SX-70 Adventures

stevelmx5

stevelmx5

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Steve
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So, about that no more film for a while...I lasted a few weeks and in my defence, it's a refurb project!



I'll get a proper look when I get it next week but I'm hoping to be able to resurrect it otherwise it will be broken down for parts!

Fingers crossed :0)
 
Weak willed......

I knew it wouldn't last, the lure of film is too great. I love the smell of fixer in the morning........:banana:
 
Guilty as charged Andy!

Although, I've been good and stepped away from buying another Kiev88 and a few 35mm cameras so I deserve a round of applause really.

The SX-70 has an issue with the door latch (seems pretty common), ineffective film transport contacts and bent viewfinder surrounds but other than that it looks mint....I like a challenge ;0)
 
They are a design classic, very cool bit of kit. If it wasn't for the cost of film I'd probably have one.
 
Well, I've been in touch with a guy in America via Flickr who can supply both the film door latch and the viewfinder shutters so once I get the camera I'll see if they need replacing or just straightening out.

The lack of motor response is going to either be a simple matter of bending the contact or a dead circuit/motor. Fingers crossed it's the contact!
 
It's arrived and after 20 minutes.....it's alive!!!

View attachment 23728

I was most worried about the apparent electrical problem as the other two issues are mechanical so repairable. Luckily, the small micro switch arm which is tripped by the door when it closes wasn't making contact properly so a small bend back in that brought the camera to life and it's successfully winding the shot counter to ten after the empty cartridge is installed :0)

There are still some dirty contacts around because the response was initially intermittent but some continued opening/closing had cleaned the internal contacts and I'm about to gently clean the battery contacts with an emery board.

I've started to carefully straighten out the viewfinder shutters with needle nosed pliers and micro screwdrivers. It's still not perfect but the finder is at least opening and closing now. I'll just need to touch up the black paint once they're all straightened out.

View attachment 23729

The last job is the film door latch and, as expected, the original cast arm has broken off at some point. However, there looks like enough of the original cast metal to bond a new arm onto so I might be able to repair it without taking the bottom plate off and disassembling the gear linkage. I'm going to make a new steel arm and try attaching it tomorrow. The film door is quite light so shouldn't put a huge strain on a repair. Fingers crossed!

View attachment 23730

My only concern is that I actually quite like the mechanics and handling of the camera so might struggle to put it up for sale once I've repaired it...there's definitely some retro coolness going on!

Cheers
Steve
 
Thanks Steve, me too. I've never really been interested in Polaroids due to the pretty inconsistent results I've seen but having handled one now I can see why they're popular.
 
I've managed to sort out the intermittent shutter button this morning by removing the shutter housing from the camera to access the two rear screws (turns out the newer versions don't have the rear screws which would be easier!). The two contacts behind the shutter button needed to be bent forwards slightly to make better contact so that was easy enough.

The only electrical issue now is that the battery in the empty pack I got with the camera is pretty much flat :0( Don't suppose anyone on here has an empty pack with charge that they'd be happy for me to use if I pay the postage?

Cheers
Steve
 
Ok, so I've sorted out the viewfinder shutters but the door latch was beyond repair unfortunately so I've got another one on its way to me from a guy in America via Flickr. I should be able to remove/refit the original leather skin from the base so will hopefully be able to keep it as original as possible.

However....I seem to have started a bit of a habit and have just bought another SX-70 (double oops!). The skin looks in worse condition so I'll be swapping that but as an alternative to the bling chrome of my Model 1, this is a funky Ivory body!

I'm interested in any suggestions for a new skin colour. My initial thought was black but I'm leaning towards a light brown custom suede instead :0)
 
That is a bit lush.
 
Fantastic. I love it when people have a project.:D

Very much looking forward to seeing the completed job Steve, I may be tempted into getting one myself now.
 
Quick side by side shot of the two SX-70's 'pre-facelift' as i'm still waiting for my veneer to arrive. Looks like it might have disappeared in the post so the seller may need to send out another batch :0(

View attachment 24349

View attachment 24350

View attachment 24351

I've been reading up on the leatherette removal for the Model 2 so am expecting the original covering to flake to pieces when I start peeling it. I'll be heating it with a hairdryer to hopefully get it off in one piece, fingers crossed!

I'm also waiting for the new door latch for the Model 1 to arrive from Chicago. In the meantime, I was talking to a colleague today about 3D printing replacement latches as genuine replacements are getting harder to source. I'll get out the tape measure when the replacement arrives so I can put together a 3D model :0)
 
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Those film door latches are a bugger - I bought an SX70 off eBay and it had the same problem! Sadly I'm not all that mechanically-minded, so ended up selling it on. Hope your veneer arrives soon, looking forward to seeing these beauties all finished!
 
Yes, they're are a weak link of the SX-70 but I guess a 40 year old piece of thin cast metal is always going to be an issue, especially when it's used every time the camera is opened.

I've already stripped the model 1 and removed the damaged latch. I was hoping to bond a new bracket to it but it's just too thin to make a solid join unfortunately. I'm now stuck watching the tracking detail of my replacement latch that's been sitting in a Chicago distribution centre since the 30th apparently :0(
 
I had a couple of nice copies that had the same latch problem, one I sent back to the ever reliable Rocky the other one got sold on as a SorR
 
It definitely seems to be the cause of most SX-70 failures, as well as motors failing and general electrical contact gremlins. My friend has backed the ibox nano on kickstarter that is basically a mini 3d printer that's powered by a raspberry pi;

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/826799607/ibox-nano-worlds-smallest-least-expensive-3d-print

They're not planning to ship them until next April but I reckon it should have enough depth to print a replacement door latch. I've got between now and April to get the 3d design in place :0)
 
stevelmx5 said:
I spoke too soon, came home from work to find the new latch through my letterbox.
Click to expand...

I'm sure that's a euphemism for something but I can't for the life of me remember what!
 
Thanks for that. I can see a couple of hubs on the Wirral near to me as well as liverpool so I might get in touch with them once I take some measurements of the latch.

Cheers
Steve
 
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