Zinc pest

I have heard of this before but I have never seen what damage it can do. Here you can the it on a rangefinder of a Leningrad. The camera does not work, so I opened it. To get to the shutter you have to remove the rangefinder. It comes in parts off and cracks in my hands :-(

http://ritzelkiste.de/ussrphoto/zp01.jpg

http://ritzelkiste.de/ussrphoto/zp02.jpg

Ulrich

http://fotos.cconin.de

Quite impressive ! Maybe Cyanoacrylate glue in between cracks will help ?

Jed, I don't think that this will help. The entire structure of the Zinc is broken if there is Zinc pest in it. It is the result of bad or with dirt contaminated alloying and is not stoppable.

Ulrich

http://fotos.cconin.de

I think too.
I had an early Foca, a French camera made in zamac (zinc, aluminium, manganese and copper). Many parts of this camera were gradually desintegrated into a white powder. Heart breaking.

Jacques.

Ulrich, I've never heard of this before, can you expand on what causes this exactly?

Thanks,
Vlad

see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zinc_pest if needed, you can switch over to french and german from the article directly.

Thank you! Learned something new today!

Cheers,
Vlad

If you have this, nothing can be done because it is inside the metal itself. Even some Leica models can have it so it is not a F.S.U. camera problem only.

Robert
"De enige beperking in je fotografie ben je zelf"
http://gallery.fotohuisrovo.nl/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/fotohuisrovo/

<b>Ok with a enormous patience we can restore this Leningrad Rangefinder.
Your cradle is still in good condition I picked some worse than this.
I did this kind of restoration in some cameras
First we can restore all structure by emerging the whole metal unit and metal parts in a solution of Carbon tetracloride and Methyl Cyanocrilate glue.- suficient to obtain a complete penetrating fluid
This penetrates the Zamak mass and stops oxidation carefully reglues all parts in order to recompose the structure
the important point is recompose the bottom plane scratching in a sand paper over a plane glass further remount glass parts again.

I am just preparing a complete explanation of the Leningrad rangefinder working which is essential for the recalibration and correct working. As soon it will be ready I will post it.

Regards
LP
</b>

Jed came near the solution!
LP

Ulrich Hello!
No need to reinvent the wheel!
About this rangefinder is better to forget all!
Write me an email. I'll give you another normal rangefinder camera Leningrad.

Levonsa, thanks, but there is no need that you send me a rangefinder. I had two broken Leningrads and made one working of them :-)

Ulrich

http://fotos.cconin.de