Repair of Waterproof compass binoculars.

Martin_J

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The binoculars are the basic £100 Seago Bushmaster binocular 7x50, waterproof, nitrogen purged, with built in compass and up until now very good.

Last weekend with no knowledge of the binoculars being dropped, the compass and 'distance off' scale in the RH eyepiece has become dislodged. The compass and scale now float around within the view, usually tilted which means the compass is invisible but also it affects the view (like a prism) by deflecting the image.

Has anyone any experience of getting waterproof binoculars repaired in the UK? (Guarantee was for 1 yr so no use now).
I fully expect the cost of repair to be not worthwhile so my second question will now be - Has anyone ever managed to take these apart successfully. I could at least have a working spare pair of binoculars (albeit non waterproof now) but cannot find any easy way to split them at the moment.
 

Thamesbank

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Fiddly work

I repaired my old field bins after dropping them. I saw a doubled image through them, which made me feel quite sick.
The solution was a lot of dismantling and pulling things apart until I got to the offending glass refractor thingy, which had become dislodged. They now work fine, but it took ages. Maybe donate to someone with a lot of patience and buy a new pair!
 

Martin_J

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Re: Fiddly work

Thanks - this is what I'm expecting to do - when I can find the hidden screws under the rubber armour.

I just didn't want to do this and then find a response from somebody saying - 'I know somewhere that does a fixed cost £60 repair' - would be just my luck.
 

smeaks

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Posted last week or so with a doubke vision problem on heap bins (Plastimo0. All were very helpfull. I began to strip off the waterproof armour and did not find any access.... until i noticed the knurlled rings holding the large lens in place... this tapped off with a light tap with a driver and released the lens... similar on the eye piece .. this allowed access into the body. the lenses were reseated and all found to be good upon reassembly. Though i doubt i can now claim to have nitrogen purged bins! The armour i did remove was replaced successfully with contact adhesive. Good luck
 

MASH

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Re: Fiddly work

I doubt anyone will fix this for an economic rate. £100 bins are replaceable, if feeling ambitious or stingy take them apart and have a go yourself. I had condensation in mine last year and took them apart with a watchmaker's screwdriver set and a couple of adapted tools. Its not too hard, just keep the various screws in the compartments of an egg box or similar with a label identifying where they came from, and maybe a series of sketches to remind you how to put it together again...

Satisfying to achieve a seamanlike working repair like that - and you've lost nothing if it doesn't work. Go for it!
 

Martin_J

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Re: Fiddly work

Thanks for all the input.
I did just call Action Optics and they were extremely helpful and were familiar with the make. They explained that the compass part is in a cube that is screwed (or was screwed) to the body. They even explained the nitrogen purge process.
I thought that £100 binos would be uneconomic to repair - but at approx £40 for an ActionOptics repair then my old faithful binoculars would be back to their working, waterproof and nitrogen filled status. They even offered to meet up 'on the water' to collect them from me.
OK - still in two minds whether to repair them myself as I'd usually do - but in this case just couldn't find any way to open them (no screws visible). Will check out removing the eyepiece first when I'm home.
 

actionoptics

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Re: Fiddly work

Hello Martin. I thought you said the ranging reticle was loose which was why I said it is in a 'tube' which screws in. It is likely that the loose tube is blocking the view of the compass but no problem, if the compass has also become loose it can be fixed back in place. Same price. If you want to have a go yourself and you can get to the Ashlett S C rally in Portsmouth this weekend, I'll show you how to 'get-inside' without doing more damage.
 

Martin_J

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Re: Fiddly work

WOW - see above response for how helpful ActionOptics are!
I never mentioned the forum when I called them and they've updated me already via it.
Thanks - you're right. Maybe it was just the rangefinder disc that has come loose and it's that that is wobbling round and blocking the view of the compass.
Perhaps I'll be buying the beer on Saturday for this advice...
 
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