Tool maintenance

Checking up the rate of blooming of cherry blossoms at Nakayama Satsuki Hill, went I to the usual place. 70% blooming was observed, so more one or two days before full blooming, this is probably because of the altitude elevation of 200 m higher than the ground planes. Also, a Nightingale song with deep and chillin voice reflecting in the topography of the valley.

Minolta MC ROKKOR-PF 58/1,4 old lens while silver salt film period was actually used for the first time for me, on Canon EOS 7D body without any optical adjusted adapter. Fully iris opened condition never spoils the picture quality as has been rumored among Web site streets. Though this 58/1,4 lens had been acquired from YaHoo Auction at 1,000 yen as a junk, lens cleaning, helicoid grease up and modification by myself onto Canon EOS Digital mount could have given the breath to survive it in this digital age. There is no comparable factor with modern designed with fully automatic system, or better than their performance?
I have not realized the convenience and advantage of Minolta New MD ZOOM 75-100 till I actually use and adjust view angle in a SLR finder under telephoto situation use. The picture quality does not let me complain in any way. I would carry about all the time in case I would go out for picture shooting from now.  

A deserted electric hand tool by my son was repaired well, rack of lubrication and that of bit holding friction were the reason for him to do that. Fully disassembling and grease up procedure were performed including friction slip holding spring adjustment provided in face to face inside of hexagonal hole surfaces. The original performance of this tool has acquired after re-assembling. The property of the outer gear is engineering plastic, so some care must be taken not to apply too much load if I desire to continue this longer. Small but with enough torque performance without power supply wiring could develop some broad and wide applications in maintaining my automobiles and another machinery servicing with all various kind of tips as shown in the pictures.      

Tiny but important adjustement

I found out the fact that the minimum ground clearance is affected by the backlash of the bolt holes in the trailing arm constructive connection in VW 1302 Super Beetle. Actual measurement on the portion revealed that 1 cm difference between right and left height. As a matter of fact, this kind of critical geometric deviation in axle construction might cause any discrepancies, there is no room to suspect. Torsion bar spring axle design makes it difficult to keep the parallelism between torsion bar arm & trailing arm connective potion when build up and fixed tightly. The supporting position of axle arm is very important to do that accurately, the end of the torsion bar arm should be done, not trailing arm itself. Relatively a big wood hummer with mass plays an active role in the precise adjustment situation keeping the parallelism and antero-posterior position. Just a steady efforts are my way as usual. 30 minutes muscle action while lunch time has improved drive feel considerably.
As various problems in Super Beetle has been solved and reduced gradually, the free play on the steering gear link construction with worm gear and drag link module make me feel worse leading to some instability of driving because the relieved centricity of steering is spoiled by the hysteresis phenomena caused by the backlash there. Backing rudder action is required and it's timing is delayed all the time, bad steering manner invites driving fatigue for me. The opinion mentioned here is very strict area of centric position, so ordinary driver would not perceive this phenomena. Anyway, the counter measure for this problem must be considered for the next attempt. I'm sure that much more steering stability while straight running would be obtained if the backlashes would be eliminated in a way, screwing in the clearance adjuster on the gear box and inserting some engineering plastic thin film on the moving surfaces gap in the drag-link construction?
Steady efforts would generate substantial driving joy without any arguments.

Anti-reflection

All of Minolta MC and MD lenses that modified to adopt onto Canon EOS Digital format image had final work to paint anti-refection mat black with TAMIYA FLAT BLACK color. This kind of steady work would play a good part to obtain a good transparencies. Tens of Minolta old lense have enough physical property to imprint information on CMOS, no dissatisfaction is observed when actually used. Though there exist some inconvenience as fully manual setting on these lenses except automatic EV exposure compared with recent automatic focusing and electric compensation program especially on vignetting, I dare accept these inconveniences. I pay good attention on a single shot, one by one, this is my shooting style nourished while 4inch by 5inch silver salt format film period of time.   

Spring is coming up close

The cherry blossom would be in full bloom in 2 or 3 days at Nakayama Sakura Hill in Hyogo Takarazuka.
I have received a courtesy call this morning by a young ANA pilot who has moved just in front of my villa, his family has a newly build sweet home with an infant. They will lead a happy life from now here. His personality is very friendly, so we would become good friends each other, because I have not a little interest in airplane. We would have some discussion about Reynolds coefficient, slat and slit on main wing. 

VW1302 Super Beetle condition

Cylinder head valve clearance adjustment on VW air-cooled motor AD in 1302 Super Beetle changed my chronic perception on OHV low speed motor and led me to the conclusion that more break-in operation is necessary to exert the originally designed performance of the combustion motor, high rotational driving would be effective to make it possible to obtain smooth and active response including transient property at every speed range. Though OHV design had been invited on this 43 years old motor, precise adjustment in mechanical and electric parts in every portion would play an interesting aspect from now. Motor oil replacement and spark plug's gaps precise adjustment at 0,5mm with thickness gauge would be the next attempts. Though I have passed legal inspection in exhaust gas emission, fee I some richer mixture, idle mixture adjustment by air volume control screw in Solex 34PICT3 carburetor would be done. Exhaust pipe end on the main muffler shows carbon deposition.

VW 1302 Super Beetle alignment

Making the tolerance of thrust angle narrower in VW 1302 Super Beetle is the work now. The thrust angle in a vehicle is the direction of rear total toe direction to the centric line of the geometric axle construction and the vector direction should be well considered in combination with the total toe value. Because the adjustment of the value is directed by the rear trailing arm adjustment, so the equilibrium of the wheel bases on both side is an indispensable element not to be forgotten at all while the adjustment. Narrower tolerance the better for the wheel alignment adjustment is the principle to be remembered all the time. At the fine stage, the frontal toe direction while straight running on the flat ground surface below 60km/h is the key to complete the work, because all the constructive error would be appear here as a the specific "Habit", so to write the thrust angle judged from frontal wheel and some very slight rear toe value adjustment would be performed with precise and keen concentration to make it come to zero angle value. There exist some uneven wear on the ground touching surfaces of every tire caused by historic uneven wheel alignment, some breaking period of driving time is necessary till the steering centric position should be established firmly. Repetitions of this kind of adjustment is indispensable to carry out the correct wheel alignment on the correct geometric axle construction. Thank to my own sober effort on this procedures, my Super Beetle attains better steering reactions and better driving feel. She is the second to none even now on the point.    

For convenience

Flowers in my neighborhood had bloomed while I had made a journey to Hong Kong, especially long waited one is now in full bloom condition as shown in the pictures. I have been waiting for this admirable and imposing flower, I did wait impatiently, but I feel some sorrow after observing it in full bloom, because it has already a destination to fall wither definitely, as we do in future...
I determined to replace my mobile phone handsets from to ordinary one, because I have never used it's functions as young peoples does in the train. Not bulky and lighter performance would be convenient for me to carry about. It is not my choice originally to be linked and connected with other person even with my own sweet heart by way of invisible red strings. I wand to be free from anything once I get out of my home and working place, releasing myself from any emotional stress on earth. I want to be free from anything boring me.

Moving to new place

Today I'm busy for moving luggage storage in my villa to now garage place, most of them are periodical replacement parts for OPEL B-Vectra, BC7 SUBARU Legacy LSi US model and VW 1302 Super Beetle. Also electrical measuring and scaling instruments for circuitry tests including a oscillograph and frequency oscillator, specified store tidy in the new place is important. It would take me all day long. Discard pile of garbage for half a century, because my long used villa in the mountain would be sold away soon.  I heard a new Spring voice of Nightingale this morning at usual place in Cherry Blossom Hill with some information of silence and  loneliness.  

Hong Kong

Just I returned home from a jaunt to Hong Kong for 4 days, this is why I didn't write blogs these days. As I used my friend's camera, pictures '7s blog, not a few beautiful ones would be done, I'm sure! Remembering a famous movie, "Love is a many splendored thing", did I the places.
Only main streets were touristy, the condition that is just superficial was the same as that of Shangai tens years ago.
Alleys were more interesting than developed main streets there.
Though proverb says, "If we live anywhere Metropolitan.", the change of air this time made me recognize that the place OSAKA is the only suitable place for me to stand to live.

Minolta MD 75-150 on EOS

As I mentioned before Minolta MD ZOOM 75-150 has modified to adopt onto Canon EOS Digital image format at last. I feel some sorrow to have given an irreversible destruction on Minolta older SLR bayonet mount nail by grinding, but for this kind of aggressive remolding there, this MD ZOOM lens would be kept by someone else just only for correction item, no way to survive at the forefront of works in this digital age. In another words, I have given it's future life like a Phoenix on it. It has revealed that I cannot find out any sentence to hit any gossip nor complaints on the performance if used on Canon EOS digital image format, just it is nothing but one of the most excellent compact ZOOM lens on earth!  

Better Luck!

As a good luck this morning, I have acquired a Samsonite travel luggage bag at our apartment waste yard, any inconvenience was observed in it, no dirt, no dysfunction, no defeat, no strange smell nor no distortion. I don't know why this bag was deserted that looks completely new with a small abrasion scratch on the handle that is easily mended by touch painting? Opening the fasteners, found I a small piece of instruction paper, in addition, as for my surprise, 2 pieces of small key for padlocking were included. Remember that! I am about to travel to Hong Kong on tomorrow morning! This bag would be utilized for the purpose without any hesitation! Although an atheist I am, now I should overturn my engrained theory as a scientist, believing in God. 

Disposable lens?

Minolta MD ZOOM 75-150 2 times view angle adjustable lens is now under construction to adopt onto Canon EOS bayonet mount and complicated construction design makes it difficult to establish infinity focusing position a bit. The designing are different from the former modification on MD 35-105 and 35-70, it would be available safe if it is done orderly step by step, because the lens had been assembled in the factory it would be disassembled and re-assembled. However conditionally that irreversible constructive methods had not been introduced such as engineering plastic barrel and molding shrink fitting invited in latest MD models. There would be no way to disassemble for cleaning maintenance. It is the result of pandering to the distribution of disposable economy, is it a correct way to apply such a principle on lens production, though the producing company says the purpose of introducing is nothing but for weight reduction setting to a cover the fact? I don't agree with the opinion and this is why I prefer maintainable  MC generation to later disposable MD lenses if the weight of them are lighter and easy to carry about. This lens with relatively low view angle adjustable ZOOM lens would play a good new hopeful world in telephoto shooting.

Cold early in the morning

Moderate weather condition does not require any heavy winter clothing in OSAKA today in the daytime, but in the early morning was not probably around zero degree celsius in the mountain of Nakayama in Takarazuka Hyogo Pref., yes, I happened to coming across with the situation of some fault condition of a side-car that belongs to my friend in neighborhood. The motorcycle must be some replica or gimmick, so I thought at first, but it is an actual military production made in Russia, the product is the very dead copy from BMW while the WW2 in Europe.
He said that the motor starts but stops soon he does know why, so I helped to check it according to the principle, good mixture, good compression, good timing, good spark. The terminal of the plug is wet a little but not drenched, spark is no problem, so doubted I some lack of fuel supply first, I ordered him to give fuel a little into the throttle directly as to continue first idling. Then the flat 2 boxer motor continued to rotate for the time being and there was no symptom to stop any more. Simply, a lack of choke fuel supply led to stop under some relatively cold atmospheric condition. Especially, the importance for this kind of trouble requires some skill to identify if the mixture is rich or lean, in another words, the motor wants fuel or air. He disappeared to proceed the touring to Japan Sea area without any hesitation, I hope he comes back safe without any accidents in traffic and mechanically.

I found out the fact that even with a compact digital camera it's possible to obtain high quality records if SLR digital camera was not invited. I appreciate the improvement of technology in this field especially in lens designing departments by the production companies. I must try not to loose my own identity to insist on bulky SLR camera.

Maintenance versus modification

While I was checking the plug gaps on GM X-20 motor in OPEL B-Vectra, found out I some lack of motor lubricant 1 L by chance, the oil level gauge has not been paid attention to as long as one and a half year. 150,000km used motor might have consumed unexpectedly, but this is not caused by some oil leak somewhere in oil gallery but by just consumption for lubricants. Plug gaps were kept in the standard value of 0,90mm promptly. In addition, Microflon powder was applied in both motor and power steering fluid after mixing well. Stable idling under relatively quiet atmosphere was obtained as usual. BC7 SUPBARU LSi US model might need also the same maintenance for lubricants and for plug gaps.

My son turns deaf ears to me ignoring my important advices on his toy like automobile and he is going to desert his BLE SUBARU B4 3L model ordering new item, 1997 produced TOYOTA CRESTA 2,5L model paying a plenty of money, 750,000 yen just like fri-like and throw them in a ditch!  He is going to play with that modified automobile by drifting challenge. I'm anxious about his future dangers, while maintaining one and actual circuit running accident. I just pray that he would not be injured with irreversible dysfunctions such as born fracture and blindness, in the worst he might be fallen into incapacitated body condition leading to returning his medical license to the Government? He is now crazy in playing drifting running, so I have no way to return him to the correct way, a young people would not recognize himself as a primitive fool until he comes to an end? 

Focusing rail

I have obtained Minolta focusing rail in dead stock condition from YaHoo Auction at some reasonable price. This device plays a good part of close up shooting situation by moving camera body with fixed focus condition, so, the accuracy for focusing would be far improved especially in case of stable objects, saying good-by to hand holding gambling , such as betting a suspenseful shooting. Basically, the rail part is one of slide copying construction, I use this only for the upper purpose, so unnecessary connected rail parts were thrown away also for weight reduction. This tool would be carried with me from now especially for macro lens close up and telephoto lens shooting situation.
Now, I don't feel any necessity to proceed to a more larger format such as 645 than APS-C if there would be any inquiry from some magazine company in our field. Before we pursue the resolution of the equipment, we must perceive the resolving power of human eyes.

Problem

As a personal problem, my house keeping person complains about the foot marks I do, dirty oily sweat on my soles. I don't know her emotional condition, after some hard working everyday, it's a very natural phenomena to sweat on soles for a healthy human being, don't you think so? She orders me to wear socks immediately after wake up before getting out of bed. I recommend she is keeping home so clean and shinny all the time, but to complain on involving in human dignity? She had better live alone and I would go my way for about 20 years from now. I don't have any peace and spacious at home now. How shall I do on this problem?  

Neat Super Beetle

Valve adjusted 11 motor in VW 1302 Super Beetle performs very well like an another different new one, so I have recognized the importance of precise valve clearance adjustment even on OHV motor that functions at relatively low rotating speed. I feel some inconvenience of ignition timing only when after starting in the morning that was not experienced before, this phenomena has become apparent after the clearance adjustment. Also, carburetor setting need re-adjustment including contact point's gap re-adjustment, contacting terminal surface flattening too.

Macro lenses

Minolta MD Macro 100/4 manual focusing lens on Canon EOS Digital format image records fine pictures, so my efforts for adaptation was fully rewarded. Thanks to high ASA setting on 800, hand holding shooting is available, this situation was not imagined while the silver salt film period, Ektachrome 64 and Kodachrome 50, the age has come to enjoy close-up photography easily! I have no complaint on this Macro lens. In addition, I have Nikon Macro 105/4 and 105/2,8, the former one had been used in the site of actual clinical surgery in combination with single strobe righting condition on a special mounting blacked, 180 degree rotating mount produced by Washington Scientific Camera Co. P.O. Box 88681 Tukwila, Wa. 98188. This shadow position adjustable single lighting tool is far worthy than any other ring strobe light that is often used by many doctors, 3 dimensional reproduction of texture is incomparable with pastel-like pictures just with color contrast. SUNPAK GX17 small guide number strobe without any AC power supply was very convenient for crowded atmosphere in a closed operation room. Color resolution was superior to another ones, the arc tube equipped inside was imported from some foreign specialty company, better than Rolley in combination with Ektachrome 64 and Kodachrome 64. As a matter of fact, we could have gain good reputations by the audience at professional societies in medical field. Because we have thousands of transparencies in storage boxes, they must be reprinted into Digital Archive by means of slide copying. Lazy and tiresome tasks are waiting.

Fine Super Beetle

All the valve clearances on the right side bank were too much, so I did adjust them to the standard value of 0,150mm precisely with best concentration. No rough valve hitting noise was discerned after that. I'm looking forward to feel the best condition of 11 flat four boxer motor on my way home. Thank to my desperate effort to establish the condition of Thrust angle zero, it goes straight without unnecessary steering adjusting including in the situation of starting and stopping. I come to not to let this Super Beetle go away more and more.

Misperception

It is a matter for regret to describe like this, it's nothing but my own shame to have been on my misunderstanding by frivolous belief. Because AD motor on VW 1302 Super Beetle with the construction of Over Head Valve design has long valve pushing rods, the valve clearance adjustment does not require the precisions just without too much tight clearance, there exist not a few uncertainties in OHV engine valve clearance adjustment. Consequently, I regarded the adjustment on it might requires precise one compared with some direct hitting in OHC motors. But, the adjustment applied on only on left side bank of AD motor causing hitting noise had completely changed my selfish perceived notion, the performance of the motor had far improved incredibly after that, of course the valve hitting noise disappeared. Torque and transition at every rotation and idling stability have become so smooth and powerful like after the motor replacements into new one. Also, valve lifting values on every cylinder and combustion state with aligned grains has most to do with the motor performance as a common sense. As left bank had done yesterday with a better result, so today the right bank of 11 motor hoping the best one.

Car and camera

Strange hitting noise was discerned this morning from the rear portion of VW 1302 Super Beetle 11AD flat 4 motor, careful checking led me to the sound source, it was from around left valve locker cover, I'm sure that it must be caused by valve hitting action with too much clearance on the left bank. According to the manual, all the valves in and out should be adjust at the value of 0,15mm while cold condition, I'll do that after lunch time today, easy to open the valve locker cover just by release the clump construction, before that I must seek and find out thickness gauge somewhere in my junk boxen. Because Beetle causes problems, I prefer it to another smart automobiles.

I made successful bid yesterday, Minolta MD ZOOM 75-150 at 2,000yen without any hesitation. And I'm prepared for modifying it to adopt onto Canon EOS bayonet mount as usual, an engineering plastic bayonet nail part is waiting for the arrival of a new comer. it's like my innate chronic disease without any half-raw! Probably, Low-magnification zoom lens like this would play a good performance for actual use, it would be also one more fun!

Cold weather these days prevents flowering of Camellia in my neighborhood. The temperature outside is around zero degree celsius, but in the daytime warm as an early Spring season.
Gave up to participate in come to Nara Nigatsudo for the Buddhism Priests Ceremony, Omizutori, because feel I some unnaturalness to attend to such a ceremonious situation for myself, unclean person, ordinal civil and being in atheist, also very cold it would be on coming Thursday.

Chilly this morning

Frozen wind screen of VW 1302 Super Beetle with window washer liquid proved the temperature outside was below zero degree celsius this morning, it is completely different from yesterday, lower than yesterday 13 degree on earth! We must be careful enough not to catch cold in the difference between the intense cold and warm. The flowers camellia bloomed yesterday must be trembling in this cold weather, also no bee was found.
Arranging automobile maintenance tools on new garage surface has almost finished yesterday, so, I do not shop around in a tool box for the purpose instrument in future. Also, mobile tool storage wagon was repaired on moving part of upper lid, rough treatment had destroyed slide bearing support, now it re-obtained original functions.

Pollution

Nakayama Satsuki hill in Hyogo Pref. Takarazuka did not command a clear and fine view of OSAKA Plane this morning, the reason is Particulates in the atmosphere from Red China. It consists of two different type of particles, one is usual yellow sand contaminant particles and another is air pollutants by remarkable Chinese industrial production. Once Japan had the same kind of severe pollutions everywhere tens years ago. Yellow sand comes from Taklamakan Desert and Gobi Desert originally and settled on Yellow River plateau, then it comes up to the air as a matter of fact, it comes to Japan land riding on the Westerlies. I was obliged to wipe out the window screens of XH200 OPEL B-Vectra and BC7 SUBARU Legacy LSi US model before starting with a piece of wet cloth. We can complain only about some selfish industrial air pollution by China, but about Yellow micro grain sand, because the criminal to have cut down off a huge area of Woods there had gone away a few centuries ago already, Ethnic Xiongnu. Then, to whom shall we complain on the critical problem?

Warm today

I'm going to put maintenance tools for automobiles on the garage wall, now in consideration of  sequence in response to the frequency of actual use, glasses shape wrenches and ratchet ones are the main layout.
As I do not get accustomed to use of Zoom lenses, some training is necessary to use it freely, Minolta MD ZOOM 35-105 on Canon EOS. This lens shows typical Minolta color resolution and color contrast, flashy and glossy. Bees cannot wait for full bloom this morning.

10 degree celsius up than usual required some change of mixture of Solex 34PICT3 carburetor in VW 1302 Super Beetle making it leaner mixture condition by opening a bit the air volume control screw, counter clockwise 1/32 rotation.

Bearing lubrication

Strange noise from the main shaft supporting bearing in an another air compressor obliged me to maintain the equipment last late at night. The production date is 1978, so over 35 years have passed, I wonder why the lubricant inside of the main seal bearing has been lasted till now.
According to the information from bearing producing factory, lubricant grease should be replaced 3 to 4 times a year if used in the condition of below 7,000 rpm at 80 degree celcius, so it's unnatural to have kept rotation till now after 35 years of production. I found it possible to be continued without replacing bearing by just applying lubricant by splay grease. Strange noise disappeared after that. These equipments would last me long from now as consumer durables.

Equipment maintenance

Special tools for car maintenance shown here are very seldom to be used but necessary and indispensable when I'm in a standstill situation such as narrowest, no place for handle waving. Strong chain connected inside as their inner mechanical construction they were designed, the in-put rotation power point could be moved, in addition, final tightening torque could be acceptable. 9.5mm and 12,7mm squared shapes are the same as ordinary socket wrench handles promptly. 9,5mm "Barrier Wrench" was used for replacing main engine mount of B-Vectra a year ago, no other wrench could be available to access the point on the servicing from the bottom side of the engine room. Final additional tightening torque could be applied safe only with this "Barrier Wrench".
Also, old but in good condition air compressor was serviced on belt tension and on discharging of bilge, not a litter water in the bottom of the air tank was done.

Wheel alignment

As a first step for precise scaling and adjusting on wheel alignment and axle geometric construction, ground level was checked utilizing Pascal's law. This is an indispensable procedure for adjusting vertical inclination of the wheels, especially for camber value setting. Showing in the picture, LASER pointer equipped device is used for measuring lateral direction of the wheels.
I have realized again the importance of establishing "Thrust angle" for any 4 wheel automobile. After adjusting right rear wheel in VW 1302 Super Beetle to minus thrust direction by extending left trailing arm length, the steering centric position had changed into left direction, counter clockwise direction 1 mm displacement on the steering column marking as imagined before this procedure. The centricity of the automobile meets with my own sense as usual leading to self sense of security by eliminating any symptoms to wondering while driving in various situations. I didn't know this truth and fact until I establish the wheel alignment and the axle constructive geometry. Cars of mass production are not in the circumstance to be adjusted on this important proposition because of a problem of production cost, so I am focusing on this point. The more precisely established wheel alignment, the better for astringent driving.