NikonGear'23

Gear Talk => What the Nerds Do => Topic started by: richardHaw on July 06, 2016, 02:13:56

Title: re-silvering prisms
Post by: richardHaw on July 06, 2016, 02:13:56
Hello, does anybody know a company that re-silvers prisms? (vacuum depositing aluminium) :o :o :o
a well-known camera restoration company here offers the service but the price is not cheap. ::) manual silvering is OK i guess but the proper way of doing this is vacuum deposition.  Thanks!
Title: Re: re-silvering prisms
Post by: Akira on July 06, 2016, 03:15:32
I guess you already tried Hayata Camera...
Title: Re: re-silvering prisms
Post by: richardHaw on July 06, 2016, 03:55:22
I guess you already tried Hayata Camera...

03-5318-22** I called this guy :o :o :o
Title: Re: re-silvering prisms
Post by: richardHaw on July 06, 2016, 03:55:54
Kanto actually offers the same service but as usual kanto is not cheap  :o :o :o
Title: Re: re-silvering prisms
Post by: richardHaw on July 06, 2016, 03:59:19
by the way, hayata is not cheap too :o :o :o

maybe some glass shops can help with プリズム銀浮?
Title: Re: re-silvering prisms
Post by: Akira on July 06, 2016, 04:08:47
As you know, this kind of work is in general more expensive in Japan than in other places.  The same goes with the IR modification of the camera (see Koheisha).
Title: Re: re-silvering prisms
Post by: Hugh_3170 on July 06, 2016, 04:40:24
Do you have any colleagues in university research departments such as physics, optics, or solid state research teams?  Also materials science people.  Usually they have the required gear. 

(just 0.02c worth from a wicked lapsed physicist.)
Title: Re: re-silvering prisms
Post by: richardHaw on July 06, 2016, 04:54:49
telescope hobbyists should actually know some places but I do not know anybody here who is into astrology :o :o :o

Akira: yes, it is not cheap. i may send this to the UK. I will calculate the cost and if it is not too expensive, i will try kanto. by the way, Hayata is a Lecia specialist
Title: Re: re-silvering prisms
Post by: Akira on July 06, 2016, 05:17:31
Hayata used to re-silver pentaprisms of older SLRs.  I don't know if they still offer the service.
Title: Re: re-silvering prisms
Post by: Hugh_3170 on July 06, 2016, 05:30:15
Astronomy?  ;D

Yes, people grinding their own mirrors for reflector telescopes must know where to get silvering work done.  Are there any telescope shops near where you live that could help?  BINTEL is one such shop that I know of in Sydney. (http://www.bintel.com.au)

Title: Re: re-silvering prisms
Post by: richardHaw on July 07, 2016, 03:52:10
Thanks, guys. looks like the minimum here in japan is around $100 per prism :o :o :o i am sure that they are taking those somewhere to be vacuum deposited.  ::)

as far as telescope shops, i know one but it is kinda far. they sell new ones so they probably do not have knowledge about restoration...
Title: Re: re-silvering prisms
Post by: Erik Lund on July 07, 2016, 09:59:22
Sorry but 100$ sounds like a very cheap solution to me - Considering labour, materials and machine costs,,,
Title: Re: re-silvering prisms
Post by: richardHaw on July 07, 2016, 10:22:49
Sorry but 100$ sounds like a very cheap solution to me - Considering labour, materials and machine costs,,,

Hello, Erik. I will get back to you when I confirm because we might have found somebody who would do that for less than half of that price :o :o :o
Title: Re: re-silvering prisms
Post by: Erik Lund on July 07, 2016, 10:41:22
He he, sure there are always people who will make a discount, but will the quality be discount as well,,,
Title: Re: re-silvering prisms
Post by: Hugh_3170 on July 07, 2016, 12:28:28
Richard, setting up is a big cost with vacumn deposition machinery.  If you have more than one item to re-silver, it might pay you to ask about the costing for several items.  Pumping down the vacumn chambers, baking items to expell gases and so on takes a lot of time and energy.  More cost if liquid nitrogen etc is to be used in the final pump down.  The actual deposition is by no means the most expensive part of the overall deal.
Title: Re: re-silvering prisms
Post by: richardHaw on July 10, 2016, 05:22:03
He he, sure there are always people who will make a discount, but will the quality be discount as well,,,
Hi, Erik! This guy from the UK is a telescope and photography specialist, so I think it's OK :o :o :o me and buddy are both looking into combining our prisms to cut down the cost of shipping,etc. ::)
Title: Re: re-silvering prisms
Post by: richardHaw on July 10, 2016, 05:24:25
Richard, setting up is a big cost with vacumn deposition machinery.  If you have more than one item to re-silver, it might pay you to ask about the costing for several items.  Pumping down the vacumn chambers, baking items to expell gases and so on takes a lot of time and energy.  More cost if liquid nitrogen etc is to be used in the final pump down.  The actual deposition is by no means the most expensive part of the overall deal.
Hello, Hugh! Vacuum deposition can be DIY'd but i do not have the space or money for that right now. There are people selling table top machines for that on the net (chinese companies). :o :o :o silver results in a slightly darker mirror according to some people here in Japan who went that route so aluminium deposition is still best.
Title: Re: re-silvering prisms
Post by: the solitaire on July 15, 2016, 19:50:59
Damn! I should really give these guys a phone call, but moving takes up all of my spare time for the moment. Apologies for that.
Title: Re: re-silvering prisms
Post by: richardHaw on July 16, 2016, 03:16:06
that's OK. i am not in a hurry :o :o :o