[Leica] Step #1: Disassembly

[clzeni at mindspring.com (clzeni@mindspring.com)]

On my early M3 the frameline window is frosted glass...no discernable 
coatings on my other windows which sort of surprised me...not sure about the 
counter window.

The way I handled the self-timer was to set it to full-on, and then be very 
careful not to trip it...went back together very easily.  I used a flexi 
wrench to get the self timer threaded bits off.

CZ on the road in Canada

-----Original Message-----
From: Vick Ko <vick.ko@sympatico.ca>
Sent: Sep 21, 2005 7:04 AM
To: 'Leica Users Group' <lug@leica-users.org>
Subject: RE: [Leica] Step #1: Disassembly 

Great work, Feli.  My comments below:


-----Original Message-----
From: lug-bounces+vick.ko=sympatico.ca@leica-users.org
[mailto:lug-bounces+vick.ko=sympatico.ca@leica-users.org] On Behalf Of feli
Sent: Wednesday, September 21, 2005 2:37 AM
To: Leica Users Group
Subject: [Leica] Step #1: Disassembly 

        ...snip.. You also need a manual. Do not attempt to do this without
one.

Vick----> absolutely agree, the US Military manual is the best.  It also
describes how the mechanisms work.  Buy it on ebay.


        The worst part is figuring out, which items are left or right hand
thread. 

Vick ---->  there are 2 significant left hand screws.  The self timer is
one, the other is inside the camera and you will likely never have to undo
it.  Reinstalling the self timer screw and getting the position correct is
fiddly too.



        The flash plug sockets are tricky and I had to make a special clamp,
from some scrap wood to protect the threads. The covers come off  easily,
but the threaded sockets are another story.

Vick ---->  Did you buy the special spanner kit for Leica's?  There is one
tool that removes both the outer ring and socket.  You should not have
needed to make anything.



        I'm skipping the black collar around the self timer. It looks like
it  would explode in to a million parts ...

Vick ---->  Good idea; I've never removed this part



        Forget about the ISO dial on the back...

Vick ---->  the dial is rivetted in.  You need to remove the vulcanite on
the door, and then either carefully pry it off, or drill out the rivets.
Then either glue it back on, or tap new threads into the back and use tiny
screws.  Not impossible, just difficult.  

And did you take the lens off the film counter?  It is on a very fine
thread.  In a true black camera, the mount is black.  The lens can be pushed
out, but be prepared to glue it back in.

Also, there are 2 plastic parts, that counter lens and the RF illumination
frosted window.  Be extremely careful with them, because chemicals can
dissolve them.  I learned that lesson the hard way.

The glass windows are also quite thin and fragile; take care not to chip
them.

Another piece of advice, cover the now exposed RF windows on the camera with
lens tissue and tape over them.  I invariably got my fingerprints on them,
and you do not want to have to clean them.  Their coating is quite soft.

Feli