How to Refurbish Your Ricoh 500G With Damaged Seals

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A simple tipster on how to to refurbish your Ricoh 500G. Read on to see how I did it.

Photo by simonesavo

Some time ago, I talked about the characteristics of this rangefinder in this article. As mentioned in that article, this machine has only one flaw: over time the seals which are almost entirely inside the loader of the door rollers, tend to get damaged.

Photo by simonesavo

The damage was so bad that I had to redo all the trimmings.

What you will need:

  • Alcohol
  • Cotton Swab
  • Toilet paper / towel rolls
  • Cutter
  • Riga
  • Scissors
  • Neoprene Sheet

First you must find the right insulation. After a thorough research, I chose to use a roll of 40mm thick insulation with an adhesive side from Leroy Merlin for €5.

Photo by simonesavo

Now the work begins!

1) Clean the entire machine of old gaskets using cotton buds (soaked in alcohol)

Photo by simonesavo

Use the paper towel to help remove all the residue (you’ll see the finished stage of the process at the end of the tipster.)

Photo by simonesavo
Photo by simonesavo

2) Cut Neoprene strips according to the needed size.

In the case of Ricoh 500G, here are the measurements:

A – Approximately 6.8 cm x 2.2 cm (hinge side)
B – Approximately 6.8 cm x 0.8 cm (side door)
C – about 8.65 cm x 0.5 cm (low side)
D – Approximately 8.65 cm x 2 cm (top, here is also the viewfinder)

Photo by simonesavo

3) Attach the new seals, stick them well to the sides of the camera.

Photo by simonesavo
Photo by simonesavo

4) Finally, close the door and press to adhere well and bring it to form. Using a rubber band also helps.

Photo by simonesavo

Here are the photos taken with the Ricoh 500G after cleaning it:

Photo by simonesavo

Obviously, I have done this work for a Ricoh 500G but you can use the idea for any camera that needs new seals.

written by simonesavo on 2013-12-15 #gear #tutorials #tutorial #tipster #seal #ricoh-500g #refurbishing
translated by Simone Savo

4 Comments

  1. clownshoes
    clownshoes ·

    Ha ha ha. What are you trying to tell me my friend? I love the 500 G with the leaks!

  2. thegrain82
    thegrain82 ·

    Thnx for publishing !

  3. brkmn
    brkmn ·

    Hi there! I am trying to replace my light seals but I am not able to find the right insulation. The one that you mention does not bring up any results in internet. Also, the packaging seems to refer to some kind of anti-slip material, but I only know anti-slip as thin tapes. Where did you buy it and/or what could be an alternative?

  4. brkmn
    brkmn ·

    Also, you mention that the foam is 40mm thick. I guess you mean 40mm WIDE. What is the actual right thickness for the job?

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