Help! Inon viewfinder locking ring needed.

Hi.  Can anyone help me please?  I need to find a locking ring for an Inon 45 degree viewfinder.  I seem to have lost it!  Inon UK don't have any in stock.  There are suppliers who advertise them....$4.99 for the ring, $30 for post & packing!  Has anyone got one spare please, or know where I can get one?  Thanks.  Pete

The postal charge is a big high, but postage has grown to Everest heights these days.
Suggestions: 

1. Contact Mr. Chia-Ming at Fun-In (http://www.fun-in.com.tw/oc/index.php?route=common/home)
or DiverVision, maybe they can mail it in a regular envelope for less.

2. Visit your local camera stores, maybe they have a metric thread ring.

3. Visit a local machine shop, maybe they can make a ring for you.

Please tell us when you find a solution.  Good luck!

Thanks for the suggestions.  Divervision was one of my first calls, and their postage was very high.  If I can identify the thread, I can machine something down to size.  More research needed!  Thanks again.  Pete

Hi, I have a Subal GW45 viewfinder which, I read somewhere, is a modified Inon 45 vf.  The male thread is 1 mm, the o.d. of the male is 25.5 mm and the threaded part is 5 mm long with only 3 threads.   

The retaining ring i.d. is 25 mm, od is 34 mm, thickness is 3 mm.  

I am not a machinist, my  temptation would be to make the ring out of ABS, and heat mold or pour the threads.  Maybe that would be strong enough, or it would serve as a template for a definitive aluminum ring.

But I would first contact Mr Chia Ming at Fun-In, Taiwan,  or Mr. Kevin Palmer at Reef Photo in Florida, and if they have it, ask they please mail the ring in a first class letter envelope.  Otherwise the buyer gets nailed by the postal and handling fee.  

Cheers!

You can get one from

 https://fotografit.eu/products/188-inon/2789-inon---lock-ring-for-viewfinder-unit/

for 8 Euro. Shipping should not be so expensive.

Thanks guys.  Tried the fotografit website, but if you follow it through it wants to charge 49 Euros for UPS shipping.  I will try ringing them.

Thanks for the info on the thread size too - I'll investigate that further!
Best regards. Pete

Pete

I'd be happy to mail it to the UK for you if Fotografit will send it to me in Amsterdam for a reasonable price. Inside EU mailing for something so small is usually about €4.50.

It'd be about, say, €8-€10 to mail on to the UK. I'd happily bring it to the UK to mail it for you but, Coronavirus, quarantine etc etc.... I can't get there! I've been trying since March.

Only thing is, it needs to reach me before the end of the first week in July. I'm moving.....

If I can help, PM me and I'll send you my address.

Tim

Just done some measurements for the locking ring;

Thread ID 35.65mm

Thread OD 35.0mm (based on the OD of the viewfinder thread)

Pitch 1.5mm

Tim, many thanks for the offer.  However the website still only offers the UPS option.  I will ring them tomorrow and see if they can do it differently.  I will get back to you, but thanks again.  Pete

Correction, thread ID is 33.65.  Fat fingers this morning!

OK, I'm now fairly sure that the locking ring has an M35x1.5 thread.  My measurements match the specification.  I've found a bearing locking ring on line, which will cost me £6.80 with free shipping. 

https://www.bearings-online.co.uk/item/2699/Locknuts/KM7-Locknut-M35x15.html?vat_inc=true&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIyevNj8aS6gIViZntCh1WDA9_EAQYBSABEgI6HPD_BwE

I've ordered one - I'll let you know how I get on! 
Thanks for the help.  Pete

1 hour ago, aeromole said:

Tim, many thanks for the offer.  However the website still only offers the UPS option.  I will ring them tomorrow and see if they can do it differently.  I will get back to you, but thanks again.  Pete

No worries. Crazy mailing price! Good luck.

Update.

Good news and not so good.  The bearing locking ring arrived this morning, and has the correct thread size.  That's the good news!  However, it is a lot chunkier than the original - see the photo for comparison.  Depth should not be a problem, but the outside diameter is just a bit too big to fit inside the window space.    I have a small lathe, so a bit of machining is required!

Thanks again for the offers of help and advice.  Pete

Woah. Good luck with that!

The finished article. 

Wow, well done!