Tried the ultrasonic cleaner on a stuck shutter, turns out it was the wrong move

Got a beat up Canon A-1 in from a client last Tuesday in Portland. Shutter was sticking at slow speeds, so I figured I'd run the whole body through my ultrasonic tank like some guys do. Big mistake. The solution got into the meter cell and now the light meter reads like a broken clock. I spent 4 hours carefully cleaning out every nook with isopropyl and a soft brush, and it's still wonky. Meanwhile, I remember an old timer told me to just exercise the shutter mechanism with a blower and some lighter fluid on the escapement, takes 20 minutes. Did that on a second identical body and it worked perfect. So yeah, ultrasonic is great for lenses, but for shutter assemblies, keep it dry and mechanical. Anyone else blow up a meter doing the tank method or am I the only one who learned that the hard way?

2 comments

2 Comments

sandra_anderson211d ago

Just added "meter autopsy" to my weekend plans, thanks for the heads up.

jadew6311d ago

gonna disagree here, dismantling a meter feels like opening a can of worms for zero payoff. those things are sealed tight for a reason, and you'll likely end up with a pile of parts you cant put back together. save the weekend for something that wont end in frustration and a call to the utility company.