Balda Baldalux

[matty]

As my car had died last week (starter motor had gone) I missed the Tuesday morning carboot at Valley but my mate went and found a Balda Baldalux in pretty good condition with a Schneider Kreuznach lens and Prontor SVS shutter, unfortunately missing the mask for the smaller negative sizes. The only problems are a bit of fungus on the rear of the front element and the shutter sometimes sticks across all the speeds. Does anyone have any tips on how to take the lens and shutter assembly apart for cleaning.
Thanks
Matty

[Stephen]

The Balda should be pretty standard, the front element removes by unscrewing after the grub screw/screws etc are removed, this accesses the front of the shutter, which will have a top plate retained by a ring, castellated or pin wrench edged, which may have a retaining grub screw in the rim, this is removed and the face plate should lift off.

The exposes the gears and governors of the shutter, which can be carefully "blown out" for dust or sand etc, and then washed in lighter fluid,(petrol), applied with a small artists brush, and mopped with a tissue pad. Be careful not to flood the lot, it needs all glass elements of the lens removed to allow such cleaning. Do not oil unless very lightly on pivots etc. Use watchmakers oil or Nano oil, (on the net) in light grade. The Nano oil is the best, it is a new type, but seems well proven. Never oil the blades or irises or pivots for them, they run dry. transport gears and pivots must be oiled of course.

The SVS leaf shutter is prone to sticky operation,(usually from lack of use), it may prove easier to "work" the shutter for a while, and see if use clears it up first.

When the front element is unscrewed for the service, it should be possible to clean off the fungus, but do not be surprised if marks are left, they can eat into the glass, etching it. Wash with clean water, with hydrogen peroxide added (available at most chemists), and a few drops of detergent. Rinse off in distilled water, wipe waters spots of with clean microporous cloth, or optical tissues, and air dry.

Stephen.

[Stephen]

Try :- www.daniel.mitchell.name/cameras/index.php?page=prontor&WEBMGR=af603a515741cb623fa06016bbc25b0d

This is a strip of a very similar SVS shutter to the Balda one.

Stephen.

[matty]

Thanks Stephen, I've passed the information on and it is much appreciated.
Matty