FED-2 Shutter Repair

FED-2
Shutter Repair

WARNING: You may break or damage your camera if your not careful.
I'm not responsible if you follow the information on this page. Proceed at your own risk or return now.

For more details, see Maizenberg's book: All You Need to Know About Design and Repair of Russian Cameras

For a larger view, click on the pictures.

Tools needed: screw drivers, tweezers, needle nose pliers.

Fed-2 body front
There are three screws to remove across the top. Middle screw is shorter, it covers the horizontal rf infinity adjustment. If you have one, remove the self-timer lever and the spacer underneath. Remove the decorative ring around the rf window. Best tool for this is a flexiclamp wrench available from Micro-Tools. Remove the small lens assembly that is revealed when the decorative ring is removed, it may be hard to remove. Only use the outer two slots, the inner slots are for the vertical adjusting of the rf spot.

Fed 2 body back
To remove the rewind knob, fig 5, pull it up and remove the screw in the collar, remove the knob, collar and the fork. Set the speed knob to 'B' and loosen the two set screws to remove it. Rewind release: loosen the set screw and unscrew it from the shutter release. Advance knob, wind the advance knob to the shutter is ready to fire, loosen the set screw, unscrew the knob, the parts are shown in fig 3. Remove the cold shoe. There is one screw holding the top underneath the advance knob. Remove the viewfinder eye piece. You can now remove the top. Lift up on the right side, the diopter lever is holding the right side on, so slide the top off to the left.

The advance knob
a-Advance Knob b-spring washers c-film counter d-two large thin washers e-spacer f-two small thin washers

Rear view with some of the knobs removed
a-speed selector b-shutter button/rewind release c-film advance d-film rewind

The film rewind knob assembly

a-rf adjusting cover screw b-front of top screws c-top screw under the advance knob
On the right is the cold shoe with it's screws

The top of the Fed 2, rear view

a-diopter adjuster b-speed selector c-pawl d-flash contact assembly e-shutter release/rewind release
f-film advance knob mount g-screws holding shutter crate h-screws holding top shutter shield
Inside the top of the Fed-2, shutter has been fired. If the shutter is working, now would be a good time to work the advance and shutter to see how it all works. Just screw the advance knob back on to be able to do it. Watch what the tangs and the pawl do at the speed selector. The speed selector lever is attached to the first curtain, the tang underneath is the second curtain. The first curtain to be the first one to move when the shutter is fired.

Close ups of the speed selector area, right one is a better view of the flash contacts

Diopter adjuster spring, the hook goes onto the lever, the long end pushes the lens to the back of the camera

The shutter pawl, it holds the second curtain from releasing until the speed lever hits it or the shutter button is released

Shutter speed assembly.
Put a small rod or screwdriver into the hole and unscrew the cap.

Speed lever parts, don't loose that spring!

Exposure disc, it has the notches for the shutter speeds.
Remove the screw, and pull up on the disc. It may be tight

Exposure disc and mounting screw

View with speed lever, pawl and exposure disc removed

Full view of the top

Front without the top, the lens mount does not need to be removed.
Remove the self-timer lever, if you haven't. Remove the four chrome screws in the vulcanite.

Tension adjustments: a-second curtain b-first curtain
Remove the little screws holding the funny nuts. Remove the two screws holding the shutter button spring, slide it over to unhook from the shutter release gear. The funny nuts are best removed after the shutter crate is removed, these are LEFT-hand threads. To remove, use a screwdriver in the slots, rotate the screw counter-clockwise to loosen, and then remove the nuts.

Lower shutter shield position. The small piece with the screws also hold the shutter button spring. Use a small screw driver to help line up the holes.

Bottom of shutter crate
a-restrictive gear cover b-self-timer pin c-shutter release d-pawl
Turn camera right side up and catch the self-timer pin. Remove the cover for the restrictor gear, but don't remove the gear.

The self-timer pin

Shutter release spring and it's screws

Lower shutter shield and it's holder

Self-timer with lever removed

Self-timer lever, screw and spacer-adapter

The camera body with the shutter crate removed
To remove the crate, see fig 8, remove the two screws (g) points to. Position the camera as above, lift the bottom slightly and slide it out of the body. Watch for the gear in fig 28, it may come out with the assembly.

The shutter release and cocking gear. This must move freely and yes that is lint hanging off of it.

Shutter coupling pin, the underside of the speed selector.

Shutter curtains in crate, front view

Shutter curtains in crate, top view

Shutter crate, the gear on the bottom left is the restrictor gear.
The dark assembly on the left is the self-timer gear box. Don't take this apart, it's not at all easy to get back together.

Shutter curtain assembly, the curtains and the tapes are glued on.
a-drum b-first curtain c-second curtain

Shutter curtain assembly showing the rollers for the second curtain

First curtain removed from the tension roller. Just peel it off. Also, mark the starting point of the material on the roller.

Close up of the lath of the first curtain

Opening the lath to remove the curtain. The tabs on each end need to be pried up to be able to spread open the lath

Using a small screwdriver to spread open the lath to remove the curtain. The curtain is glued into the lath.
Be careful not to damage the other curtain or the shutter tapes, or stab yourself with the screwdriver.

Curtain removed from the lath.

The tension roller all nice and clean. I used some carburetor cleaner to remove the old glue and rubber. After it's dry, put some shutter oil on the ends and work it in.
Note: One of the caps on the end is threaded, make sure it tightened down. After I cleaned it, I found it had loosened up.

The old curtain and the new curtain material. Cut the new piece the same size as the old one. The screwdriver is just holding the old one flat

New shutter curtain all cut and trimmed for installation.

Spread open the lath enough so that you can put in the new one, with a screwdriver and clean out the old glue. Be careful, it bends very easily.

All glued up and ready to be reinstalled. Use some glue in the lath, insert the curtain, centered and straight, with no wrinkles. Using pliers, carefully squeeze the lath, locking in the curtain. Wait for the glue to dry. On the roller, cover it with glue and roll the curtain onto it, starting at the marks you made earlier. Make sure the notched end is at the bottom. I used a generic all purpose adhesive for the glue, another glue to use is Pliobond.

Curtain assembly before gluing on the roller

Top of the roller

Bottom of the roller. The notch is to let you adjust the tension, the threads hold the funny nut.

Top of shutter drum
a-notch in first curtain drum b-first curtain drum

The pin in the picture on the right goes into the hole (a) and it shows the hole on the correct side of (b) If you get it wrong, you can't wind both curtains. Don't worry, it'll take a few tries putting in the shutter crate to get everything lined up and timed correctly. Also, you have to line up the restrictor gear to let the shutter to wind and release. This gear has limits the travel of the shutter. If it is off by 180 degrees, the shutter will not wind or release.

The tang at (a) needs to be in this position to allow proper shutter operation. Adjustment of the restrictor gear a tooth at a time will move this into the correct position. Cock the shutter, reach inside, hold both parts of the drum, remove the screw holding the restrictor gear, move it one tooth in the direction needed, and reassemble. If you put in the gear wrong, nothing can move. Wind and fire the shutter to see how it all moves.

a-first curtain tension adjust, b is for the second curtain, c is the restrictor gear cover, d-is the shutter release spring

Self-timer side view

Self-timer rear view. The assembly at the right pushes on a pin, which pushes the shutter release spring and fires the shutter.

Self-timer top.
If your self-timer winds down before firing position, just wind the part the lever mounts on another 180 degrees. Make sure the tabbed washer is in the position shown, to be able to shove that long flat lever over to stop the timer.

A view of the gears, the weighted bar on the right is the part that makes the buzzing noise.
It works similar to a watch mechanism.

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