How to open a Weston Range 9 Light Meter?

[Stephan Goldstein]

I just picked up one of these and it has a broken window over
the meter needle. If I move the glass fragments out of the way
it appears alive, at least the needle moves in response to light.
Does anyone know how to open up the case? I'd like to remove
the broken pieces and see if what I've got is usable - if so I can
fashion a new window from a microscope slide.

Thanks for the bandwidth!

Steve

 

[gothika]

On Wed, 28 Jan 2004 00:29:29 GMT, teveg666@ultranet.com (Stephan
Goldstein) wrote:
Those old meters go way back. I used them early in my military days.
As I recall they have a heavy cast metal case that's of a clam shell
design, held together with screws. They may be hidden under decals.
(thin metal sheets that are stuck on with adhesive.)
On ours the screws were on the back side of the meter, 4 stainless I
believe. They were combat models though.
Rather than use a microscope slide which would be difficult to cut to
size and would easily shatter use lexan instead. Or plexi.
The meter will also have to be calibrated after all these years.
They used a selenium cell and they tend to weaken over time.
There'll be a zero set screw on the back or possible the front.
An easy way to set it is to use a modern meter either a hand held or
an in camera one. Take an incident reading off a medium range light
source(one neither to bright or too dim) with the new meter then take
a reading with the weston. note the difference. Adjust the calibration
screw unitl you get the needle to swing up to the correct reading.
This is as accurate as you'll get these old meters, usually around 1/4
to 1/2 a stop, more than enough for even the most critical film work.
Most color negative film has at least a 4 over and 2 under latitude
and slide film at least 1 stop.

I just picked up one of these and it has a broken window over
the meter needle. If I move the glass fragments out of the way
it appears alive, at least the needle moves in response to light.
Does anyone know how to open up the case? I'd like to remove
the broken pieces and see if what I've got is usable - if so I can
fashion a new window from a microscope slide.

Thanks for the bandwidth!

Steve