Servicing an Agfa Isolette V camera with a Vario shutter, part 01

This Agfa Isolette V is a nice, simple 6X6 folding camera. This model was made between 1950 and 1952. As this one has the accessory shoe on the right of the top cover, it is from the earlier production. Later examples had the shoe on top of the finder. As you might expect, it could do with a little bit of attention at this late stage.
Consumables used servicing camera bodies:
I use naphtha (cigarette lighter fluid) for cleaning metal parts. CRC Heavy Duty Lectra Clean for dried grease that the naphtha won’t dissolve. A generic wax and grease remover to soak mechanical parts prior to cleaning in an ultrasonic cleaner. Glass cleaned with normal domestic glass cleaner.
Parts are lubricated with Inox MX6 (a synthetic grease), Rocol Dry Molybdenum paste, MicroLubrol Helimax XP helicoid grease, graphite powder, or graphite grease as needed.
Leatherettes are glued back with Ados F2 adhesive.
Consumables used servicing shutter and lens assemblies:
Naphtha (cigarette lighter fluid), or occasionally CRC Heavy Duty Lectra Clean. Lenses cleaned with normal domestic glass cleaner.
Parts are lubricated Rocol Dry Molybdenum paste, MicroLubrol Helimax XP helicoid grease, graphite powder, or graphite grease as needed.

[@Martin_Siegel]

One of the unsolved mysteries in camera history is "why did Agfa chose to use very slow curing glue as a lubricant for the lens helicoids?" Looking forward to pt. 2, Chris!

[@dimitrigrunhauser2471]

Have fixed this frozen dial quite a few times myself with the help of a slice of thick rubber and a pair of rounded pliers. Some cameras needed serious muscle to undo the green glue!

[@lilcholo7893]

Great video Chris! I have a Kodak 66 with a Vario shutter that I’m working on and I just can’t seem to get that rear lens out. Lucky for you it was already loose. Can you give me any tips on how to safely get it loose?

[@ChrisSherlock]

That depends on whether you have the shutter removed from the camera body already. It is much easier to get a lens loose if the shutter is freed from the camera first. If the lens has slots to engage a tool, then something that spans the slots will work nicely. If the lens element is somewhat sunken, then the edge of a steel rule works well to engage the slots. I fix the rule in a vice with just a millimetre or so sticking up. A rubber or leather glove allows you to get a very good grip on the shutter body. Another good method is to use a friction tool.

[@ChrisSherlock]

Someone asked this, but the comment was removed before I could answer.
"I used a small plastic vice to finally remove the lens from my Isolette. I tried a lot of different things. I found a little plastic vice in with some old stuff I inherited from my grandfather. If ..."
Perhaps they would like to comment again.

[@zjohn6879]

It might have been a small flat table vise, like those used for woodworking or on a drill press, but plastic. I've also seen small bench vises made from hard plastic instead of metal for model making