8mm Forum: 4mm thick wall rubber tubing for EIKI lens adjusting knob.

This is topic 4mm thick wall rubber tubing for EIKI lens adjusting knob. in forum 16mm Forum at 8mm Forum.

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Posted by Elyas Tesfaye (Member # 3356) on June 10, 2013, 11:58 PM:

Hi all,

turns out the one on mine has gotten old and brittle [Frown]

... Any ideas on where I can get some, please [Big Grin]

? Thanks again!!!

Best,
ET

Posted by Paul Spinks (Member # 573) on June 11, 2013, 08:33 AM:

You can probably get a new focus knob from Richard C Patchett quite reasonably. Check out his website. http://www.rcsclassic16mm.com/eiki.html
Alternatively you can get tubing from model shops. The fuel pipes for Radio controlled planes works well. Fish tank supply shops sell tubing as well. As a quick fix you could wind plumbers PTFE tape around the focus knob shaft to the correct thickness, it should do the trick. However a new focus knob is probably the best way to go as they are really quite cheap to replace.

Paul.

Posted by Jim Schrader (Member # 9) on June 11, 2013, 08:41 AM:

I had the same problem on my unit it turns out when i did get a new one old stock it was already starting to breakdown so i found a silicone rubber grommet that fit over the shaft nice and snug, but it was to big diameter wise so i used my exacto blade to whittle it down to the size needed and it works perfect, and if it goes bad I have more.

Posted by Elyas Tesfaye (Member # 3356) on June 11, 2013, 11:30 AM:

Dear Paul and Jim,

thanks so much for the heads up [Smile]

!!! I will be sure to try n fix it n will have a report on progress soon, gentlemen [Wink]

... In the mean time, hope y'all are having a great week [Big Grin]

!!!

Best,
ET

Posted by Elyas Tesfaye (Member # 3356) on June 12, 2013, 07:44 AM:

Hi friends,

I cannot thank you both enough. She's all fixed up n tip top now. Paul, I went out n got the PTFE tape you suggested and put that on the knob shaft first to thicken the diameter just a tad and provide a snug fit. Jim, I went out n got clear plastic tubing which was a tad too narrow, hence the aforementioned step. Together with the detailed description at the link below, I got the thing done PERFECT for under 3 Bucks... woot woot [Big Grin]

!!! Thanks once more, guys, for making our forum JUST THE BEST!!!

http://www.acofs.org.au/part_4_files/Eiki/Eiki.htm

Cheers,
ET

Posted by Adrian Winchester (Member # 248) on June 12, 2013, 11:49 AM:

There is a particular type of windscreen washer tubing available in the UK that's absolutely perfect but I don't know if exactly the same thickness would be found in the USA. I'm not certain if getting an Eiki spare would have been a long term solution as they are bound to have been manufactured at least 10 years ago, and the later ones may be just as prone to disintergrating.

Posted by Elyas Tesfaye (Member # 3356) on June 13, 2013, 01:27 AM:

Hello Adrian,

thanks for the heads up, I'll be sure to note that down in case the new solution doesn't do so well in the long run, good sir [Big Grin]

!!!

Cheers,
ET

Posted by Roy Neil (Member # 913) on June 15, 2013, 05:27 PM:

Any hobby shop that sells r/c airplane kits should have silicone fuel tubing they sell by the foot. Its available in various sizes and very inexpensive

When I needed to replace mine I went into my shop and pulled out my box of tubing then simply snipped a small piece of the appropriate size.

That was about 8 years ago, no problems since.

Posted by Elyas Tesfaye (Member # 3356) on June 16, 2013, 04:46 PM:

Dearest Roy,

thanks a lot, I'll be sure to keep that in mind. So far, so good btw [Smile]

!!!

Best,
ET

Posted by Bill Brandenstein (Member # 892) on December 11, 2013, 11:54 AM:

Roy is (of course) right on this. My focus knob has been poorly behaved even after previous attempts to improve it. Got the smallest silicone fuel line available at a local hobby store - like $1.29 for a foot - trimmed off a little, put it on the knob's shaft, and now the focus knob works like new.

There's one catch: the thickness of the tubing is just infintesimally too small. But silicone is pliable enough that I could bunch it up on the shaft, thereby increasing the thickness with no problems.

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