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Fucked up PL allen screws

P

Paolo Tinari

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I was swapping today from PL to Nikon mount. I do it often according to the production. I already swapped them 4 or 5 times no problem.
After three weeks of constant use of PL lenses something tightened and i wasnt able to unscrew the allen screws of the mount and i ended damaging 7 screws out of 8....
Do i have to drill the screws? Any other solutions?
Thanks,
Paolo "very sad" Tinari
 
This is a good example of why the P+S Technik IMS is such a compelling solution for those who will be swapping mounts often.

Paolo, I think Akube had similar issues. You ought to get in touch with him.

Good luck!
 
Do you mean you have damaged the allen holes on the top of the bolts? If so check your tool, is the end worn? pay more for allen wrenches than the cheap ones that come with the RED. If the metal of the wrench is too soft then you will damage the bolt head allen holes! get a good machinist dont try to drill them out yourself if you have not done it before!
 
Yes, allen holes damaged but I used a Usag vanadium tool.
No pics, sorry, the cam is not with me right now.

Thanks all for your inputs and dont care about the copy, its the night before production starts, this problem popped out wild. Not the right mood here.
Thank Akube, i really appreciate your help. Did you drill thou?
 
Helpful reply

Helpful reply

NoahK said:
Classy thread title...
Click to expand...
I just love these.....
Paolo,
I think at this point take the camera to a camera shop, have the entire adjust mechanism removed (with the PL mount attached). Take the removed front to a machine shop.
Have them set it up on a mill.
They should know what to do next: Use screw extractor or left handed drill if necessary.
The points are:
1 Separate the part- you need to have repaired from the camera so you won't cause damage to the electronics or sensor.
2. mount the part to be repaired rigidly(hence my suggestion for the milling machine) and control precisely the location for drilling.
Now I don't know how that would affect the warranty since you are removing the front. There have been precedences... Better call RED and ask...

BTW if you live near Modena take it to the Ferrari, Maserati or Lamborghini factory since they all are there. They have much experience in this kind of work....:sarcasm:

Jacek
 
If you´re talking about the 8 Screws you see when you remove the cap from the PL mount on my camera they´re not allen screws they are TORX screws, they look quite similar until you look close.Torx look more star shaped than a hexagonal shape. There are extra TORX Screwdrivers available, try that before going to a workshop.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torx
 
You can pull the adjuster apart without removing the 8 screws.

You can pull the adjuster apart without removing the 8 screws.

PLEASE CHECK WITH RED BEFORE YOU DO THIS.

if your screws are frozen, you can pull the adjuster apart without removing the 8 screws. If you totally loosen the lock screws on the side you can remove the front of the adjuster with the PL or Nikon mount on it - which means you can take the part with the frozen screws away from the camera - i.e. to a workbench and maybe a vise, so you don't risk damaging the camera itself by dropping shavings in there or worse having a tool slip and do major damage.
 
I sent mine back to RED to have the allen screw removed that I burred. I'm not brave enough to drill one out myself. The new Torx screws seem far easier to remove, try a tiny bit of anti-locking penetrating oil if they are overly stiff.

I wouldn't take the whole adjustable mount off like OtpiTek recommends, that would void your warranty instantly.
 
manuelwenger said:
If you´re talking about the 8 Screws you see when you remove the cap from the PL mount on my camera they´re not allen screws they are TORX screws, they look quite similar until you look close.Torx look more star shaped than a hexagonal shape. There are extra TORX Screwdrivers available, try that before going to a workshop.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torx
Click to expand...

Some of the bodies have hex and some have allen. Don't remember which ones are which. That's a question for Doug Underdahl.

Good luck drilling those things out! I'd be scared shitless, too.
 
The best is to ask RED to ship rush the new mount but just with outside part of adjuster and with PL ring attached. So not complete PL mount assembly but these two parts.
So this way you will take the old one out and you can place the new one in.
Than send the old one for repair, this way you will have two just in case.

Nothing is better then backup……….
…don’t tell this to your girlfriend….
 
Ed Watkins said:
I sent mine back to RED to have the allen screw removed that I burred. I'm not brave enough to drill one out myself. The new Torx screws seem far easier to remove, try a tiny bit of anti-locking penetrating oil if they are overly stiff.

I wouldn't take the whole adjustable mount off like OtpiTek recommends, that would void your warranty instantly.
Click to expand...

Do you think so? and driling on the camera is better?

Look where he is located, no overnight FeDex there:-)
 
Lens mount fun

Lens mount fun

First off,

The curse word is a non issue. In a case like this f*cked is the exact right word.

Second, in the lens mounts some cameras have screws with torx heads but some are allens. At some point RED switched from allens to torx. So if he says he has allens then it is probably the case.

Third, yes get the mount off the camera. As you do this work there will be sharp spiny things and metal shavings. All of which are mortal enemies of the sensor block.

I had this happen on no less than three cameras at the same time. I used a 5/64" drill bit to dig down into the screws and then a EX-1 Reverse spiral screw extractor.

But I will say
Proceed at your own risk!!!! You slip and drill into your pl mount and you are buying a new pl mount. If you are not brave, or tend to have shaky hands.... send it in or get a replacement front ring for the mount.
My experience was:
Take it slow, use your head and break three drill bits in the process. You will end up with a table that looks like this:
 
I'll just add to the above post, a drill press, even an $80 one from home depot, will make this much easier than trying to use a hand drill.

Nick
 
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