There’s a hairdressers that I drive past pretty much everyday whilst negotiating the traffic mess around the city of Leicester. I’m not knocking them, I wish them well and from what i can see, they do seem to have some high profile customers from the local community/football club. But whatever made them name their business Suez Canal barbers?
Strange choice of name
Anyone else have some strange names businesses in their area as I’d be interested to know?
This one caused me confusion when I moved to the area as I didn’t know whether I was getting a haircut or a chicken dinner.
Chicken or short back and sides?
Another Barbers shop, when I used to live in Watford, was a barbers called Bhatti Barbers. Nothing too sinister there as it was probably named after the owner
All the same it always made you look up and notice it, and maybe that’s the point of it all.
I’ve been in a pretty low mood of late due to suffering the post holiday blues, pretty much self imposed and just needing a good kick up the ass to get me motivated.
On top of that being a person who suffers continuously with respiratory issues I’ve been fighting off a nasty chest infection that I think I may have finally just got the better of. (Fingers crossed)
Then I get that kick up the ass I was talking about in the first paragraph.
My good work Colleague and Signaller Nick, who lives in London has contacted me to ask if I’ve spoken to one of our other colleagues lately ( who shall remain nameless)
I told him I hadn’t spoken for about 6 months only to be told he now has cancer in both lungs and his kidney, he’s fighting his last battle as I’m writing.
Nicks told me he has just spoken to him, and he’s telling him of all the things he has to do for his family before it’s too late.
This is where I broke. He’s early 50s, has a young family and… I just can’t put it into words. What a beautiful human being, one of the nicest guys you could ever wish to meet and work with. This guy earned an award when I was his gaffer, after saving 12 people who suffered cardiac arrests whilst on train stations in London. His actions ensured Those people are here today. And this is how he gets rewarded. Sick joke…
And I’m feeling low because of post holiday blues and a chest infection. How pathetic am i?
I’m a pathetic wretch, get real and buck your ideas up son.
Sometimes, it takes the sledge hammer effect straight in the face to really bring it home to you. Thank you Nick for making me see reality again.
Thinking of you on your hardest journey bud. Remember 2012. You life saver.
This could also be titled, “When is a mum not a mum?”
I married my dear wife over 30+ years ago now, and to say she has been the stabiliser of my life would be an understatement, the rudder to my boat, you get the point I’m a lucky guy.
However we knew very early on in our marriage that we would not be having children, and that was difficult at the start. Not as much to me as, to be honest, children weren’t really in my plans at that early stage, but to my wife, she viewed it as if it was her duty to produce a child, she was a woman after all and she dearly wanted a child. And I’d do anything to make her life complete. However this was never going to be a dream come true in our life time as unfortunately and for reasons I won’t discuss here, we were dealt the bum deal as they say. It wasn’t to be. We were to remain childless.
Those first ten years of our marriage were an immense test of our feelings for each other, I’d come home at times and often find her crying for the child she could never have, and yes my heart broke every time, it was a very sad period in our lives. We explored every possibility, in the early days when Kim Cotton was the first in the UK to venture into surrogacy, we followed that closely and were considering the possibility of going down that same route, it was early days and there were lots of pitfalls and heartbreak stood in each corner of the decision making progress. It was fraught with problems and legal issues. We stepped away from this opportunity, reluctantly.
Back in the early 90s the adoption process was not as open as it is nowadays, we just wouldn’t have been considered, it was so selective and as we were quite young and in local government housing at the time, we wouldn’t have even got through the initial application stages, oh how times have changed.
There’s a strange feeling taking your wife to baby shops such as “Mothercare” to chose prams and a decor for the child you would never have, we knew we would never be buying but it was “fun” in a weird sense as we learned a lot about how life would have been if we were dealt a fairer set of cards.
Then the younger members of the family started having children of their own, I thought things would be worse for us as I was worried about my wife’s reaction to all these upcoming births. I needn’t had worried, as this turned out to be the point in our married life where it all changed for the better.
We pretty much became permanent baby sitters, it’s fair to say we probably witnessed more periods of excitement and firsts in their little life’s than their own parents did, it was fantastic, and we could hand the nippers back at the end of the day, even though we did have the occasional overnight stay.
That was definitely the turning point, and my wife changed when this occurred, she was accepting of the fate she had been dealt, but she now had what she wished for, children to look after.
We had brilliant days out with them kids, we did all the stuff you just do and we could now visit those shops to buy gifts for these little visitors that we had been gifted the chance to look after.
We even witnessed teenage angst
To this day those kids, or should I say young adults spend so much time with us, they’ve even joined us on a recent holiday and the relationship we have with them is fantastic. They have grown up to be beautiful souls and it’s nice to think we played a part in their stories. We still ask each other what we think our kids would have been like, and often comment that if they are just like the nieces and nephews we helped bring up, then we couldn’t do much better than that.
The prompt for this post was encouraged by the fact that even though we are the only childless couple in our family, every Mother’s Day and Father’s Day we are showered with cards and gifts, and whilst I question it every year it’s their way of showing their appreciation, and just saying thank you.
I’ve sent them all a WhatsApp message telling them what I have purchased with their gift cards, as I like them to know where it’s been spent. This year I’ve purchased some new tools and a special extraction fan for my soldering, just so I can stay around and appreciate them a little longer. They and their parents changed our life’s for the better.
I should really be thanking them. But they know I’m always here for them. I’m not a dad, but they make me feel so much like a dad. ❤️
Thanks for passing by. Stay blessed and try to be happy.
Simple as that. And yes it’s a tiny radio but in excellent condition cosmetically.
Bush handheld
On inspection it’s obvious that the micro USB port is damaged and will need replacing.
Broken micro USBWhat’s wrong?Power board
I’ve ordered some replacements USB ports from our friends in China so I’ll have to wait a few weeks before I can progress this project any further.
Micro usb ports
The ports have arrived from China, so let’s look to see if we can repair this unit.
*This project has been on the back burner since May 2024. 13 months later and I’m now on it*
Hello all, time to clear that backlog and what better place to start than here. I do in fact have two of these with the same problem so this is a two for the price of one project.
This should be a simple case of replacing the faulty charging ports that are both micro usb ports. They are small believe me.
Old port removedNew port that has to be fitted
There has to be some preparation before we can get the new port on. Using a soldering iron and flux and a little solder wick, I clean the old board remove the old solder and give a good clean with IPA. I then prime the small connections on the rear of the charge port with a little solder. Now I put the port to the board and tack on the earth points. Then using a rework hot air gun I blast the port at about 350 degrees Celsius and hold the port in place with some tweezers until I see the solder glisten and melt around the port. I take the heat off and let the solder set before moving the tweezers and when it’s cooled a bit I check that it’s setting straight, all connections are good and solid. I then just add a tiny bit more solder to the anchor points for strength.
Whilst this is cooling down I check the status of the battery. It is a 3.7v rated battery and is currently holding a charge of 2.8v. It’s a little low but far from being dead. The second battery shows a similar charge.
Battery level
After the solder work has cooled I use my battery pack connected to a small ammeter to see if the radio and more importantly the battery is demanding any power.
Power cable connectedWe have a power demand from the battery.
Well that’s good news, 5v in and the demand from the battery is 0.96 of an amp. The battery is charging. And the fix is as simple as that.
Two perfectly good radios
A little bit of soldering aerial contacts and a couple of other wires back into place and the whole unit clicks back together. Two screws inserted in the rear and time to switch on. Both radios tune in perfectly and the sound is surprisingly good for these little units. I’m keeping one in my work space at home, as I love having some music around me, I’d sooner listen to the radio any day as I hardly watch TV. The other radio will go into my work locker for when I’m working nights or in the workshop.
In my work space, but it won’t be staying here…
Im very happy with this little project, it only took about an hour and I don’t know why I left it so long. Another couple of items saved from the tip, it amazes me that these units probably all suffered with the same problem of inferior parts that failed early on in the radios existence. Kind of scares me just how many did go to landfill.
Two cracking little radios
Well at least these two are going to carry on for a few more years yet. And that’s a positive in my eyes.
This could just as well refer to the estate agents currently attempting to sell our place, however it’s more fitting to refer to the eight legged bastard that decided to walk up my arm at 1:30 this morning, disturbing what was probably the most peaceful nights rest I have had for ages.
B**tard
It’s been so warm of late that the wife has requested the windows remain ajar at night. I don’t normally do this, due to the area we live in being so bloody noisy, it’s hard to turn off and sleep. Recently I’ve had to employ the ear plugs, a rarity when I’m not working a night shift.
So promptly at 01:30 I awake, I can fell something on my arm and I brush it, immediately I can feel it again and in one swift moment only lasting probably 1/1000th of a second I move from being horizontal to vertical standing beside the bed with the side light on, my wife looking at me as if I’d lost the plot. At that time I probably had. The next ten minutes were spent looking for said trespasser, alas nothing was found. I’m saying it was a spider, it could well have been a moth of a mozzie, but I’m sticking with the eight legged version.
Back to bed, senses at a high state of alert I finally drift off at about 2:15 and awake abruptly at 06:30 when a neighbour starts up a petrol lawnmower. Tempted to open the window and shout abuse at him i withdraw from the window and go make the first cup of tea of the day. The world seems a better place for 5 beautiful minutes.
The Chav of the avian world
Until the local Chavs of the bird world start clacking away outside the bedroom window. God the noise these ass holes make is deafening, one of the downsides of maintaining a garden, they go about bullying every other bird that enters the garden, a typical city bully boy with wings. And then the next doors bloody Parrot joins in, that’ll be him set off for the day now. The day is already getting worse.
Is it any wonder we want to sell up and move on?
And thats where the next creepy B**tards come in. The estate agents. For some reason these ones we are utilising do things differently, rather that bring interested parties around individually, this lot seem to ring up and say, “ oh we have a viewing for you next Tuesday at 17:30” “Ok” we reply, to then be told it’s for Twelve interested people. It’s a bloody party I tell you. Maybe we should be giving out canapés and drinks, because I bet you the majority of them are estate agent tourists as I mentioned in this previous post: Failures and time wasting. Estate agent tourists are people who use the estate agent networks to go nosey around people’s homes with no intention of buying, it is just a day out for them, just like anyone else would visit a stately home. They really are sad individuals who need to get a life, and they are rife up here in the East Midlands. And then they have the goddamn cheek to offer feedback after their day out, go shove your feedback up yer ass. I have told the estate agents that they can go take a running jump if they bring anymore such types, but they probably won’t listen, they’re just estate agents….bless ‘em.
Anyway I’ve taken too much of your time ranting and raving, but I do know two things. The bed is being pulled out to look for that 8 legged creep at a forensic level. And the bedroom windows are staying closed tonight.
Fujifilm Instax 100 Instant Film Camera – Faulty Untested See Lens Shutter
Otherwise clean,
battery compartment is clean,
unable to test so selling for spares or repair considering the lens shutter
EBay
Instax 100 Instant film camera
I’m a tad annoyed at myself here as I had arranged a good price with the seller but because I was too eager I pushed the wrong button and purchased at the original advertised price. The seller must think I am a right plum, and I’d be inclined to agree with him. That said I’ve secured this for a good all in price, and it will be a nice addition to my collection. It’s a 26 year old camera, and i’ve been looking for one of these particular cameras that use the wider format of Instax film for quite a while, but even the damaged ones command hefty prices. I’ve paid an all in price of £28:55GBP here when I should have paid £23:55GBP. Never mind, lesson learned and don’t be so hasty in the future. They can command a good price as can be seen in the photo below:
Some recent sale prices
Here’s some info about this camera:
The Fujifilm Instax 100 was released on May 1st, 1999. It has been replaced by the newer Instax 200, which is very similar except the flash is on one side rather than directly above the lens.
Focusing: Motor-driven 2-range switching (0.9 to 3m/3m to infinity)
Power supply: 4 LR6/AA-size 1.5V alkaline batteries for around 10 film packs.
Dimensions: 171.5 x 91.5 x 119.5 mm
Weight: 650 gr (without batteries, strap and film pack).
Camera-wiki.org
Now this one is being sold with what looks like only one fault that the seller is concerned with and that being a shutter problem. From experience and as can be seen in this recent post of mine: Another Fujifilm Instax mini 8 I know that this is not a “Lens” issue it is in fact an issue with the iris that protects the lens, and is probably as a result of a small spring being disturbed in that area. It’s quite a simple fix and if it is the only fault then that would be quite some result. However, this is EBay that we are talking about and there could be a number of further faults we haven’t been informed of. Now I will just have to be patient until it arrives, there is no other choice.
Assessment:
It’s a big one. Compared to the other Instax mini cameras this one is very big. It’s probably 1.5 times bigger than your standard SLR. It’s big. And weighty!
It’s clean…ish. And there seems to be a strip of plastic, a gate as such missing from the top of the camera near the exit slot. This wasn’t mentioned and I’m quite annoyed about that. When batteries are put inside it makes all the noises, but the action isn’t smooth in the lens extension range. This probably ties in with the advertised issue of the lens iris operation. I’m thinking I paid well over the odds for this particular camera, I’ve been conned here, lesson learned.
There could well be multiple problems here, and if that missing piece on the top is anything to do with light proofing, then we could have an issue. Anyway we will cross that bridge when we come to it. Initially I’m going to stick with the original fault, so let’s attack that and worry about any other issues if and when they crop up.
Repair:
The more I get into this camera the more I find wrong with it. The main issue of the faulty lens iris is a fiddly one. You prise off the last section of the lens turret and the iris mechanism comes away fairly easy.
Mechanism removed from lens turret3 tiny springs all disconnected from the mechanism
But then three tiny springs just fall out and this is why the iris didn’t work. Trying to get them in place is a puzzle itself, as no sooner do you have one connected then another drops off. It’s a fine balancing act to get them all back into place. When they are all reconnected it’s a very delicate operation to get them back into place. And even then you have to go to the inside of the camera to ensure that the lever inside that operates the iris, is aligned to the iris mechanism that is being installed back in the lens turret. It’s a fiddly time consuming job.
All springs attachedThe lever on the inside that has to be in the correct position when the iris is attached
Iris now working
At this point the rear fascia and associated ribbon cable need to be removed to facilitate this repair. That’s when a piece of broken plastic falls out, it just so happens that one of the posts putting tension on the print rollers has broken. Great. Another problem. I’ve quickly fixed this by using some wire to act as a retention point. Bodge? Yes, but there really is nothing else that can be done here as the plastic case is thin and brittle. I have used some silicone grease to lubricate the cogs and the whole movement is now a lot smoother. It Will work. of that I am confident.
Broken plastic post, spring out.Wire bodge, spring now back giving tension
Result:
Well it works but it remains one of my most disappointing fixes due to the dishonesty of the seller. I know, if you buy off auctions it’s Caveat Emptor as they say, I preach it enough but this time I was caught off guard. Lesson learned. But I remain disappointed. Multiple faults, sold as just the one when in fact it also had bits missing that were not declared, very misleading in my opinion. Maybe in future I need to look deeply into these purchases before I give any feedback, i need to change my operation as I was truly shafted here.
Polishes up nice
It does everything that it should, the motor and transport system work, the iris now works, shutter is good, and flash operates. I’m confident that the camera is working fine but I haven’t tried any film through it yet as it uses a bigger format film and is quite expensive, and I’m not forking out for any just yet. Maybe when I get another wider format model to look at I will pay out. Just not yet though. When I do get some film through it I will amend this post accordingly.
I’m off to calm down a bit now, thanks for passing by, I really do appreciate it. Have a great day.
Fujifilm Fuji instax mini 40 instant camera . Functional, but flash NOT working .
LISTED REPAIR OR SPARES . NO RETURN .
THE CAMERA IS TESTED AND WILL,POWER UP AND TAKE A SHOT AND EJECT A SLIDE CORRECTLY. Please watch uploaded video .
HOWEVER THE CAMERAS FLASH IS NOT WORKING . This is the reason I have listed the cameras as repairs or spares.
Hopefully someone knows about these cameras and knows whether the flash unit just needs replacing or if it is an electronic fault that needs sorting out can fix it . Otherwise the parts will be useful to someone who repairs these .
No batteries or film is included .
The camera body is in very good cosmetic condition. There are only light surface marks in terms of signs of use . . Please see images as they are part of the description.
The red light to show the camera has powered up lites up when the button is pressed to extend the lens and turns the camera on .
When you close the lens down it locks securely into place .
The frame counter is working .
The film compartment is clean and the rear door shut correctly and securely.
Battery compartment is clean and the battery cover locked into place securely.
The camera is powered by to easily available AA batteries ( not included) .
EBay
The Instax mini 40
Now that’s what I call a great descriptive sales pitch. And that’s because the guy is a professional seller of photographic equipment. I’ve seen the video he posted and all the above is true, it really is just a problem around the flash. Maybe it’s an easy fix? I suspect not but either way it will be an interesting project.
Here’s a little info on this camera:
Hitting the market in April 2021, the Fujifilm Instax Mini 40 takes the updates the Fujifilm Instax Mini 11 introduced but wraps them up in a cooler, more retro-styled instant camera body. Instant film fans will probably love it and with its improved design, there’s a chance that those who aren’t instantly drawn to this form of photography may just want to have a play around with the Fujifilm Instax Mini 40, too. It does cost more than the Fujifilm Instax Mini 11, though, so you’ll have to decide if the cooler design is worth an extra £20.
+ Pros
It’s fun
Great party camera
Easy to use
Looks cool
– Cons
Film is expensive
Viewfinder could be better
Powered by AA-batteries
Ephotozine.com
I first of all went in with a cheeky bid of £15:00GBP that the seller originally turned down, so I then put in a high bid of £18:00 and as no one else was wanting it, it actually sold for £16:00, just £1:00 more than I’d originally offered. All in all the cost with the postage was £19:45GBP and I’m really pleased with this. Im surprised though that there are flash issues in a unit that is only just four years old. As you can see in the photo below recent sale prices have been strong and a great deal higher priced than what I have just paid. These are certainly popular little camera’s with the younger generation.
Recent sale prices have been strong
I guess we will just have to await its arrival to assess the flash issue. I’m very confident that I will be able to get this camera up and running again.
Assessment:
Out of all the Instax cameras I have dealt with lately, this has got to be one of the best ones I have had my hands on. This is a mid range instax camera that is more sober in colour aimed at those who enjoy their lomography or better quality instant photography. It certainly looks good, and to be honest I’d rather carry this one around rather than a bright pink one.
Looking nice and sober
As posted in the description above it is in near perfect condition and a quick Look at the flash head shows that the flash bar within the unit is broken.
Flash bar brokenConfirmed broken when removed
Let’s get on with replacing this damaged flash unit.
Repair:
Let’s get it opened up.
Dismantling
People laugh at me when i tell them that playing around inside these units could kill you. I can understand the contempt aimed at me for such a statement, when I’m carrying a bright pink camera that hardly looks dangerous. Just look at the voltage still in the flash capacitor though once I have opened it. Savage.
Residual voltage of 267v still in the flash capacitor
270v would quite easily send you across the room, if you had a heart condition it would probably be game over. I’ve learned my lesson in the past so I ensure I use a capacitor bleed probe before I go anywhere near one of these flash capacitors. The capacitor on this camera is rated at 320v, not to be messed with. Beware. What’s more impressive is that all this energy is supplied from two 1.5v AA batteries. Clever stuff.
I have a donor flash bar in an old spare unit. I have carefully unsoldered its connections and gently removed the very thin glass tube from the donor unit and placed this in the one situated on the new camera.
The donor unitIn place and soldered onto the board of the repaired camera
Carefully, once inserted into the flash reflector, i have soldered it back onto the board. All looking good. However I need to test the flash so I temporarily put the case on, bung in two batteries and turn the camera on. Press the exposure button and the flash fires perfectly. Happy days. I now can confidently reassemble the camera back together, and I’m pleased that when this is done there are no screws left over. All small wins.
I have some film available so there is no better time than the present to give it a try.
Result:
Nice flash – working Working perfectly
I’ve loved doing this repair, this is a good quality, great condition, and now in perfect working order camera, brought back to life with many more years of use left in it.
But it could have been just chucked in the waste. I’m keeping this one for my collection as it’s a fantastic example acquired at a very good price. Thirty minutes of attention is all it took.
I’ve just purchased three of these cameras for a total of £24:98GBP. All non working of course but when healthy they normally command a price around £35:00GBP each. Here is what the listing said for each one:
Camera one:
Camera one
Kodak Printomatic Digital Instant Print Camera
Camera does not print
Can be repaired or used for parts
EBay
Camera two:
Camera two
Camera is in good cosmetic condition.
Camera doesn’t charge. Battery charging light flashes but it doesn’t hold battery.
It hasn’t been tested further.
EBay
Camera three:
Camera three
Please look at the photos carefully, as they make up the majority of the description.
It has two faults
The springs on the back are broken, meaning the rear metal plate is bent , and it often doesn’t push photo paper through correctly.
The shutter button is also depressed.
EBay
This third one might be a longer term repair as I’ve never known a quick fix for a depressed button, that requires a psychiatrist… (That’s me just trying to be humorous, I’ll grab my coat and leave now 😂🤦♂️)
To be honest the issue with the third camera seems to be a regular problem based around the design of this camera. Too much pressure on the button normally results in the switch inside detaching from the main board, it’s poorly positioned at an angle and usually not soldered in place too well. The springs should be an easy fix.
I’ve brought these cameras from three different sellers. if I’m lucky I’ll be able to get all three up and running, worst case scenario is that I use one for spares and have two good working examples.
Anyway I’ll just have to wait for their arrival to assess them all, and decide what repairs are required. In the meantime here’s a little bit about these cameras that are again very similar to the Polaroid “Snap” camera range, that also use zink paper. And seeing what is quoted below, the Polaroid “Snap” and this Kodak Printomatic are in all aspects one and the same camera.
Well, since Kodak doesn’t really make its own consumer cameras anymore, the Printomatic is actually being produced by a company called C+A Global, which is just licensing the Kodak name and branding. C+A also licenses Polaroid, and was behind the two-year-old Snap. Both cameras were designed by Silicon Valley firm Ammunition Group, which confirmed to The Verge that the Printomatic is basically the same camera as the Snap, though simplified and rebadged. (The cherry on top of this corporate synergy sundae is that C+A also works with Zink.)
Released 2017
The PRINTOMATIC camera instantly and automatically prints high-quality, full color photos with point-and-shoot ease. It uses KODAK ZINK Photo Paper, so no ink cartridges or toners are needed. The photo prints are durable, water resistant, and adhesive backed for extra fun. The camera’s speed allows you to shoot a new photo while printing the previous shot. The KODAK PRINTOMATIC is fast, fun, and easy to use.
Features
5MP image sensor
Prints automatically when image is captured
Vibrant 2″ x 3″ photo prints are durable, water resistant, and adhesive backed
Built-in flash
Optical viewfinder
microSD™ card slot
Kodak Ltd & The Verge
The reviews all vary, from very good to downright diabolical, I’m not really surprised since Kodak “Hoared” out its brand name to the lowest bidder many years ago. Am I bitter? A little, as I used to work for Kodak in the days when they were a world leader, the mistakes they made, the decisions and leadership were absolutely awful. And the fact that their demise has lowered my pension pot by about 40% due to their financial mismanagement is another axe that I regularly grind. Yes I am bitter, and since I’ve recently repaired and reviewed their competitors cameras I thought I’d give these a try. Will I be impressed or disappointed? Who knows but I do have an inkling on which way this may swing. But for what I’ve paid for three cameras I’m not really that fussed, it’s just pocket money.
Assessment:
Camera one:
Apparently doesn’t print. Well I’ve put a couple of sheets of Zink paper inside and two pictures were produced. The sd card slot is fine, the charging port is in good condition. Transport is working perfectly. It certainly does print. Just needs a bit of a clean. To be totally honest there is nothing wrong with this camera and for an outlay of £8:00GBP in total I have a working bargain. Kerching – a rare EBay win.
Printer works, camera works
Charges fine Looking nice after a light clean – no marking
Nothing more to do on this one. So on to camera two.
Camera two:
It’s a bit grubby cosmetically but nothing that a light clean wouldn’t sort. This particular one cost £8:99GBP all in. It was dead on arrival so I’ve checked that the charging port was ok, and then put it straight on charge.
On charge
I’ve also given it a light clean whilst charging and the overall appearance has greatly improved. I must just be patient and wait and see if the unit does take a charge, or the original fault appears.
Initial red indicationNow a rapid flashing white indication
Whilst on charge the originally mentioned fault appears. The charging light was showing a steady red, it is now a rapidly flashing white light with the occasional steady red indication for all of a few seconds and then it’s back to the rapid white indication and it then all repeats. I’ll leave it for a while to see if there is an improvement, the battery just might be so dead that the inbuilt battery management system may just well be refusing to cooperate.the on/off button on the front doesn’t work as well, this might be also related to the battery issue.
Camera three:
Looking very nice and cosmetically very clean.
Nice camera
This one cost £7:99GBP all in. This one is reported to have two issues, a damaged paper pressure pad and a button stuck in the depressed position.
Paper pressure pad is bent and missing two springs Exposure button stuck in, white light flashing as a result
But first I’ve put it on charge to see that it charges, I’m pleased to report that everything is alright in that aspect, and I’m pleased to say it charged fully with the correct lights illuminated. The white light on the top by the exposure button is flashing as a result of the button being stuck in the depressed position, I believe.
Camera has charged fine
This one will need the paper pressure pad repairing as well as the button that is stuck in the depressed position.
Repair:
Camera one:
See above. No repair required. Just a light clean and some TLC. Why did they sell it as damaged? Who knows just what goes on, in the mind of an EBay seller.
Camera two:
This will need to be opened to get near the battery. We may well be able to get the battery to accept a small charge and this may be just enough to fool the battery management system in the camera to take over and continue charging.
Cover off and the confusing lights
Cover off I’ve checked the battery readings and it’s reading a healthy 6.5v and as it’s a 7.5v rated battery I believe this to be healthy, it holds a steady charge the battery is fine. Looking at the led lights they are capable of two indications, red or white and that’s it. I believe the charging light flashes when it’s charged as it cannot possibly show a green light as there isn’t one. This is confusing as normally a flashing white/red light normally indicates that the battery needs charging. Everything that is happening goes against what the producer has published regarding the led indications. But I am convinced the battery is good despite it not turning on. Hold on, I think I’ve found out the problem here…..
Cable disconnectedCable now connected On off button ribbon connector was not in place
It appears that someone has been here before me or that the on/off button ribbon connector has disconnected itself over time. Either way it’s not where it should be. I’ve put the connector back in place and secured it. I now have power and control of the camera.
All lights working, transport whirring away let’s put some paper in to give it a try.
PrintingDirty print roller
Well it prints ok, all pictures appear to have a “blue tint” to them, however there are big tramlines across the print as you can see, this indicates a dirty roller. What I’m going to do here is peel half the backing of a sheet of Zink paper as the back is adhesive allowing you to stick photos on whatever takes your fancy. By running a half sheet of exposed adhesive, upside down through the camera with the adhesive being the trailing edge, it should allow any debris and dirt to be collected on its way through. I will do this three or four times and even though I will no doubt get error lights appear I can just reset the camera with no further issues.
Zink adhesive exposed
And that worked. The tramlines have gone.
Tramlines on bottom left picture as a reference. All other pictures now clear.
I’ve also tried the black and white mode as you can see above. I’m very confident, in fact I am positive this camera is now working as it should. I have also put an sd card in the base and all pictures are being recorded as expected. A quick clean and we now have a perfectly good working example of this camera. Let’s move on to camera three.
Camera three:
We have to open up the camera to get to the issue with the button.
The paper pressure pad needs to be dismantled, straightened up and two compatible springs need to be found to keep the required pressure in place on the paper pad. I’ve dismantled the pressure pad and straightened it out, just needs a couple of springs to complete, I’ll sort these out later.
Bent upStraightened out Back in place just awaiting new springs
On opening the camera it was as clear as day that the depressed button was as I first thought, the three solder points below it had come loose, no longer making contact.
The working switchThe faulty switch that looks like it’s smiling
It’s plain to see in the pictures above that the button that is damaged has all three points of contact broken. these need re soldering to strengthen them. You can see this issue in the microscope pictures I took below.
Top: Before, Bottom: after
The switch has been tested and it clicks and operates as expected, this is a known weak point with these cameras and a design fault as well, although the manufacturer would probably deny this. It’s a given fact that the manufacturer wants to sell as many as these units cheaply to the throw away consumer, you only have to look at the main board below to see this…
Says it all really….
It really saddens me to see the levels the Kodak name has sunk to, these units are just replicas of the Polaroid touch/snap range, but even at this stage in the repair the Polaroid versions are far superior. Quality control and the cheap design of these Kodak units is borderline awful.
This unit is proving to be a right pain in the ass. The original fault with the exposure button has been repaired and the paper pressure pad is all but repaired, but it seems that being hidden by these two faults is a totally different issue. I have had this camera completely dismantled and have also separated the printer from the motherboard, but this issue of the permanently flashing white light still exists, so the fault is definitely only being carried on the motherboard.
Motherboard under microscope Lens ribbon cable insecureMotherboard separated from printer unit
I’ve checked the motherboard thoroughly using my microscope and there is nothing glaringly obvious at fault. I have checked for shorts on the board of which there are none. The only issue I found was that the lens ribbon cable was sitting off centre, however I corrected this but the flashing light issue still remains.
There are two faults that are connected with this flashing white light. One is that the light occurs whilst printing, this is not the case with this unit as it even occurs as stated with the printer disconnected. The other possibility is that it flashes when doing a firmware update, I have attempted to update with the latest firmware and the only difference is that I cannot turn the lights or camera off at all, I have to crash it by removing the battery.
It’s looking as if this could be the issue. The previous owner has probably bricked the unit by interrupting a firmware update and it has corrupted the system. I’m going to have one more attempt at updating the camera with a clean unused sd card to see if there is any possibility of recovery. If this cannot be done then this unit will become a spares unit that to be honest I’d rather not have as I don’t really want to purchase any more of these cameras. But you never know, someone may want one repairing.
Result:
Well in the wise old words of Meatloaf, I guess “Two out of three ain’t bad”. The grey one is bricked, as after numerous attempts of updating the firmware it just isn’t having it. It is just a brick. However there are numerous spare parts that can be used including a good battery, lens mechanism and a number of other pieces. I just didn’t want that though as i don’t really see myself going out of the way to obtain another one, they are as cheap and nasty as you could possibly find. The Polaroid versions are of a far better quality in my opinion, and they are hardly high class.
2 out of 3 ain’t bad
The positive here is that 3 cameras, quite obviously built for the throwaway generation have been saved from landfill and can be used again. What I’m going to do with the two I have is probably put them both back on to eBay to recover my out goings. If not, I will pass them onto our local hospice to sell on.
Been an interesting fix, but I’m not venturing back to these Kodak models anytime soon.
Well this is a first. I thought I’d answered all of the WordPress daily prompts but I’ve either missed this one in the past or barring that they’ve actually added some new prompts. I personally think it’s the former and I’ve just not been paying attention, however they wish for an answer and who am I not to see that through. Here we go.
Self care
I’m not being pedantic when I post a title such as this, but I must admit that probably just like a lot of others out there, self care is not anywhere near the top of my agenda and sits quite low in the pecking order of things for me to do.
To be honest the feral cat that resides in our garden gets fed before I even think about feeding myself or taking my daily meds, to think of it even the plants in the garden get fed before i attend to myself, and my wife’s needs also come before any needs that I have that may need attention. I’ve always been a person that deals with others first, and get great comfort in seeing other individuals looking happy and comfortable, yes, being looked after.
I know people will start chuntering “Ooh you have to look after yourself “ and maybe they do need to do that, but to be honest I’ve managed almost 60 years without it and I’m doing just fine thank you. I’m not the sort of person always at the doctors door , expressing every ache and pain, I know when something seriously isn’t right and even then I question myself whether it’s even worth bothering anyone about.
My self care really is limited to my walking, my hobbies and occasional quiet time, all of which are just fleeting activities that are grabbed at, once every one else is catered for.
I know that there will come a time where I just can’t do anymore, and that will be the time when I will have no alternative but to stop, and look after what I have left. Yep, it maybe too late, but at least I will have great comfort in knowing I have put everyone else first.
Remember this? Everyone had one around 1978 apart from me that is. Well, now I’ve got one, only 47 yrs late and it doesn’t work. But hey that’s what this site is all about, and that’s how I roll. Always late to the party, and even then you’ll probably find me in the kitchen 🥳
What the listing said:
Cosmetically in very good condition but does not work. Please see attached pictures to judge condition for yourself.
EBay
Another one with all battery covers! I’m shocked. And what’s that screwdriver there for?
The guy was after £17:00GBP and that included postage, but I put in a cheeky bid and managed to get it with postage for £9:80GBP. Anything under a tenner is good in my eyes.
Here’s some history:
Simon is an electronic game of short-term memory skill invented by Ralph H. Baer and Howard J. Morrison, working for toy design firm Marvin Glass and Associates, with software programming by Lenny Cope. The device creates a series of tones and lights and requires a user to repeat the sequence. If the user succeeds, the series becomes progressively longer and more complex. Once the user fails or the time limit runs out, the game is over. The original version was manufactured and distributed by Milton Bradley and later by Hasbro after it took over Milton Bradley. Much of the assembly language code was written by Charles Kapps, who taught computer science at Temple University and also wrote one of the first books on the theory of computer programming. Simon was launched in 1978 at Studio 54 in New York City and was an immediate success, becoming a pop culture symbol of the 1970s and 1980s.
Wikipedia
From what i can see in the pictures the item seems good, cosmetically. I may be able to see just a little contamination around the battery contacts but I can’t be sure. It worries me when i see a picture that shows a screwdriver alongside the item you are buying, it just screams at me that the seller has been in side and is not being truly honest about its issues. Let’s just wait until it arrives to do a full assessment. I’m genuinely excited about getting this working, as my age veers ever closer to the higher numbers. I need something to stimulate my mind, what’s left of it. 😂
Assessment:
The unit has arrived and on first impressions looks clean and tidy cosmetically. The pads are not very responsive and the battery contacts are seriously corroded. The unit is a power hungry beast, taking two ”D” cell 1.5v batteries and one PP9 9v battery. The unit does not work with its batteries in place, and i’m not surprised really, and to round it all off two screws are missing from the case, and one screw mount is broken. All four plastic springs that sit under the coloured pads are broken, and just to clarify someone has already been in here and it doesn’t bode well. My previous concerns of a screwdriver being in the original photos have been confirmed. It’s been tampered with.
Broken screw mounts and contamination Bad contacts – contaminated Pads unresponsive due to broken plastic spring mounts
The board is a typical of many circuit boards from this era that were produced for MB. I had a similar circuit board on this item here: MB – Computer Battleship
Top of boardUnderneath the boardYou can see the board structure that is typical for this era. The contact points are indicated by the red arrow marks.
In the picture above you will see two arrowed points. These points are the power contacts that make contact with the two seriously corroded battery contacts you can also see above. No wonder there is no power getting to the board. I suspect this might be the cause of our electrical problem.
Repair:
First thing to do is to get those battery contacts cleaned, as well as having a good clean of the main board. This has now been done. I’ve repaired the broken screw post by simply using a rubber washer that has been sufficient for this repair.
Contacts before and after
A friend of mine has kindly offered to print me off four of the “Double Y” springs to replace the ones that are already in place and broken. He owes me a favour or three and needs some subject matter to run through his new 3D printer so I’m very pleased to help him, as pending the outcome I may well buy one myself, as I have been threatening to do so for a while now. This should sort out the issue of the unresponsive pads, first found in the assessment of the item. He’s panicking that they might not be smooth and beautiful, I’ve told him not to worry as they are hidden inside anyway.
What I currently have on the left, what I’m expecting on the right
He’s just supplied me with five double “Y” pieces just in case one is damaged in some way. Let’s get these put in place to see the difference these make.
Out with the oldIn with the new
With the new springs in place the pads are working as they were originally designed to, now with some springiness in their operation. The battery contacts have now also been put back in place.
Cleaned contacts back in place
When assembled, the buttons are a little erratic and not always responsive so I decide to look into this further. A quick Look at the board shows that the solder contacts on the board for all of the button connections are worn, the solder has failed so I decide to reflow all these solder joints to improve the contacts. This appears to have worked as the unit when reassembled, now has uninterrupted operation. This is an age related issue. A simple fix.
Old solder joints that have failed and needed re-flowing
Result:
Another 47 year old saved from the scrap heap, it’s been an interesting and sometimes confusing repair and I thank my friend who stepped in to save the day by utilising his 3D printer to make some parts. Without his assistance this repair would not have been achievable.
Looking smart after a quick clean
It’s just another old piece of retro history to add to my ever growing collection and much to my wife’s dismay. Bless her.
Now working
Thanks for passing by, as always it’s very much appreciated.
Foxes Den 
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