Re: Stuck retaining ring on a Kodak Stereo

[LDAEnt@xxxxxxx]

You don't say what you have tried so far , so apologies for the obvious
solutions.

1.)  Don't get mad...... are you sure that the filter ring is on the camera?
 The filter rings and the lens outside barrel both are identical on my
camera, making a double knurled ring on each lens when the ring is on.
 Otherwise you would have a single knurled ring. Sorry, I'm not being
insulting. :-)  A lot of Kodaks are missing the rings.
2.)  Use thin rubber pad to wrap around the knurl.. My filters have an
agressive knurl on them, easy to grab.  The rubber pads are sold in a
housewares store to remove stuck jar lids.  They are quite flexible and
sticky.  Another rubber solution is to use a harder rubber pad (shoe sole?)
and press the ring face flat against the rubber and try to turn.
3.)  Maybe corrosion over the years.  Try an ice cube on the face of the ring
(hold camera upside down to keep water from the camera).  This may shrink the
ring enough to loosen it.  The ice cube can safely be put into a ziplock bag
to stop water damage, but it won't transfer the heat as quickly.  Maybe a
piece of thick aluminum plate in the freezer would work too.  The camera
should be as warm as practical to get the largest delta T.  
4.) Last resort (maybe).  I did this once on a Viewmaster camera.  Cut a
screwdriver slot across the ring, deep enough to put a piece of flatstock
metal sideways into it, kind of a extrawide blade screwdriver.  You can hold
the flat metal easily and get some torque on it.   But I hope it doesn't come
to this.  I'm always afraid of the mistake where one damages the
camera....... but we don't make mistakes, do we. ;-)

Naturally the ring is soft aluminum so it deforms easily, making pliers very
tricky to use without damage to the ring. 

Alan Lewis 


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