Bolex P1 start button to motor linkage

Ant Hughes · September 12, 2015

Hi, I'm new here, I just bought a Bolex P1 and have an issue that the motor will not run. I assume it is wound as it won't turn clockwise.

I disassembled the body and put a small drop of oil on the main gears. No joy. Then I noticed the start button seemed very loose when pressed, taking the lens assembly off found the exposure mirror had fallen off and jammed the mechanism, horrah! that must be it I thought.... but still no joy.

The one thing that is driving me mad is that I can't see any lever or slider activating in the gearing compartment when I push the start button.

Can anyone help by explaining how the action of pressing start is translated into releasing the spring motor?

Many thanks, Ant.

Peter Labermeier · October 13, 2015

Can you post a picture of the internal mechanism?

Edited October 13, 2015 by Peter Labermeier

Dom Jaeger · October 14, 2015

Under the front plate is a thin layer of mechanisms including the run/single frame/lock mechanism, which holds or releases a stop located on the shutter axle. The gate/pull down assembly needs to be removed to access it under a thin cover plate.

I wrote a disassembly guide for the Bolex D8L which has the same basic mechanism as the P series cameras, and contains photos of the area you're interested in:

http://cinetinker.blogspot.de/2013/01/servicing-bolex-d8l.html?showComment=1438311633962

Ant Hughes · October 21, 2015

Thank Dom that's great, I'll do another strip down on the weekend and see if I can fix the issue.

Peter, I'll take some pictures and put them up here once I am into the cover plate whether I fix or not.

Thanks for your attention both, do either of you know the symptoms of a dead motor? Would it keep going around or just be stiff at the end of the travel?

Dom Jaeger · October 21, 2015

If the motor spring is broken it usually just keeps winding without winding up. If something is jammed, like a broken gear tooth on the motor, or if it's wound all the way up, it won't wind at all. If the spring is wound all the way up but the release is jammed, when you remove the front the spring will unwind with great speed. Watch out for that..