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Bolex H16 Reflex Winding Issue


Guest Kostadin Kolev

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Guest Kostadin Kolev

I have a Bolex H16 Reflex. It is in perfect condition. However, I cannot get it to work. The main issue currently is that when I try to wind the lever, i can only sort of push it down with a lot of resistance. Then I cant move it at all. Something seems to be stuck. 
 

Any advice would be appreciated! 

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I have just had a RX-2 here that came with a damaged spring washer next to the sun wheel and damaged first and second gears. Obviously the washer which has a too wide opening got jammed between the main spring core and the sun wheel or the holding plate. The owner must have continued to wind the spring with brute force until the washer came free again. I have published something about this. https://www.filmvorfuehrer.de/topic/32163-drama-in-der-kamera-im-gegensatz-zu-sonst/

Major job with complete disassembly and replacement of the washer by a fitting one. These exist. Paillard’s fault

Edited by Simon Wyss
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2 hours ago, Kostadin Kolev said:

I have a Bolex H16 Reflex. It is in perfect condition. However, I cannot get it to work. The main issue currently is that when I try to wind the lever, i can only sort of push it down with a lot of resistance. Then I cant move it at all. Something seems to be stuck. 
 

Any advice would be appreciated! 

First thing to check is if the MOT/0 lever next to the winder is in the MOT position. It needs to be for the motor to be engaged and the winder to work.

If the lever is set to MOT, then it’s possible the spring is wound all the way up but the mechanism is jammed. So try this - turn that lever to the 0 position to disengage the motor. Lock the run release all the way to the left (M position). Then use a rewind lever to manually turn the mechanism over, clockwise forward or anti-clockwise reverse. If you can’t turn it over, something is jamming the mechanism. Sometimes you can apply more force than the spring can to free up a small jam and the camera might run again, but if it really won’t move the camera needs to be disassembled to see what is jamming it. If it frees up but has a consistent tight spot I would recommend getting it checked by a technician.

If you don’t have a rewind lever, you might need to fashion something - hacksaw a slot in the end of a small hollow tube, or just use a pair of fine nosed pliers or circlip pliers.

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