RE: [Leica] Summarit take apart?

[Walter S Delesandri <walt@jove.acs.unt.edu>]

Many thanks for the vote (pun intended), but you DON'T want 
Walt working on your cameras.....this is a craft that needs to 
be practiced every day to stay proficient....and I (grudgingly)
work on a camera every year or two....of course, only pre 1985, 
pro, mechanical cameras.......
I'm thinking about purchasing some new tools, and having yet another 
"retirement" hobby, (vintage only), but that's a long time off 
and I've many interests.....

Seriously, ONLY try to learn on rather valueless stuff (we USED to 
consider Summarits "throw-away", along with 35 3.5s, 90 elmars, 
etc...and used to "salvage" them mostly for a challenge...when they 
were all UNDER $100......) or "lesser" gear (japanese SLRs/lenses from 
the seventies are good "learners"....)  It can be a good hobby/small 
part-time venture, but you REALLY must study and practice....I'd hate 
to put the blades in a Summarit right now, although I "know" how....
I did a home-study, then resident camera repair course in the late 
seventies (not very good, but all that was available)....then worked 
with a "real" well know German specialist for a few years (Karl Stumpf, 
of Houston Tx...)...and when I left I >STILL< was woefully inadequate.
I did, however, know the Leica Ms well, because they were my passion...
also Nikons and Hassys, but it's been so long I wouldn't want to work 
on them today....

You M.D.s on the list think you have it bad with 12+ years of higher 
education (for most).....but seriously, I'd have had to spend AT LEAST
that, 8 hours a day, before I'd feel really confident.....and I didn't 
have the patience...because there was NO payoff in sight....I'm making 
more at a college without a master's degree than I'd ever see as a 
repairman.  It >WAS< satisfying, though....particularly my little 
"pet" projects....like rebuilding a Contaflex Super, just to say it 
COULD be done  (why bother....)

Best to all,
Walt

On
Tue, 3
Oct
2000, Buzz Hausner wrote:

> Well, Jonathan, I can't argue with that!  I confess, the only thing I will
> readilly take apart and put back together is a book, but I studied
> bookbinding with real bookbinders for a lot of years to learn how to do it.
> My hat is off to the adventurous among us who will take the risk of
> stripping down anything from Leica with the potential to contribute to one's
> development as a photographer.
> 
> Any time a lens or camera body of mine needs to have its innards examined, I
> will have it done by Sherry, Don, or even Walt, although I will fight to the
> death to deny my buddy Walt the right to vote.
> 
> 	Buzz
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Lee, Jonathan [mailto:Jonathan.Lee@hrcc.on.ca]
> Sent: Monday, October 02, 2000 4:19 PM
> To: 'leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us'
> Subject: RE: [Leica] Summarit take apart?
> 
> 
> 
> Buzz wrote:
> 
>  I still remain baffled as to why one would
> risk damaging a more or less expensive lens by taking it apart when there
> are many fine people who are trained to do this for us at a relatively
> modest cost (relative to the replacement of a lens).  
> 
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
> --------
> 
> Buzz,
> 
> Part of it is a wierd compulsion thing.  I change the oil and sparkplugs on
> my cars, not because I save a lot of money, but because it's fun for me.
> I've always loved to see how things are put together and if you are so
> inclined, it's quite a pleasurable way to spend some time.  It beats the
> hell out of watching tv.
> 
> The other thing is that if you can fix things, you can get Leica glass real
> cheap if it is fogged or has fungus.  My 50 Summar which was fogged when I
> bought in was esssentailly thrown in free with my IIIA.  About 1 hour later,
> it was sparkling and I got a chance to relube it.  Feels NICE!  My 35
> Summicron was fogged and $300.  Again about an hour later, it was crystal
> clear.  Sure I could have sent it to reinhold Mueller and still made some
> cash, but it was more fun this way.
> 
> I am not about to take a camera apart though!
> 
> Jonathan Lee
> 	
>