red Oak, TX Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 462	You may have possibly popped the rewind button out while rewinding...

02-24-2013, 10:29 AM	#10
montman Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Kansas City Photos: Gallery Posts: 576 Original Poster	Originally posted by manacho2005 You may have possibly popped the rewind button out while rewinding... I pushed it back in and tried it, then it came, out, I pushed it back in again. Now it seems stuck in.

02-24-2013, 10:33 AM - 1 Like	#11
wombat2go Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Michigan Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,207	It might be that the dog clutch on the shaft is jammed in the top of the canister. The teeth on the canister might have bent tangentially and are now grabbing the clutch and preventing it being pulled out

02-24-2013, 10:37 AM	#12
manacho2005 Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Red Oak, TX Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 462	hmmmm, the advanced lever isn't half cocked is it? If it is advance it all the way and push the rewind button again....rinse and repeat until you can freely rewind the film fully. Had a burr on a Kodak canister that put an awkward angle that led to tension needing the above steps.

02-24-2013, 10:48 AM	#13
montman Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Kansas City Photos: Gallery Posts: 576 Original Poster	Originally posted by manacho2005 hmmmm, the advanced lever isn't half cocked is it? If it is advance it all the way and push the rewind button again....rinse and repeat until you can freely rewind the film fully. Had a burr on a Kodak canister that put an awkward angle that led to tension needing the above steps. I took a flat head and just added a tad of pressure to the back and it popped open. Now the canister is stuck, because I can't lift up the release.

02-24-2013, 10:50 AM	#14
manacho2005 Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Red Oak, TX Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 462	Push the release down flush and spin counter-clockwise and then pull up

02-24-2013, 11:09 AM	#15
montman Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Kansas City Photos: Gallery Posts: 576 Original Poster	Thanks for the help manacho! But... Nothing was working, I broke a screw trying to take a plate off, and then... I got a little forceful and killed it Sad day.... Good news is it looks like I was able to save my wifes roll from her trip.