Repair blog

dxqcanada · Dec 21, 2013

Ok, so I decided to "blog".
I think Invisible influenced me in doing it ... or that it was something that I was planning to do for a while.

This Old Camera

Not much on there now (since I just created the damn thing yesterday) ... but I intend to put up stuff there.

I thought I should pass on info to others, maybe ... or maybe I am just blogging my ego ?
Who knows.

robbins.photo · Dec 21, 2013

dxqcanada said:
Ok, so I decided to "blog".

Don't do it.. it's a trap

I think Invisible influenced me in doing it ... or that it was something that I was planning to do for a while.

Ok hoping "Invisible" is another poster here because if not I can tell you from experience you almost never want to do whatever it is the voices in your head are telling you to do - it rarely if every turns out well. lol

This Old Camera

Not much on there now (since I just created the damn thing yesterday) ... but I intend to put up stuff there.

I thought I should pass on info to others, maybe ... or maybe I am just blogging my ego ?
Who knows.

Just teasing of course.. a repair blog I think would be a marvelous idea. Add a section on maybe simple repairs and maintenance on Modern DSLR's as well and I think it would go over pretty big.

dxqcanada · Dec 21, 2013

Hmm, DSLR's ... too much electronics. I really only have experience with the mechanical stuff.
From my experience with mostly electronic cameras is if it doesn't work then pay lots to someone who can fix it or buy a new one.
The old stuff is easier to restore/fix ... gears, springs, levers, etc.

Invisible is a TPF member, though I have not seen any activity from him in a while.

robbins.photo · Dec 21, 2013

dxqcanada said:
Hmm, DSLR's ... too much electronics. I really only have experience with the mechanical stuff.
From my experience with mostly electronic cameras is if it doesn't work then pay lots to someone who can fix it or buy a new one.
The old stuff is easier to restore/fix ... gears, springs, levers, etc.

Invisible is a TPF member, though I have not seen any activity from him in a while.

Lol.. well I wouldn't suggest a blog section about fixing DSLR's, but maybe some basic stuff and routine maintenance would be a good section. Still, the blogging thing? Oh ya, it's a trap.. lol

limr · Dec 21, 2013

Well, I for one think a repair blog is definitely going to come in handy!

dxqcanada · Dec 22, 2013

Thanks ... though there are a number of "repair" blogs on the web already ... not sure how/what to put up there yet.

limr · Dec 22, 2013

dxqcanada said:
Thanks ... though there are a number of "repair" blogs on the web already ... not sure how/what to put up there yet.

I suppose that would depend on who you're aiming for. The way I figure, there's a two main possible audiences:

--people who already do repairs and might need help with a specific camera/part
--people who haven't repaired anything yet but would like to try it (I put myself in this category!)

Who is targeted by the other repair blogs? Whom do you want to target?

Regardless, I'd say probably be a bit more detailed than you think you need to be and include pictures of the trickier parts of a repair.

I like the organization you have so far, and it looks good. Maybe you could have an Intro to Repair, or categories for "Beginner" and "Intermediate"... Ooh, or maybe a way for people to ask for a specific repair - kind of like a call-in radio show. Just a couple of ideas

At any rate, as I said before, I include myself in the group of people who hasn't attempted repair by herself yet, but I think I can do it. I'm just afraid to start. Whenever I try to learn something new, I read extensively for a few weeks and then finally try it myself. I don't know any other repair blogs so I'm starting by following yours

dxqcanada · Dec 22, 2013

Hmm, thanks for the feedback Leonore.
I will skip the discussions, as I don't tend to be that social, nor do I have enough camera equipment to do that ... which is why Rick's CD is awesome as there is a lot of equipment that he has notes on.

I will create a post about intro to repairing/restoration ... most of the stuff that I have are really about what I did on a specific camera/lens.

vintagesnaps · Dec 22, 2013

I like it, you write well enough for it to flow well reading it. You took the bolts off your grandma's toilet?! this should be interesting.

I was thinking along those lines, maybe write about what you've worked on. Don't they always say to write what you know?

I have a set of camera repair books by Tomosy which seem to be out of print, Book 1 has general repair info. for mechanical cameras and then specifics on various cameras; Book 2 gets into other specific camera models. Good set of books but I don't know of any more current that are similar but certainly there are people out there who collect and use older cameras that might be interested in doing their own repair - that's what seems to not be around locally, camera shops that do their own repair. I've only done a bit of tinkering myself.

dxqcanada · Dec 22, 2013

Hmm, I really should organize my mind before I add new posts to the blog. I got caught up in dropping some content in there to start it.

Yeah, they found out about the missing bolts after my Grandfather tried to use it

... I think he didn't get to far before he figured it out.

I have already created Docs on some of the jobs I have done. I just have to figure out how to convert them to be blog friendly ... and also put down in writing the stuff in my head.

I've got the the first book also. I am not crazy on the way he writes, but the book is helpful.
Rick Oleson has been my biggest helper along my path of repairing and also from the Restoration thread in this forum (thanks Dimitri).

Camera repair is becoming a lost art ... something like a friend of mine that does clock repair, he is finding the knowledgeable repair people are not being replaced ... their skill/knowledge not being passed on.

mmaria · Dec 25, 2013

Ok, just came to say that I really like your blog theme.

dxqcanada · Dec 25, 2013

Thanks.

I am slowly working in it ... should get the rest of the Minolta done by next year.
Any suggestions to improve the blog ?

Looks like I will need to get some more camera's to rip apart to add content, I will have to sell off some stuff to get new stuff.
Good thing I like having GAS.

minicoop1985 · Dec 25, 2013

I just found this thread. I'm trying to figure out how to subscribe to your blog. First thing I saw was that Minolta Autocord's finder/mirror is just about identical to a Rolleiflex Automat. I mean just about identical. Same four screws, same placement, same mirror shape, VERY similar mirror housing... I have a feeling there's a reason for that. :lol:

dxqcanada · Dec 25, 2013

Hmm, I am not sure how to subscribe to a blog. I think Leonore did it, you could ask her.

Yeah, I think the Yashica TLR's that I had before also had the exact same setup with the hood ... four screws and just pull off. I have not had the chance to own a Rolleiflex.
There is not much magic happening in there, so I would think that all TLR's utilize the same design.