DIY Leica Paint – Phase 1 (The Dismantle)

[Zen-shooter]

Well, I just received my beat-up / user grade Leica MDa, which will be used for my next paint project (some of you may have seen my earlier painted M3 in posts here in RFF and other websites).

So here’s the first phase – dismantle.

- General condition as mentioned is user grade. The vulcanite skip is chipping at the usual spots. There is evidence that someone earlier had opened the body with basic hand tools – lots of scratched edges around the retaining rings. Should be done with Beryllium Copper flexclamp like the ones sold at micro-tools. Oh well…
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/167/465756140_7ff079ad6b.jpg?v=0

- The easy stuff gets done first. Dismantle the bottom plate and get ready for paint strip. Interestingly, there is no engraving around the release knob.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/178/465756150_3647f90e37.jpg?v=0

- Remove the set setscrews holding the shutter speed dial and accessory shoe. Note – I store all the dismantled pieces inside a fishing tackle box with movable partitions.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/184/465756156_a7dac1c926.jpg?v=0
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/191/465756160_0a02315b6e.jpg?v=0

- Remove the setscrew located at the 12-o'clock position. The wax didn’t have the factory seal…
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/230/465769423_b40b19e972.jpg?v=0

- Removing the flash synch sockets by taking the outer retaining ring first followed by the terminals.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/224/465769427_53a99b13da.jpg?v=0

- Found this harder to remove (but easier than the M3). Again there's a small setscrew below the crank, then jam a screwdriver or needlenose pliers inside the film cassette spool to immobilize it and twist the know off (was really tight).
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/191/465769429_f1ff3b89b9.jpg?v=0

- To get the film advance-retaining ring, I had to first remove the frame counter ring. I no longer have the flexi-clamps so I carefully wrapped my needlenose pliers with rubberband to grip the ring – no damage to the plate or ring.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/198/465769433_90e55c9b3d.jpg?v=0

- Ahh... Finally got the top plate off... Boy it looks so empty without the RF mechanism and VF...
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/189/465769437_1521cf2511.jpg?v=0

- So this what they mean by a body bag? The body goes into the sealed sandwich bag to prevent further drying of the lubricant.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/219/465769445_356ee6c123.jpg?v=0


- The plates gone through paint stripping and cleaning - ready for de-chroming.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/208/466864737_1762ab800a.jpg?v=0

Time = 20 minutes for disassembly + 60 minutes for paint stripping
Tools = pliers and micro screw-driver (already have)
Materials = paint stripper (aerosol type), rubber gloves, steel wool, tooth pick & tooth brush
Cost = $20 + $250 for the Leica MDa

Stay tuned for Phase 2 – Dechroming, next weekend

Phase 3 will be painting
Phase 4 will be re-assembly

[laptoprob]

Planning to do this to my M2. Mine is really beaten up, luckily not near the viewfinder.
Thanks for this effort!

[HuubL]

Great job! I'm going to follow it. Did you wipe out the last part of the number or is this 4-digit number for real?

[Zen-shooter]

The plates have been sent to my local plater for de-chroming. They should be ready by next weekend for priming.

In the mean time, I ordered a second top plate (a "blank" MD-2) from DAG to test various paints and methods.

Paints I got are Olive Green (Tamiya spray), Clear-coat lacquer (Tamiya spray) and Ocean Blue Hammertone (Tremclad paint can).

Both plates will receive the primer. The MDa will receive the hammertone, which will be applied with a sponge brush. The MD-2 with it's deeper engravings will get the Olive Green sprayed.

Last time with the M3, I used the Tremclad Anthracite Hammertone spray, which coated the plates rather thickly (2-coats applied). This time around, I'm hoping that I get better paint control with the sponge brush. Besides, hammertone is perfect for hiding painting flaws.

[colyn]

I've painted a couple of screw mount Leicas but never the M-series but am thinking about stripping and painting my double stroke M3 when it comes back from DAG and was wondering.. The counter window..Is it twist off or do you need to press it out?

micro-tools.com sells a set of flexiclamps for the M-series Leica for $75 all you need to remove the top cover.

[Zen-shooter]

I've painted a couple of screw mount Leicas but never the M-series but am thinking about stripping and painting my double stroke M3 when it comes back from DAG and was wondering.. The counter window..Is it twist off or do you need to press it out?

micro-tools.com sells a set of flexiclamps for the M-series Leica for $75 all you need to remove the top cover.


Had the M-Tools from Micro-tools but sold it after working on the M3 - learned that I can open the plates with pliers, screw-drivers and home made aluminum compression clamps. And according to Curt Fargo, the M-tools is either not stocked or discontinued. So you need to know the exact flex-clamp sizes. Curt can probably help you on the correct selection.

The counter window or it's ring is threaded as is the retaining ring under the film advance lever. Both rings are close together so you need to remove the smaller one (the counter window) first to get good access to the bigger one.

The glass lens itself is glued under the ring. So if you plan to paint the camera in black you will need to boil the counter window to loosen the balsam glue. When it comes to reassembly, epoxy is what I understand is used today, which means that future service and work would be more difficult to separate (impossible without breaking the glass lens?).

[colyn]

For those who may be interested micro-tools now has the M-flexiclamp kit in stock ready to ship.

LF-KIT-C Leica M Flexiclamp (Beryllium Copper) W/Inserts, Set EA 74.95

[clintock]

I need to pull the top off a couple of M5, does the microtools kit come with the goods needed to get the m5 flash sockets loose? I see on the microtools page a separate set of little rings that they title 'cl m5 kit' or something, but it looks like the 75 dollar kit comes with that already.. Is this right?

[colyn]

I need to pull the top off a couple of M5, does the microtools kit come with the goods needed to get the m5 flash sockets loose? I see on the microtools page a separate set of little rings that they title 'cl m5 kit' or something, but it looks like the 75 dollar kit comes with that already.. Is this right?

The M-series kit does include the rings. According to micro-tools this kit has everything needed to remove the top cover of all M-series cameras.