Fixing a 1985 Nikon FE2 last week made me miss the old parts catalogs

Three years ago, I could call a guy in Chicago and get a replacement shutter speed dial in two days. Last month, I spent three hours just finding a cross-reference for a tiny spring. Anyone else have a go-to spot for old mechanical bits now?

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3 Comments

karenf406mo ago

Honestly, have you tried asking in old-school camera repair shops for their dead parts bins?

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oliviac226mo ago

Read a blog post about someone finding rare parts that way.

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beth_sanchez474mo ago

It's wild how much finding random bits like that mirrors the shift in everything else lately. Stuff used to be built to last and easy to fix, now it's all planned obsolescence and frustration. Even simple appliances feel like you need a degree just to swap out a part.

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