No 32 mk3 turrets wont turn

[read6737]

I have a No32 mk3 with turrets that wont turn,
one does a little but it, about a 1/4 turn but it is really really stiff,
the other it moves just enough to to note, i.e just a nats wisker.
I know that it has been sat around for a number
of years and that mk3s don't like not being used,

Is there an easy fix?

Information

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[gunner]

Hi read 6737,

i had the same trouble on my 1945 Kahles. I added a bit of sewing machine oil to the threads on the turrets and let it sit in for an day and it worked great. And the sewing machine oil contains no acids and it will not gum like some others do.

Regards

Gunner

[Peter Laidler]

You won't be able to do that with a No32 because the oil will have to go uphill within the drum assembly to defeat the waterproofing system....., then downhill to soak the jammed-up fibre seal.

Take the drum off by removing the 4 8BA screws. Remove the screwed lead screw retaining collar, then the lead screw and nut, then the 3x 8BA countersunk screws holding the clicker plate in place. Remove clicker plate, separate drum from index plate, free off stuck fibre seal, grease with graphite grease and re-assemble. Grease clicker plungers and springs and all screw holes too.

It'll take about an hour for each drum ................. or two hours each if you rush it. Please DON'T use any oil.............

[read6737]

Thanks Peter.
How good does your eye sight need to be?
As I have very poor eye sight ie 5/10 in my good eye.

[gunner]

You won't be able to do that with a No32 because the oil will have to go uphill within the drum assembly to defeat the waterproofing system....., then downhill to soak the jammed-up fibre seal.

Take the drum off by removing the 4 8BA screws. Remove the screwed lead screw retaining collar, then the lead screw and nut, then the 3x 8BA countersunk screws holding the clicker plate in place. Remove clicker plate, separate drum from index plate, free off stuck fibre seal, grease with graphite grease and re-assemble. Grease clicker plungers and springs and all screw holes too.

It'll take about an hour for each drum ................. or two hours each if you rush it. Please DON'T use any oil.............

OK Peter, no Oil for the No32 i´ll go down and make 50 pushups......or can we talk about 20..or so?

Regards

Gunner

[read6737]

I had got out the WD40 and used it before I started the thread.

[read6737]

I started to take the drum off by removing the 4 8BA screws, but it would not come off, and I don't want to force it.
Screws now back in but not tight.

[Peter Laidler]

If it's a Mk3 and the screws are undone, then just gently tap the turret tops with a plastic screwdriver handle and they'll start to break free. But only tap from side to side and NOT front to back. The tops will be retained by the old fashioned mastic. Go on....., give it a go and if it all goes wrong, send the drum to me and I'll fix it. But with a bit of care you'll be OK if you remember to just do the bit that needs doing!

When stripping DO NOT be tempted to screwdriver the index plate away from the main body turret housing. BIG BAD news if you do!
Don't mastic it when replacing, just smear the mating surfaces with graphite grease

[read6737]

Well just spent a happy 3 hrs stripping the drums.
The first drum I did was the wind-age one,(the left to right one).
It did come off easy with a little tapping left to right.
All stripped down and the fiber washer freed and greased it was a little dry,
Turns freely and I put it back together 5 times as it clicks but not properly,
not a equal click all round but ok for 40% very light for 40% and not at all for about 20%. but it turns freely.
The other drum elevation, (the up and down one) is now perfect, perfect click, not too stiff or loose,
but 2 of the 3x8BA screw heads are now a little buggered,they were really really tight and the fiber washer is now broken, it was very dry. But it went back together fine and works great.
So I am happy, money well spent getting a scope that needed a little TLC,
and saved about 500/600 quid in the process.

Many thanks Peter for the directions and encouragement to do it.
Good for me as I have an overall vision of 6.5/20, I us to repair my Pentax cameras till I lost my sight 3 yrs ago, it went down to 1.5/20, now back at work, driving and shooting again after much surgery.

And as Peter says HAVE A GO.

[Peter Laidler]

You need to strip it again and free-off the clicker plungers and springs. Grease them with graphite'
Use thin neoiprene washers from a good hardware model or engineering suppliers in plave of fibre washers.

Send me youir address and I'll send you some replacement.4BA countersunk screws

To centralise drum scale, rotate drum fully clock and anti clockwise. While doing so, set slipping scale gradually so that it 'centres'. Do same to range scale. Boresight using leadscrew. Zero on range using drums