Bolex P1

Post by **Gobo** » Fri Dec 20, 2002 10:04 pm

Hi Guys and Gals,

I have just aquired a Bolex P1 and believe that it may need a service and some cleaning work. The spring tension seems to be erratic after fully winding. It will run at a high speed to start with for a few seconds before dropping off to a not so steady 18 fps before slowly running to a halt after 30 seconds or so.

Is there anyone I can trust to do this, without being forced to part with $200! (over double the value of the camera) or am I better off attempting the process myself, safe in the knowledge that if I screw up , it's my own fault, what with no warranty and all and just be happy with the fact that the camera is now only good for animation?

regards

Gobo

Post by **Gobo** » Fri Dec 20, 2002 10:05 pm

Sorry, i didn't mean to post this twice!

Gobo

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Dec 20, 2002 11:56 pm

Not an answer to your question I'm afraid, but I'm just curious...

"are you happy now? Is your British ass happy now?"

What's that all about?

Post by **Gobo** » Mon Dec 23, 2002 12:08 am

Quoted from the movie "GO" by Doug Liman

Post by **studiocarter** » Mon Dec 23, 2002 5:54 pm

Someone mentioned that a shot of WD-40 in the motor case quiets a noisy motor.
The problem you described happens to the Bolex B8 cameras most often. The price I got from camera technitions was $90 (an hour) to fix it.
One guy said his method was to drill a tiny hole in the spring case, squirt into it lighter fluid (wow, carefull) and drain it and let dry. Some disassembly is required but not of the spring itself.
I hope you are able to get it running correctly as they are great cameras, I have one. Does your light meter work? No one who sells on e-bay ever says if the meter works, usually they don't. Mine works with a coil of wire to full up the space and a air zink battery replacement.

Michael

Post by **Split8mm** » Mon Dec 23, 2002 6:21 pm

Gobo wrote:It will run at a high speed to start with for a few seconds before dropping off to a not so steady 18 fps before slowly running to a halt after 30 seconds or so.

It's possible that it's not the spring motor at all. It could just be gunk built up in and around the mechanical governor. These old Bolex spring wind cameras use a "fly-ball governor" to regulate speed. I've had some Bolex cameras with the same symptons you describe, and a good cleaning of the governor mechanics was all that was needed. I own and shoot with a P1 though I haven't taken it apart. But I have taken apart most of the other spring wind early 8mm Bolex cameras and they are all very similar inside. Good luck!!!

Post by **Gobo** » Mon Dec 23, 2002 10:24 pm

regular8mm wrote:I hope you are able to get it running correctly as they are great cameras, I have one. Does your light meter work? No one who sells on e-bay ever says if the meter works, usually they don't. Mine works with a coil of wire to full up the space and a air zink battery replacement.

Michael

At the moment, I have not tried to get the light meter working as I do not have a replacement battery for it. What can I do for a replacement? A coil of wire and an air zinc battery? Which model?

I am hoping that a very close member of my family (read WIFE!) has bought me a watch repair kit for xmas, in which I can then get busy dismantling the camera to take a look inside the spring housing.

So WD40 works huh? Just the remenants, not the whole squirt? I don't want to screw anything up if I can repair this. I love the look and feel of the P1 and can't wait to see if I can get it back on it's feet.

What other methods can I use for cleaning? A cotton bud/Cue tip? Anything else?

Thanks guys. You are all so helpful!

Gobo

Post by **Split8mm** » Tue Dec 24, 2002 6:10 pm

Gobo wrote:[What other methods can I use for cleaning? A cotton bud/Cue tip? Anything else?Gobo

Gobo,
I don't know if I'd go inside the spring motor with this technique, but here is another cleaning idea. An old camera repair guy told me about this and I've tried it. Seems to work pretty well. Using a nasal aspirator (baby snot sucker), squirt rubber cement thinner into the camera and let it drain out. It washes away the gunk and evaporates quickly. Then use lubricant of your choice. Make sure you do this in a well ventilated place! Your mileage may vary.

Post by **Gobo** » Tue Dec 24, 2002 9:10 pm

Split8mm wrote:
Gobo wrote:[What other methods can I use for cleaning? A cotton bud/Cue tip? Anything else?Gobo
a nasal aspirator (baby snot sucker),

Damn, if only I'd known before the xmas wish list went out!

LOL

Thanks Split8mm! So you have had success using this method? Is there any advice you would suggest regarding getting into the mechanism before I attept it? Any known parts that need 'EXTRA' care, or anything I should be made aware of before opening the casing and it all flying out over the wooden floor?

Thanks again

Gobo

Post by **Split8mm** » Tue Dec 24, 2002 9:56 pm

Gobo wrote: So you have had success using this method? Is there any advice you would suggest regarding getting into the mechanism before I attept it? Any known parts that need 'EXTRA' care, or anything I should be made aware of before opening the casing and it all flying out over the wooden floor?

Again, I've never actually opened up the spring motor. But I never had to in order to get the camera running smoothly. The first few Bolex's I opened, I took care to take close up digital photos as I was taking it apart. And each part I took off, I put into a partitioned box and labeled it. As I never opened the sring motor, I never had anything come flying out at me!

The "fly-ball governor" that is used to regulate speed is what usually needs cleaning (same type of speed governor used on old tractors, steam motors, and elevators). It a device that has two opposing weights. When the camera runs, these weights spin and are forced outward. This motion raises a small plate that will eventually hit an adjustable stop. This stop position is adjusted by the speed dial on the side of the camera. The point at which the plate hits the stop determines the speed at which the camera will run.

When this whole mechanism gets really gunked up, the camera runs erratically and slowly. You could maybe buy a Bolex B8 or C8 for real cheap on eBay and take it apart as practice. For someone with moderate mechanical ability, it is a simple chore.

Again, I've never actually opened up my P1, but all the other Bolex spring wind R8 cameras I've opened up had a similar internal mechanism.

Good luck and have fun!!!

And remember, you can never have too many baby snot suckers around!
:lol:

Post by **studiocarter** » Wed Dec 25, 2002 5:28 pm

Steve tried, and failed, to put it back together, and he fixes 35mm cameras. I bought it from him and had to sell it as a basket case. Carefull.

Post by **Gobo** » Thu Dec 26, 2002 3:06 am

Thanks guys,

No watch repair kit for xmas, so it's down to Walmart/Home Depot for a look at a small screwdriver set...........

I'll let you know the results!

Cheers

Gobo

Post by **studiocarter** » Fri Dec 27, 2002 4:34 am

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... tegory=628

Post by **Gobo** » Fri Dec 27, 2002 5:04 pm

Great!

Thanks Reg8!

I am now armed with a can of WD40 and a precision screwdriver set!

Here goes..........

Gobo

Post by **studiocarter** » Fri Dec 27, 2002 5:57 pm

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... egory=4691

You can get a factory repair manual from this guy/gal. If you can fix these things you will have a small business.

Filmshooting

Bolex P1

Bolex P1

stickey motor

Re: Bolex P1

Re: stickey motor

Re: stickey motor

Re: stickey motor

Re: stickey motor

take apart notf

battery,or Radio Shack

Manual