Arca Swiss B1 Repair Help..

[Steve Weldon]

Hello -  I have a couple B1's that get very stiff, one so stiff it feels locked.  But if you take either and wap the bottom of the base plate with a 1 pound nylon mallet the head totally drops a fraction and it totally free.. until you tighten it up with the friction knob.. it tightens, but doesn't untighten all the way.  One is worse than the other.

What I'm looking for is pictures, diagrams, instructions, anything that would a help me disassemble them and fix whatever is going on with them. 

I've read you can undo the three base screws which reveals three more screws, and then there's a allen under the friction knob plate..  a youtube on how to do this sure would be nice, but I'll take any bits and pieces I can get.

I know I can send them off for repairs but I'm not interested in spending much money to fix these.. if I can fix and keep using them, then great.   If not they'll be replaced.

Thank you                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

[melchiorpavone]

Hello -  I have a couple B1's that get very stiff, one so stiff it feels locked.  But if you take either and wap the bottom of the base plate with a 1 pound nylon mallet the head totally drops a fraction and it totally free.. until you tighten it up with the friction knob.. it tightens, but doesn't untighten all the way.  One is worse than the other.

What I'm looking for is pictures, diagrams, instructions, anything that would a help me disassemble them and fix whatever is going on with them. 

I've read you can undo the three base screws which reveals three more screws, and then there's a allen under the friction knob plate..  a youtube on how to do this sure would be nice, but I'll take any bits and pieces I can get.

I know I can send them off for repairs but I'm not interested in spending much money to fix these.. if I can fix and keep using them, then great.   If not they'll be replaced.

Thank you                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

I would contact the manufacturer.

[Alan Smallbone]

I had one I bought off ebay and it was really stiff, I tried to take it apart and failed, so I sent it in for repair and it was fixed under a recall warranty for free. Their service is excellent. Sorry could not be more help.

Alan

[Herbc]

Send it to Bob Watkins at the Arca repair facility- they are first class.

[Sheldon N]

Some helpful info...

http://www.earthboundlight.com/phototips/arca-swiss-lockup-fix.html

http://www.tripodhead.com/faqs-ballhead-arca-swiss.cfm

and some excellent info from Bob Watkins of Precision Camera works...

http://www.precisioncameraworks.com/Pages/monoball_core.html

[Steve Weldon]

Thank you everyone.   And Sheldon, thanks for the links.

I understand the natural inclination for most people is to send it off for repair.. but the natural inclination.. and my default inclination.. is to fix it myself.  I was hoping someone had a description of disassembly or some helpful information to that end.

I'll look around a bit more before throwing in the towel..

Thanks guys

Steve

[Ellis Vener]

I understand your desire to fix it yourself, but if parts need replacing where are you going to source them or can you machine them yourself?

[Rod.Klukas]

Mr Weldon,
Precision Camera Works is the authorized repair station for Arca-Swiss in North America.
They would also be probably the only source for parts.  These heads are not user serviceable.
However when Precision finishes with your head it should give you many more years of service.

help@precisioncameraworks.com

They will give you an estimate after seeing the head and before commencing the work.
Best regards,
Rod Klukas

[Colorado David]

I also understand the motivation.  I like to repair things myself.  I also like to build things and do woodwork and some light metalwork.  But I've come to understand that making some things and repairing others are sometimes best left to others and I can make better use of my time doing what I do best.

[dwswager]

Hello -  I have a couple B1's that get very stiff, one so stiff it feels locked.  But if you take either and wap the bottom of the base plate with a 1 pound nylon mallet the head totally drops a fraction and it totally free.. until you tighten it up with the friction knob.. it tightens, but doesn't untighten all the way.  One is worse than the other.

What I'm looking for is pictures, diagrams, instructions, anything that would a help me disassemble them and fix whatever is going on with them. 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

I use a B1 that will experience lockup.  Doesn't happen often, but there is a technique to unlock it.  I haven't expereienced it in so long I forget how, but google it.

As to getting diagrams and such, good luck!  Arca Swiss is really tight with information including just specifications.  This from a major NY Photo Retailer: "I have written extensively on the p0 since it's one of my favorite heads but Arca Swiss is infuriating to deal with, provide little detail on their heads (or anything else). It's a great head,. You're just not allowed to know anything about it. "

[Rod.Klukas]

Here is some P0 info attached :
But you are correct. We do not hand out diagrams given how many people copy our designs...

Best regards,
Rod

[dwswager]

Here is some P0 info attached :
But you are correct. We do not hand out diagrams given how many people copy our designs...

Best regards,
Rod

Sorry for getting this off topic, but...

LMAO...like the guy said, "great head, you're just not allowed to know anything about them!"

With respect to the attached document, there was ZERO information in the PDF concerning the specifications for the P0 head.  Might you have a specification sheet or something?  And I understand the frustration seeing the Photo Clam Multiflex knockoff of the Cube.

[Steve Weldon]

I understand your desire to fix it yourself, but if parts need replacing where are you going to source them or can you machine them yourself?

Parts may or may not be needed, sometimes even a small burr or imperfection could be the culprit in which case it's something I could handle.  If the part only required a 3 axis mill or lathe I might take the time to machine them myself (so many parts today require a 5 axis mill), but chances are the internal parts are some type of injection molded synthetic.. might give me a reason to buy one of those new 3D printers..   Who hasn't been wanting one of those..

But good news.. Thanks to the link provided by Sheldon (one of which was Camera Precision Works) I got in touch with someone who said my mallet symptom was indicative of the defective calotte issue that is repaired free under warranty.. so I'll forgo my natural inclination towards self-reliance, not to mention the fun of taking something new a part in pieces and discovering it's secrets, and send it in.  Looks like I'm out the $8.62 shipping though..

[Steve Weldon]

I also understand the motivation.  I like to repair things myself.  I also like to build things and do woodwork and some light metalwork.  But I've come to understand that making some things and repairing others are sometimes best left to others and I can make better use of my time doing what I do best.

Yep, sometimes this is the case.  For instance I'm not fond of crawling under the house.. best left to others.  For some reason I just hate that.  But a reasonably skilled person should be able to at least get to the point of making that decision through the examination of the internal workings.  A diagram might have given me enough information to make this decision, after all it's not one of those maddening Chinese boxes..  I do understand the factories "not user serviceable" policy, as this thread has shown many have given up their screwdrivers in exchange for USPS flat rate boxes long ago..

I have a parrot who is quite good at taking things apart, unlocking locks, etc.. better than most humans I know.  If he can do it..    Still, I've never seen him put anything back together..

[Steve Weldon]

Thank you Rod.  This is the route I'm taking.  Much appreciated.

[Steve Weldon]

I use a B1 that will experience lockup.  Doesn't happen often, but there is a technique to unlock it.  I haven't expereienced it in so long I forget how, but google it.

As to getting diagrams and such, good luck!  Arca Swiss is really tight with information including just specifications.  This from a major NY Photo Retailer: "I have written extensively on the p0 since it's one of my favorite heads but Arca Swiss is infuriating to deal with, provide little detail on their heads (or anything else). It's a great head,. You're just not allowed to know anything about it. "

I have a new definition of infuriating.  You buy two very expensive ball heads from a company with a reputation for excellence.  You then fill out your warranty cards and mail them in.  14-15 very frustrating years of use later you've finally had enough and scour the internet for information/fixes.  It turns out there was a batch of defective calottes (a synthetic internal piece) that made it past their Quality Control guys and into the marketplace in 2000-2001.. and they might have sat on shelves for some years afterwards before finding their way into a consumers excited hands.

Did Arca Swiss notify those who sent in their warranty cards with SERIAL NUMBERS?  No.  Did they advertise in any of the magazines or websites they advertise on?  Not that I've seen.  Nope, nothing you'd expect.  Instead, if you sent it back and haven't managed to otherwise harm the head in your (what turns out for me) decade+ of frustration.. and some repair tech catches that it's a bad calotte, you might get a pleasant surprise by not being charged.

Or in my case you all and mention to the helpful tech that if you turn the locked head upside down and gently wap the bottom with a nylon mallet the head breaks totally free.. you can actually hear it drop a tad to freedom.

So, that's my definition this week.  Next week who knows.. I'll probably do my quarterly check of Canon's website only to find out they're in their tenth year of NOT updating their professional series of cameras.   

[Sheldon N]

Glad to hear they're taking care of you, despite the hurdles.

[buckshot]

But you are correct. We do not hand out diagrams given how many people copy our designs...

I completely understand the rationale - but we live in an age where a kid with a sub-$400 laser scanner and a copy of SolidWorks / Inventor etc. can copy a design and have it ready for machining in a few hours.

The only people that are affected by the lack of detailed info A/S are prepared to supply ... are genuine A/S customers.

Jim

[Ellis Vener]

buckshot, "we live in an age where a kid with a sub-$400 laser scanner and a copy of SolidWorks / Inventor etc. can copy a design and have it ready for machining in a few hours."


That might be true, but they will still have to buy one and take it apart  and analyse materials - as opposed to just being told "here are our secrets." 

[buckshot]

True, but if someone intends to copy a product commercially, then buying one and reverse engineering it is a small overall cost.

Companies such as A/S shouldn't restrict information about their products in the hope of somehow protecting them - they have patent laws to do just that. If you can't afford to (or choose not to) defend your patent, there's little point having one, and there's little point complaining about people who (you claim) infringe it.

All they end up doing is hurting genuine customers who would like to know more about the relatively simple mechanical device they have bought (as opposed to the chemical formula of the proprietary nano-coating on the inside of a laser-guided thingamybob).

Jim