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Dragunov
Tinkerer Username: Dragunov
Post Number: 147 Registered: 10-2007
Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) | Posted on Friday, October 02, 2009 - 01:32 pm: |
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hei! after months or years or centuries of drooling and penny saving, I got a Leica M2! of course, the only way I could afford it would be if it was beat up and broken. I wasn't lucky. mine is really beat up, fast speeds are too fast, and the opening curtain (visible when camera is wound) is cracked and leaky. SO- how easy (laugh away...) is it to fix? do I need to pull the spools? and to make those flexiclamps to take the top cover off- where do I get the sheet aluminum? what kind of store would sell that kind of thing? cheers! |
Gez
Tinkerer Username: Gez
Post Number: 147 Registered: 09-2007
Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) | Posted on Friday, October 02, 2009 - 03:21 pm: |
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Your friendly neighborhood model and craft shop, the sort of place that sells model airplanes will also sell aluminium board. The 1mm thick stuff is best for making flexiclamps. |
Dragunov
Tinkerer Username: Dragunov
Post Number: 148 Registered: 10-2007
Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) | Posted on Saturday, October 03, 2009 - 04:42 pm: |
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ok. the nearest is kinda far away though... thanks! |
Rick_oleson
Tinkerer Username: Rick_oleson
Post Number: 990 Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) | Posted on Sunday, October 04, 2009 - 11:55 am: |
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where are you? i buy material stock from www.mcmaster.com but i don't know where they will ship to. there is also, of course, www.micro-tools.com for finished flexiclamps, which may be more economical if you don't already have the metal for it. |
Dragunov
Tinkerer Username: Dragunov
Post Number: 149 Registered: 10-2007
Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) | Posted on Sunday, October 04, 2009 - 05:53 pm: |
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I'm in Canada. I was thinking of hitting a few hardware stores for this stuff, I'll try that first. micro tools is expensive! I don't want to spend $50-100 on that stuff! oh yeah, how do you guys make flexiclamps anyways? I was thinking of using a scroll saw and then a dremel... is there a real procedure? and no one's replaced a curtain on a Leica M here? help? thanks, Rick! |
Gez
Tinkerer Username: Gez
Post Number: 148 Registered: 09-2007
Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) | Posted on Monday, October 05, 2009 - 02:32 am: |
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It's fairly easy using a hand fret saw for cutting and a selection of files for trimming. Polycarbonate sheet, 1/8 and 1/4" thickness, makes excellent flexiclamps. It is easy to cut and is practically unbreakable. Your local glazing supplier or sign maker many have some off-cuts they are willing to sell. PS Microtools European branch are the biggest rip-off imaginable. They also screw the customer by overcharging on postage. |
Rlc
Tinkerer Username: Rlc
Post Number: 86 Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) | Posted on Monday, October 05, 2009 - 05:36 am: |
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Your local salvage yard should have aluminum scrap metal. I use 1/8" thick aluminum stock. Richard. |
Dragunov
Tinkerer Username: Dragunov
Post Number: 150 Registered: 10-2007
Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) | Posted on Monday, October 05, 2009 - 12:50 pm: |
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ok, thanks guys. I'll look into it. |
Glenn
Tinkerer Username: Glenn
Post Number: 675 Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) | Posted on Monday, October 05, 2009 - 01:46 pm: |
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Whatever material you use, the thickness wants to be 1/8" or there abouts. Simply measure the diameter of the item you want to loosen, then drill a hole the same diameter in a 1" x 6" strip of the chosen material - centre the hole a distance equal to its diameter from the end of the strip and on the strip's centre line. After drilling the hole, slit the strip down the centre line using a normal thickness hacksaw blade - do not use a junior hacksaw, the slit will not be wide enough to allow a good grip on the item. If you want to shape the clamp, ie round the hole end or shape the grip end, do it before you cut the slit. I produced my clamps from 3mm and 4mm semi-hard brass, using adjustable reamers to cut the final hole - I have always found that a simple hacksaw cut allows enough grip to be produced. However if you produce the hole by direct drilling, you might find the clamp slips - due to the hole being a fraction too large - in this case make the slit a narrow 'V', opening up away from the hole. This will allow greater grip on the item to be removed. If you want to replace the blinds properly there are no short cuts, unfortunately I cannot give you any practical advice. I purchased both my M2 and M3 brand new in 1966 and during a lifetime of hard, but careful professional use, they were always serviced by Leica. I treated myself last year and had them both fully refurbished by the Factory, for sentiments sake and not monetary gain I might add. So apart from the more usual cleaning/adjustment of the internal optics, I am unable to help you further. |
Rick_oleson
Tinkerer Username: Rick_oleson
Post Number: 991 Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) | Posted on Monday, October 05, 2009 - 05:23 pm: |
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No, I have never changed a curtain in an M Leica. I've done it in a IIIC, and did not especially enjoy it... they didn't leave a lot of elbow room in there. |
Dragunov
Tinkerer Username: Dragunov
Post Number: 151 Registered: 10-2007
Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) | Posted on Tuesday, October 06, 2009 - 01:23 pm: |
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thanks for the advice! I didn't think of using a drill (strange, eh?) I do have some polycarbonate sheet lying around. I think I'll give that a shot... will it be grippy enough? well, my M2 is 30 years older than me... and apparently it had both curtains replaced recently, the faulty one was described as a "good used" one, which is not true- it's got so many wrinkles and holes! do you have a guide for the IIIc, Rick? oh, and is it a good idea to steal a curtain from a Spotmatic F? I was thinking of getting a nice new one from Leica (with metering spot!) but I dunno who to contact... many thanks! |
Dragunov
Tinkerer Username: Dragunov
Post Number: 152 Registered: 10-2007
Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) | Posted on Tuesday, October 06, 2009 - 01:31 pm: |
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and some pics, if anyone's interested. https://kyp.hauslendale.com//forums/showthread.php?t=80255 |
Glenn
Tinkerer Username: Glenn
Post Number: 677 Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) | Posted on Tuesday, October 06, 2009 - 05:45 pm: |
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Re comments on above site - If the wind on mechanism is well worn; it is possible that the dings and dents in the shutter speed dial were caused by the tip of the wind lever being 'knocked/banged' into it, especially if the camera was carried back down in a bag. |
Msiegel
Tinkerer Username: Msiegel
Post Number: 141 Registered: 03-2008
Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) | Posted on Wednesday, October 07, 2009 - 12:56 am: |
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Have a look here: http://en.leica-camera.com/home/ It's the international English version of their website. You can change language/country settings at the bottom. Maybe they can help. |
Rick_oleson
Tinkerer Username: Rick_oleson
Post Number: 992 Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) | Posted on Wednesday, October 07, 2009 - 03:23 am: |
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I do have some notes (very brief) on the IIIC, and also general disassembly notes (that don't get into the curtains) on the M3. Email me at [email protected] if you'd like a copy. |
Dragunov
Tinkerer Username: Dragunov
Post Number: 153 Registered: 10-2007
Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) | Posted on Thursday, October 08, 2009 - 01:24 pm: |
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the wind lever hits the shutter speed dial and shoe if you let it go after the wind stroke. that's where all the dents come from... email sent to Leica USA. wish me luck... |
Alfarolf
Tinkerer Username: Alfarolf
Post Number: 4 Registered: 07-2009
Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) | Posted on Tuesday, March 16, 2010 - 03:38 am: |
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Hello, Mr.Rainer Muchel in Munich Germany replaces cur- tains M2, etc. (original Leitz Material) for 199€. Mr.Muchel is a former Leitz repair man in Germany. Email adress:[email protected] To my experience:very reliable. Regards,Rolf in Germany. |
Dragunov
Tinkerer Username: Dragunov
Post Number: 157 Registered: 10-2007
Rating: N/A Votes: 0 (Vote!) | Posted on Thursday, March 18, 2010 - 11:10 am: |
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well, I managed to get it done with a curtain pulled out of a Spotmatic F. I think it works, but it's not film tested yet... |