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Man with a BL - Arriflex 16BL complete refurbishing


Luca Bonicalza

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Hi everybody,

 

here is Luca from Milano, Italy. How are you?

I'm a camera technician and I've bought an Arriflex 16BL on Ebay (camera and 1 mag from UK, 2 mag and Angenieux 10x12 with blimp from DE) that I want to completely refurbishing, both lens and camera. The camera was ok, I've tested with a battery and everything was working good, and not too noisy! The lens unfortunately has lots of fungus inside, so I'm gong to completely restore it.

 

post-75836-0-05858000-1548788941_thumb.jpg

 

I'm writing here because maybe (MAYBE..) it could be interesting for someone, or if someone need explications about the camera, or even if someone has tips and suggestion for my work, I'll be pleased!

 

My aim is to make the camera in perfect conditions, both esthetically and working one (it works, but it needs a good cleaning). I would like to add a crystal sync unit, that it will probably will Arduino based - Swiss Made (since I'm Swiss eheh). For the zoom, that has a good mechanic but bad optical part, I'll extract all the lenses, clean them and recompose everything.

 

post-75836-0-02719100-1548789031_thumb.jpg

 

So, first of all I'm un-assambling all the mags, the blimp and the camera in order to divide all the elements: the ones that needs to be re-anodyze will be sent to the lab, and the mags and the camera will be repainted with the original wrinkle effect. The problem is the serigraphies, that seems to be painted OVER the paint. I don't want to loose them, so I'm thinking for a solution but if someone has a suggestion.. please say it! :D

 

 

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Hi Luca,

 

Good luck with your project! It's quite an undertaking to do a full refurbishment of a camera like that, I'll look forward to your documentation.

 

Do you work for a rental house? Do you have tools like flange depth gauges, take-up tension gauges, auto-collimators or lens projectors to help you? These days most places have gone digital and the film-related tooling has been disposed of.

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Hi Dom,

 

Thank you! Yes I work in a rental here so I have all the stuff I need because we still have some motion picture film camera that work sometimes eheh!

Yesterday I had some troubles with pictures, I hope it will be better today!

 

So first of all I've completely unmounted the mags: the mechanical part it is not difficult at all, the worse things are the hinges that are really really tightened, and even with the solvent and heat was difficult to remove the screws.. The most interesting part is that the mechanical support of the film mag is glued to the rest of the mag with rubber, and I had to remove it in order to be able to repaint (and cook the paint) the mag. I don't have pictures of it yet, and I have to finish all the 3 mags because I have to make a "comparator" to place back in the correct position all the parts glued.

 

post-75836-0-37554600-1548882672_thumb.jpg

 

here maybe you can see something

 

post-75836-0-94856100-1548882714_thumb.jpg

 

Then I had to unglue EVERYTHING!

 

So since I was looking for pieces to be re-anodyzed I've started with the blimp and the Angenieux 12 120 type b. First of all it was difficult to understand how the lens was suited in the blimp, so I've started removing all the parts I could easily remove. Then, I sow the shock absorber and believe me, it as been REALLY REALLY har to unscrew them. The aluminium is much soft and they are tightned very well!

 

post-75836-0-78573400-1548883269_thumb.jpg

 

You ABSOLUTELY have not to try to unscrew the screw, because it's unusefull. Just try to unsrew the "bell" with the two holes. Lot of solvent and heat not much useful, here you can find the differences between a harder "bell" (I even broke the tool) and a softer one:

 

post-75836-0-48911000-1548883406_thumb.jpg

 

and then it's easy, you have to unscrew the shock absorber not by the screw but from the two holes (quarter turn and they will gone!) and you can extract the lens. Unmount the Blimp is really easy then:

 

post-75836-0-02824800-1548883498_thumb.jpg

 

(above you can see the shock absorber on the right)

 

post-75836-0-48840200-1548883530_thumb.jpg

 

Just remember where everything goes.

 

The zoom is easy too to be opened in its 3 main pieces: focus, zoom and fixed back with iris. I'm not going to work too much on the zoom yet, I've just opened it to take out all the parts I need to re-anodyze.

 

post-75836-0-48840200-1548883530_thumb.jpg

 

And then is the camera moment! The mechanism is connected to the chassis by 4 shock absorber: two on the bottom and two on the right side of the camera (two screws). To remove the mechanical from the body, you should remove the blimp mount (the lens mount is on the mechanism), then remove the motor cap (screws on the external part) and then remove the motor by 3 screws from the inside part. Be careful to all the cables, then extract it. This is what you will get:

 

 

post-75836-0-49608200-1548884003_thumb.jpg

 

I hope you will forget me for the quite fast description but I haven't take many pictures, but anyway I'm share that if you will need something in particular you will ask for.

Anyway, you will probably find more informations on my instagram stories, the account is "Goodsock Vision" (Goodsock is the English translation of my surname eheh, and it sounds like Hitchcock maybe!)

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi everybody, here I am!

 

Last week I haven't done too much, I've just unmounted the exposimeter, but anyway it is not easy as it should be: remove the interior and exterior screw, then it is glued because of the old rubber :rolleyes: It took me half a day that there were not more screws! ahah, anyway, here you can find a picture of the interior part of the exposimeter.

 

post-75836-0-28772700-1549736544_thumb.jpg

 

It has a condenser burned, but I'm not going to re-install the exposimeter since I have planned to install a video assist /and I've already have a beam splitter!)

 

Then I've worked to find a way to recreate serigraphs, maybe I can arrange something, quite expensive but it will be a really nice work! I've also find a professional painter that would help me repainting the camera, he's doing some tests right now. In the midtime I have to unmount all the parts I have to paint, so I'm dividing the magazines and I'm building a jig to replace back correctly the two peaces glued of the mags! Picture soon when I will finish it! (it is because I need to figure out how to do it :D )

 

post-75836-0-70044600-1549736618_thumb.jpg

 

I'm actually thinking to repaint the main component of the mechanism, that needs too. I mean, it is sure I will repaint it, I'm going to try to give to the painter ALL the pieces so... Has anybody unmounted it yet? I actually don't want to unmount all the mechanism now..

 

Ciao!!

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Luca, good to know about you and your endeavours!

 

Ticines?

 

Hi Simon, thank you!! No my family is from Winterthur, ZH, but it's 4 generations abroad :rolleyes: I've seen that you are a mechanical engineer: maybe you could help me when I'll realize the crystal sync! It would be amazing!! ;)

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi everybody,

 

it is been a long quiet moment due to the painting tests. I'm actually waiting for the stamps I need to replicate the serigraphs, but I'm also waiting for the 89 pieces I sent to re-anodyze! I should receive everything this week, so probably this week end, when I'll have checked the stamps, I'll bring the pieces I need to re-paint to the coach builder, who has done A LOT of work trying to "cook" the paint (because normal coach cookers are not enough!)

Here you can see a test on the front mag element: this is a test on the original paining and other tests, it was not sanded because we are looking for one only "tour" to the sander (because he is not so close from here).

The result is quite grainy, what do you think about it?

 

Here original VS repainted:

 

post-75836-0-55488500-1551213845_thumb.jpeg

 

Here a detail of the wrinkle effect!

 

post-75836-0-72932200-1551214009_thumb.jpg

 

I've also finished the element I need to reglue in the correct position the two pieces of the back part of the film mag. Picture soon!

Bests!

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I think it looks great. The paint job may look a bit different but that may be because you are comparing it to an old paint job and time has changed it, but over all I think you are doing a great job.

 

I've been dreaming about doing the same with other cameras, and I'm going to try, I can do the cleaning, paint, leatherette and other things. I think the technology we have these days can help old cameras in so many ways. Batteries are different, 3D printing, lighter electronics and more affordable, nicer tripods and camera stabilizers that can be used with analog cameras even when they didn't designed them thinking about them, In my case I still need to send it to a technician to get the camera LA'd but I guess I can make the job easier for them and I can spend hours doing stuff they wouldn't do.

Good job Lucas, keep it up. It's exciting seeing what you are doing.

Edited by Ruben Arce
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  • 2 months later...

Hi everybody!
I'm back, I really didn't had the time for anything. In this long period I got reanalyzed all the parts, and I also had all the camera repainted. I'm actually regaling with the rubber the two pats of the mag, using the tool I made before: quite a difficult and loooooong work!

I've assembled the blimp, and repainted the scales! Here you can see two pictures, before and after!

1949934720_Schermata2019-05-22alle19_42_02.thumb.jpg.01bb191daedc94b61f370e8f27fbbcdc.jpg

465689378_Schermata2019-05-22alle19_42_18.thumb.jpg.ff8f432c0eff83307999030bb228c7ab.jpg

 

Originally the blimp was making lot of noise so, since I don't want a noisy blimp, I've tried with some abrasive paste to smooth the interior part and that's work pretty good, but I should do it more! And, of course, I put new grease ? 

Here one picture of the new painting: it is not the original one, but easier to paint and with a really really nice result!

250307352_Schermata2019-05-22alle19_54_44.thumb.jpg.543c009d7bfbdace4f96dfb9f6a02621.jpg

Can you see the difference? 

I don't have more space for pictures, but I hope you enjoy that ones!

 

Bests!! 

Luca

 

 

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  • 10 months later...

Hi guys! How are you? I have not worked on my 16BL for a long time: so many things to do and I also left the company I was working for for a new one, but now, with this coronavirus quarantine, I have a lot of time for my lovely camera!

I have sooo many things to say and pictures to post, so please forgive me if pictures are small but you know, there is a maximum! If you want to have more specific pictures or description, just ask! I'm sure I'll forget to write you now all the things I have to say.

First of all I have worked on the lens blimp, that now is completely painted and rebuilt. You have seen something in my latest post, but here there is a picture of the blimp before and after the work: it looks new (I mean, I hope so, I have never seen it new). Pictures are not fine because of my low quality phone.

p.png?fv_content=true&size_mode=5

and after:p.png?fv_content=true&size_mode=5

 

After that I also have opened the Angenieux 12 120 - recoated the iris (we will see in the time how this coating will survive) and cleaned ALL the elements from the fungus except the fungus that is inside the first doublet that I can not open. Work has been nice, now I have to check if the lens still collimated before insert it into the blimp. 

p.png?size=2048x1536&size_mode=3

p.png?fv_content=true&size_mode=5

p.png?fv_content=true&size_mode=5

p.png?fv_content=true&size_mode=5

p.png?fv_content=true&size_mode=5

p.png?fv_content=true&size_mode=5

p.png?fv_content=true&size_mode=5

p.png?fv_content=true&size_mode=5

And this is the fungus in the douplet:

p.png?fv_content=true&size_mode=5

 

Next I have worked on mags, since I'm waiting a welder in order to re plug the electrical circuit inside the camera blimp.
I had a problem with the mags, because at the beginning I had to unmount the rubber and I couldn't find any kind of rubber that would be fine. Then I have found a synthetic bicomponent rubber, use for model tyres, and seems nice, but sure I'll have to check now much noise will pass thought it. Today I have completed (I just need to plug two more elements) the first mag, and now I have to wait for the sunny days in order to make the runner catalyze. 

p.png?fv_content=true&size_mode=5

p.png?fv_content=true&size_mode=5

p.png?fv_content=true&size_mode=5

What do you think?

Best regards
Luca

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  • 1 month later...
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On 1/29/2019 at 9:12 PM, Luca Bonicalza said:

My aim is to make the camera in perfect conditions, both esthetically and working one (it works, but it needs a good cleaning). I would like to add a crystal sync unit, that it will probably will Arduino based - Swiss Made (since I'm Swiss eheh). For the zoom, that has a good mechanic but bad optical part, I'll extract all the lenses, clean them and recompose everything.

Nice work! Keep us updated about the progress :) 

I have been working on my own Crystal Sync system for a while and managed to get it working pretty well. One of the challenges was that the approach I used necessitated pretty high sampling rate (thus high loop running speed on the program) so it was not possible to add any display functions or other extra without compromising accuracy. I resolved this by using a separate microcontroller for the motor control and all the user interface functions are handled by other microcontroller which is allowed to run at slower loop speed. So with my approach and phase locking algorithms it was not possible to make a well working system with only one microcontroller if a display is necessary.

But I would be very interested seeing your take on the Arduino crystal sync challenge and how you are resolving these issues. Are you planning on adding a display and multiple speeds?

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  • 4 months later...
  • 1 month later...
On 6/9/2020 at 12:19 PM, aapo lettinen said:

Nice work! Keep us updated about the progress :) 

I have been working on my own Crystal Sync system for a while and managed to get it working pretty well. One of the challenges was that the approach I used necessitated pretty high sampling rate (thus high loop running speed on the program) so it was not possible to add any display functions or other extra without compromising accuracy. I resolved this by using a separate microcontroller for the motor control and all the user interface functions are handled by other microcontroller which is allowed to run at slower loop speed. So with my approach and phase locking algorithms it was not possible to make a well working system with only one microcontroller if a display is necessary.

But I would be very interested seeing your take on the Arduino crystal sync challenge and how you are resolving these issues. Are you planning on adding a display and multiple speeds?

Dear Aapo, forgive me for my late reply! Well, I have not started this project yet, until now I have only tested the camera.. Working on is really slow because I work too much inside the company :D :D 
Anyway, I was thinking to add a multi switch, with 10 or 12 position, in order to select only defined speeds.  I don't want to add a display on it, since I really like the analogue look of the camera. The switch (that would look as a cronographer) would be backlighted in RGB, so that you could understand in it's running at the correct speed or if are happens some failures. Sure, one arduino board will not be enough to organize a checking circuit, so I was planning to add one more arduinio nano board for this kind of things.

During the latest time I've studied a lot for the ham radio exam, so I'm learning a lot about electronics: I hope it will be useful for this project. Meanwhile, an 80 years old colleague (he used to operate on movies) gave me two xtal sync unit, a 2C camera and also a beautiful stroboscopic light! So, right now I don't need anymore my xtal sync unit anymore.. :D :D

On 10/16/2020 at 5:43 AM, derrell boson said:

hey having problems with my shutter i believe(ghosting in images) any advice on self repair etc.

Dear Derrell, may you explain a little bit more?

 

Thank you everybody!

 

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  • 4 months later...

Hi Chris,

nice to meet you. I actually sent all the pieces to the car painter and I've worked with him to find a paint that could imitate the original wrinkle effect but that could be cook at 40°C. In fact, you can find wrinkle paints online but they need to be cooked at 120°C!

Bests

Luca

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  • 5 months later...

Hi Luca, loved checking this out! I've got a 16BL with annoying little issues and wondered if you had any ideas? 

The nut that you push and twist to lock the mag in place has fallen off! Me and my dad have been scrambling at ways we could fix it but haven't come up with a solution (we're not good at this stuff). Any helps would be greatly appreciated! 

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