[disconnekt]

I did my own TLS and while it is not hard, it is likely yours may need a few other tweaks and adjustments. Good luck!

Steve

Yeah the viewfinder is dirty too & needs to be cleaned, plus I dont know when the last time it was CLA'ed (bought it off ebay a few years ago), so I figured I'd just send it to someone who knows what theyre doing to give it a little tlc when I have the money saved up.

[Astro-Baby]

Get the seals from Jon Goodman and you are good to go - the seals on the rear door slot are the toughest with a lot of kits but with Jons self expanding seals they are a breeze. BEWARE of stuff on eBay. When I first got my KX I was out of the photography loop and bought some seals on eBay - the mirror bumper decayed into goop in not much more than 9 months and it could have been a disaster. Jon knows what he is on about and his instructions with his kits are first class.

Its not that hard a job if you have steady hands and patience. You will need some decent tweezers and I use cocktail sticks to scoop out the grunge from the door seal channels. Then when they are clean enough of debris I rolll up a little wedge of kitchen roll dipped in IPA and then run that through using a cocktail stick as a pusher - like a miniature mop. The stick forces the paper into the edges of the channels and gets all the drek out.

Don't go mad with the IPA. - you don't want it dripping into stuff and be careful around the film counter reset tab as stuff can get down the back of it and then gum up the mechanism.

Oh - final tip - I always put a small piece of paper over the shutter curtains - something quite rigid like a bit of stiff paper or card and tape it down with some low tack tape. Its just so no scraps get on the shutter curtains and they are protected from anything untoward happening (careless fingers, cocktail stick slipping etc). The paper doesn't contact the curtains its held on either side on the film transport so the curtains are protected from any mishaps like too much IPA etc

[c.a.m]

@Astro-Baby, that's a nice succinct summary of key points, especially the one on covering and protecting the shutter curtain.

rolll up a little wedge of kitchen roll dipped in IPA and then run that through using a cocktail stick as a pusher

@Aaron28, you might know that 'IPA' is isopropyl alcohol, not beer.

IPA can be found at drugstores. Try to get the 99% variety. If you want, you could pick up a 6-pack of the other IPA next door.


- Craig

[Aaron28]

@Astro-Baby, that's a nice succinct summary of key points, especially the one on covering and protecting the shutter curtain.



@Aaron28, you might know that 'IPA' is isopropyl alcohol, not beer.

IPA can be found at drugstores. Try to get the 99% variety. If you want, you could pick up a 6-pack of the other IPA next door.


- Craig

hahaha!!! still a good tip!

---------- Post added 05-05-19 at 04:48 PM ----------

Oh - final tip - I always put a small piece of paper over the shutter curtains - something quite rigid like a bit of stiff paper or card and tape it down with some low tack tape. Its just so no scraps get on the shutter curtains and they are protected from anything untoward happening (careless fingers, cocktail stick slipping etc). The paper doesn't contact the curtains its held on either side on the film transport so the curtains are protected from any mishaps like too much IPA etc

nice tip thanks!

[Astro-Baby]

Ps the real headache is often the mirror damper....easy on most Nikons, bit trixky on a Minolta SRT, simple on Fujica, Chinon and my Pentax KX and K1000 I Am told the LX is a swine and the OM1 is absolute hell to get the dampers on as there are 4 of them and they are super tiny.

Oh also dont put any IPA anywhere near the focus screen....it will melt the plastic. Even the fumes can be bad news so steer well clear.

I did an inventory of tools and I use three sets of tweezers...straight and bent nose types, some small screwdrivers used VERY carefully, an Exacto knife, low tack tape, cocktail sticks and about 10 yards of paper towel.

Go slow, take your time, dont apply the new strips until you have all the old studf out. Usually I strip the old stuff get it as clean as possible and then leave it alone for an hour or so and then clean again just to be sure.

[mickey]

Useful info in this thread.
Wanting to try this on my ME and ME Super.
What thickness sheets do you recommend for the seals?
Thought about 1.5mm not pre cut.

[Ranchu]

I think that might be a little thin, it's easier to keep the foam strip from twisting when it's equal to or slightly taller than the width of the slot.

[stevebrot]

What thickness sheets do you recommend for the seals?

It depends on which seal is being replaced. The ones for the film door light trap vary by camera model, even within brand. The same is true for the other locations. A typical Jon Goodman kit may include four or more materials, all at different thicknesses.


Steve

[Astro-Baby]

If this is the first time doing seals I would really say get a kit from Jon. Even if its not your first rodeo its still worth getting a kit from Jon. Especially if the camera is a snotty one that has odd shaped seals. Cutting foam is a pain. I only make my own seals when Jon doesnt have a kit. The Chinons are another mare of a job as they have a fairly complex seal on the door itself that has to be made up out of sections of foam. Its not too bad on a camera like that if you have some experience but I would have hated to tackle it as a tyro.

Something else to think about.....the cheap and nasty kit I got off ebay also didnt inlcude some of the small seals on the door corners for my Pentax KX.

I cut up foam when I have to but its never a job I like, especially the long thin strips for the door channels.

I am frankly always amazed to see posts online where people try and do this job on the cheap. I mean why would you object to spending less than it costs to process a film when decent seals can make a camera and bodged ones can break a camera......one blob of decayed gunky seal dragged into the curtains and its going to be expensive to put right. Heck even getting it on a focus screen can spoil your day.

Generally speaking the door channel seals are either 1.5 or 2mm thick foam, the hinge seals are variable. Some have a thickish foam on the body, some have felt, some have foam on the body and felt on the door and some have a foam base with a felt outer covering it varies lots by camera model. Mirror dampers are most often 2mm but the OM1 has very thin L shaped dampers on either side rather than a continuous strip.

The worst job with sticky back seals is the door channels...its a almost always stressful. Jons seals are made of a special foam, you just press it into the channels and it expands to a tight fit, no sticky back needed so if you mess it up you can try again.

The worst door channels I have done are the top channel on my Pentax K cameras, the top cover on the camera tends to overlap the channel slightly and it makes its a tiny bit harder much easier though with Jons seals.