The first step in the revival of the Yashica is to remove the stuck self timer. Finding little to no information on removing the self timer, I endeavored to just rip it the hell out. I will outline my means of tearing down the lens in detail for you all.
First step is to remove the pesky identifying ring around the lens. I found that not spanner, screw driver nor knife would fit into those slots that look like they're designed for removing the ring. I found a neat method on Yashica Guy's website, but I didn't have the means to create this home made tool. I gave up on keeping the ring clean and simply forced a screw driver into one slot and forced it to turn, after about a half turn, it came out simply by turning it with my fingers. I did mar the ring a bit, though.
First step is to remove the pesky identifying ring around the lens. I found that not spanner, screw driver nor knife would fit into those slots that look like they're designed for removing the ring. I found a neat method on Yashica Guy's website, but I didn't have the means to create this home made tool. I gave up on keeping the ring clean and simply forced a screw driver into one slot and forced it to turn, after about a half turn, it came out simply by turning it with my fingers. I did mar the ring a bit, though.
Ready to fall out
The next step is to remove the adjustment ring, where you change the camera from A, B and Flash Sync and adjust the aperture. Last night I made the mistake of taking this section apart. I lost two screws in the process... eek! After that mistake, I made sure to play it safe and do the repair in a well lit space without any keyboards to eat the screws. I also used a magnet to hold the screws in place, a very smart move. Before you can remove this part, you have to remove the front lens element, which came out easily with a spanner. One 1/8 of a turn loosened it up enough to remove by hand.
That's the front element, easy to get out.
After removing the front lens element, there are 6 screws visible. Don't touch them! They are deceptive and want you to unscrew them. It doesn't look like it, but there's a nut around the opening leading to the shutter leaves. Use your fingers or a spanner to get this nut started and just use your fingers to work it off. It's small and hard to lift, this is where a small set of precision pliers will work.
once it's completely unscrewed, it doesn't sit high enough for your hands to remove
After this, you just lift the entire front of the lens gently. Make sure not to lift to hard, far or fast as there are ancient wires attached to it. You don't want to splay, fray or short these cables; a rewire of this camera would be hell.
The self timer is spotted in the upper section of this picture, the shutter mechanism (I think) in the lower.
I hadn't found any reliable guides to removing the self timer, just a guide to unlocking it if it were stuck. This did not work for me. The shutter still didn't open and my first attempt didn't work. I kept at it and decided "let's just rip that sucker out. If I ruin the camera, I can probably e-bay it for parts" and took to the jewelers tools to remove the self timer. It took, maybe, 2 minutes to remove. After that, I found that the shutter at least "shuddered" when I released it, but still didn't open. This was one step closer to working.
So empty, now. Let me know if I missed something.
I know that these old shutters sometimes gum up and get stuck, so I used another trick I had found through perilous online searching: naphta and a tooth pick. I would lightly soak the tip of a toothpick in naphta (zippo fluid) and work the fluid around the blades of the shutter. After a couple of passes, they seemed loosened a little, but still not firing. There was one more thing I wanted to try tonight. The baseplate. I had read that if the return rod of the shutter button was incorrectly spaced, it wouldn't allow the camera to fire, so I popped off the baseplate and found everything in well order.
Well, that's fine.
So, I have a Yashica with the timer removed a cleaned up shutter and a properly calibrated baseplate. I didn't find any debris in the baseplate, being evidence of a worn out pad (the dreaded Pad Of Death). I can't help but think that the camera is suffering from a POD. That may well be my next endeavor.
I also found that the camera did not power up with the use of a 123a (3v) battery and a CR1 3N battery in the compartments. I'm hoping it's a simple battery short or corroded spring and nothing more nefarious in the electrical system. But, I am a little closer to having my first rangefinder.
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