boggyfresh

After a 1 month battle... finally took it apart!
Leslie I did actually miss 2 small, real deep screws (heart0less pointed them out earlier in the thread). That helped separate the front focusing element from the 2 rear cylinders, which were still "welded" together so my problem wasn't quite solved yet.
Decided to throw that part into the freezer for 30 min. Meanwhile boiled about an inch of water in a pan (it's like I'm on a cooking show). Put the cold lens inside a Ziploc bag and sat into the water bath with the black rim facing down (this element needed to expand since the other is screwed into it). After that the rubber strap wrenches finished the job with barely any force needed. Great success??
 

After a 1 month battle... finally took it apart!
Leslie I did actually miss 2 small, real deep screws (heart0less pointed them out earlier in the thread). That helped separate the front focusing element from the 2 rear cylinders, which were still "welded" together so my problem wasn't quite solved yet.
Decided to throw that part into the freezer for 30 min. Meanwhile boiled about an inch of water in a pan (it's like I'm on a cooking show). Put the cold lens inside a Ziploc bag and sat into the water bath with the black rim facing down (this element needed to expand since the other is screwed into it). After that the rubber strap wrenches finished the job with barely any force needed. Great success??
 

are you sure you haven't missed any little screws around the outside ?  i have heard of paint covering them over,  making disassembly  near impossible

Did you try unscrewing these?