RE: [Leica] Re: M motor drive/Abrahamsson Rapidwinder

["Austin Franklin" <darkroom@ix.netcom.com>]

Thanks, Tom.  I have two RabidWinders.  If I bought them both about 2-3 years ago, which version would the be?

Regards,

Austin

> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
> [mailto:owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us]On Behalf Of
> TTAbrahams@aol.com
> Sent: Thursday, January 23, 2003 6:18 PM
> To: leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
> Subject: Re: [Leica] Re: M motor drive/Abrahamsson Rapidwinder
> 
> 
> In a message dated 1/23/2003 5:12:35 PM Eastern Standard Time, 
> darkroom@ix.netcom.com writes:
> 
> > Where do you find a "RapidWinder 2"?  I looked at Tom's web 
> site, and there
> > is not one listed that I could find...  There is an M2 
> > RapidWinder...
> > 
> > Austin
> The Rapidwinder II is the same as a  M6 Rapidwinder for the user. 
> The difference is that I now have the inside cover-plate machined 
> from the same alloy as the outside housing. The older style 
> Rapidwinder has an inside plate made from brass and did require 
> that I soldered on the “ridge” and also it had to be painted. 
> Brass does not like being painted! Whatever paint you use it will 
> ultimately chip or flake with use (think of old M2’s and M3’s in 
> black paint). The alloy inside plate allows me to have it 
> anodized in a matte black finish as well as “anchoring” it to the 
> base with stainless steel screws. In its latest incarnation, the 
> stainless steel “stop” for the locking disc has been omitted and 
> is now an integrated machined “boss” that stops the disc in its 
> correct position. The beauty of CNC machining is that the 
> machining center will produce 100’s of identical pieces to a 
> tolerance level that would be difficult to achieve by “human 
> touch”. Unfortunat!
> ely running costs on CNC machines are high so the saving in 
> assembly time is more or less absorbed by the higher cost of 
> machining and material. Brass is cheap and high end aero-space 
> alloy is expensive!
>  The reason for the change in designation is so that I will know 
> which type of winder it is, if I would have to supply a part for 
> it. It is still very much a user friendly product when it comes 
> to servicing or fixing it.
>  There is still a fair bit of labor involved in making a 
> Rapidwinder and so far, no machine exists that can tell me what 
> it feels like on a camera. Every winder is tested with film 
> before it is shipped.
> The web-site is outdated, but we are working on upgrading it and 
> that will show the Rapidwinder II, as well as the “BarnackWinder” 
> (Rapidwinder for Leica IIIc/f/g and the M2 Rapidwinder will be 
> removed as a current product. I am just finishing off the last 
> few of those. As a matter of fact I am going outside to shoot a 
> couple of rolls with two M2 Rapidwinders right now – it stopped 
> raining and the beach beckons.
> All the best,
> Tom A
> Tom Abrahamsson
> www.rapidwinder.com
> 
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