Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2010/08/16

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Subject: [Leica] Non-skid camera covering
From: photo.forrest at earthlink.net (Phil)
Date: Mon, 16 Aug 2010 20:14:21 -0400
References: <AANLkTikVCfzgyUTUHkFt05jZ12t1Qu_4P4Pv=pAOtGsG@mail.gmail.com> <142582.95308.qm@web114718.mail.gq1.yahoo.com>

You could always go the really heavy duty way and use one of these
favored products:
http://www.astantislip.com/marinefolder/ast_marine/ast_nonskid.html

I coated so much deck with a roller brush with this stuff back in the
Navy that I can still smell it. I wish I had just a quart of that stuff.
I'd coat my M8 with it and then be able to land an F-14 on it.

Phil Forrest

On Mon, 16 Aug 2010 16:32:20 -0700 (PDT)
"W. R. Smith" <wrs111445 at yahoo.com> wrote:

> You can also get 3M's "Griptac" (originally made for golf club grips)
> on your camera pre-cut here: http://cameraleather.com/
> 
> --- On Mon, 8/16/10, Lawrence Zeitlin <lrzeitlin at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> From: Lawrence Zeitlin <lrzeitlin at gmail.com>
> Subject: [Leica] Non-skid camera covering
> To: "Leica LUG" <lug at leica-users.org>
> Date: Monday, August 16, 2010, 11:11 AM
> 
> All the discussion about the difficulty in keeping a grasp on that
> expensive M8 or M9 brings to mind a post I submitted to the LUG four
> years ago. I confess that I do not own either an M8 or an M9 but the
> fix works perfectly on the M3 and its successors. Even if you don't
> do the entire recovering job a few bits of the non-skid tape on
> critical parts of the camera body should work wonders - all for only
> a few pennies.
> 
> 
> Larry Z
> 
> 
> - - - - -
> 
> 
> RECOVERING A LEICA
> 
> 
> Vulcanite is Leica's cruel joke on Leicaholics. It becomes brittle
> with age and flakes off at the slightest excuse. Even Leica has
> abandoned Vulcanite on the new cameras, substituting a textured PVC
> covering.
> 
> 
> I have recovered several user LTM cameras, an M3, a Contax IIa, and an
> Olympus OM1 with 3M Safety Walk Nonskid Tape and have found it to be
> significantly better in appearance and handling ease than the
> original aged and battered Vulcanite. The nonskid tape is a resilient
> textured rubberlike material sold in hardware stores for $1.99/ft. in
> a 2" width. It comes in black, grey, and white colors with an
> adhesive back. The 2" width is perfect for Leica bodies. I wouldn't
> recover a valuable collector quality Leica but it is just the thing
> for a hard working user camera. You can also play around with
> people's minds. I covered a IIIc in grey and panic fellow Leica fans
> when they think I am taking a Luftwaffe model on hiking trips in the
> Appalachians.
> 
> 
> The process is quite simple. Remove the cracked Vulcanite from the
> camera. That's the easy part. Next make a paper cutting pattern for
> the nonskid material. Be very precise in marking the position and
> outline of the lens mounting flange, the strap lugs, and the
> baseplate lug cutout. Indicate the exact position of the two shell
> mounting screws and the slow speed dial on the LTM models. The paper
> pattern should wrap around the body shell and be joined just below
> the center of the lens mounting flange. When you are satisfied that
> the pattern is as good as you can get it, cut the nonskid material to
> the same shape using a sharp Exacto knife. Since the 2" tape edges
> are perfectly straight, I have found it easiest to use one side for
> the upper edge of the covering, the part that fits next to the top
> plate. Use a leather punch to cut precise holes for the strap
> mounting lugs and the shell mounting screws. The slow speed dial is
> attached to the chassis. You can press the soft material between the
> slow speed dial and the top plate.
> 
> 
> When the covering is cut to shape remove the backing paper and align
> it to the camera. The sticky adhesive permits some movement as long
> as it isn't pressed hard to the underlying surface. When you are
> satisfied that the nonskid material is correctly positioned, press it
> into full adhesion. The adhesive sticks pretty well immediately and
> sets quite strong within 24 hours. Check to see that the baseplate
> fits correctly. Slight corrections can be made with a sharp razor
> blade. If you've made an unfixable error, rip it off and try again.
> The stuff costs only about $2 per camera.
> 
> 
> A more daring alternative approach is to remove the body extrusion
> entirely. I am hesitant about suggesting this latter method because
> most photographers are reluctant to take screws out of their camera.
> The body extrusion comes off easily by removing the black screws on
> the front of the camera and then the chromed screws on the top
> flange. The extrusion then slides off. The pressure plate and its
> springs will come off too. You now have a camera where the moving
> parts are open to inspection and a body extrusion. Wrapping a piece
> of paper around the body extrusion makes it very easy to make the
> template used for cutting the covering material. It is easy to mark
> the screw holes. Reassembling the camera is easy. Just slide the body
> back on, remembering to refit the pressure plate and springs, and put
> the screws back in the holes.
> 
> 
> Try this first on your least desirable camera. It is not hard, just
> takes courage. Leica cameras are robustly made and it is hard to foul
> up the process. Just don't lose any of the screws. If they drop on
> the floor, you will never find them again.
> 
> 
> Finally, most camera repair persons never bother about replacing the
> Vulcanite on that little section between the slow speed dial and the
> top plate on the III series. It breaks off so easily. They just drip
> a little black sealing wax, or black Crayola crayon wax, into the
> spot and press it flush with the surface of the remaining Vulcanite.
> I learned this trick from Sherry Krauter.
> 
> 
> When you are done you will have a Leica that looks as good as new (at
> least the covering) and handles a lot better. True to its name, the
> nonskid material permits a firm grip on the camera and absorbs and
> cushions slight impact better than the factory covering. If you hate
> Vulcanite and don't want to spend $100 on a custom cover give this a
> try.
> 
> 
> http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Larry+Z/Recovered+IIIc.jpg.html
> 
> 
> Look at the picture big to see how nicely the tape fits.
> 
> 
> Larry Z
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Leica Users Group.
> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
> 
> 
> 
>       
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Leica Users Group.
> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information



In reply to: Message from lrzeitlin at gmail.com (Lawrence Zeitlin) ([Leica] Non-skid camera covering)
Message from wrs111445 at yahoo.com (W. R. Smith) ([Leica] Non-skid camera covering)