My $60 lens spanner just paid for itself on one job

I bought a cheap lens spanner set off Amazon last month for about $60, and finally used it today to open a stuck 50mm f/1.4 that had a jammed focus ring. Took maybe 10 minutes to get it apart, clean the helicoid grease, and put it back together working smooth. Anyone else find a tool that seemed like a gamble but ended up saving you money quick?

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john_johnson753mo ago

That "paid for itself" part is kinda off though. A $60 tool paying for itself on one job would mean you charged over $60 for that fix, which is a lot just to clean a helicoid. Most shops do that for $40-50. So you really saved maybe $20 after the tool cost. Still a good deal if you use it again.

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blake4323mo ago

You can rent those jig tools from the library of things now, saves buying one.

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