What's New at 120studio.com

2018 July 14

Weekend

Film Camera Repair

A reader asks what to do if the Yashica A will not focus. The focus knob spins freely but does not move the focus mechanism.

One likely scenario here is that it simply worked its way loose. The nut can be re-tightened, but you will probably have to re-calibrate the focus so that the infinity mark lines up with actual infinity focus. This requires ground glass and some patience, similar to what you'd have to do to refocus a Trip 35 or any other non-SLR camera.

I don't have the camera in front of me, but I believe the focus knob also has an assembly where the knob engages with some grooves in a ring. If these are damaged or missing, this could also cause the focus knob to rotate without actually focusing the camera.

DEALS: USA Bench Vises

Just noticed by chance that the Yost 104.5 and the Yost 105 are on sale on Amazon, right this moment. These are the real deal, top-grade machinist vises without a swivel base.

No idea how long these sales will last; normally these are rather expensive items, but right now the savings are significant. I've seen Amazon sales where the price went up within minutes after I noticed the sale. I saw the Yost 105 price climb back up a little bit, literally two minutes after I noticed the sale, but it's still a deal at the moment I write this.

You have to go for such deals when they appear; could be months (or never) until they go on sale again.

See my review of the great Yost 104, but don't wait too long; the deals on the 104.5 and 105 could end within minutes or hours.

2018 July 10

Tuesday

You've Gotta Be Kidding, Part 110 (Backyard Machine Shop Series)

So let me get this straight. The gear puller was all set to work properly, but the Woodruff key had somehow cold-welded itself in the pulley keyway.

Who would ever have thought you'd have to cut a notch out of that washer, just in case the Woodruff key moved as if it were fused to the pulley?

But of course it would.

So, the pulley couldn't move upward with each turn of the wrench, because of that washer. Thus, you can see that some of the kinetic energy went into making that nice square indentation in the edge of the washer. (That's from quarter-inch key stock.)

Wrench became difficult to turn, and suddenly the gear puller busted a chunk out of the cast iron pulley.

Ironic, since I had used a gear puller to avoid being a "hammer and chisel mechanic" this time.

New Article: Brazing High-Speed Pulleys: Can You? Should You? Fun and safety tips.

2018 July 4

Independence Day

Wednesday Evening

Fireworks

Kodak Elite Chrome 100 (35mm)

See How To Photograph Fireworks with Film

Here's hoping you had (or are having) a great 4th of July celebration. There are festivities going on in many towns and cities this weekend, I'm sure, which is all the better because I've heard the heat wave is supposed to break for a little while. When you're outside in the shade for twenty minutes, and you're almost as drenched as if you'd stood in the pouring rain, you know it's humid.

This might have been a good "weather photography" day, although I didn't get any film pictures of it. When it's this humid, thunder clouds billow up quickly and the next thing you know, the trees are swaying and there's a downpour. But the good part is that it cools the air down a bit.

2018 June 28

Thursday (yup it's not Monday)

Food

A reader liked the article on roasting chickens in a Granite Ware pan; they asked about marinating the chicken prior to cooking it. Actually, I've never bothered to use any marinade at all for this. When cooked properly, the dish will create its own flavor profile that stands alone quite well (in my opinion). However there's no reason why you couldn't apply your favorite marinade to it, either before or during the cooking (with a turkey baster).

Metal & Shop

Lately I've been getting back into metalworking and shop projects of various types. There is a massive pile of articles and photos related to this topic; some are just quick compilations of "shop tips", while others are detailed, photo-heavy, how-to articles.

More to follow, when I can get some more pics posted. The photo above is from a custom bracket project. One recurring theme is that our mass-production world has sort of atrophied our sense for how much work it actually takes to make something. A basic metal bracket-- when you don't have automated factories and assembly lines and economies of scale-- can be a bit of an involved project. It can make a person appreciate these things more. I never thought or cared much for something so basic as a metal bracket... until actually making one.

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