Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2001/03/16

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Subject: Re: [Leica] Leica repair questions
From: "Stanislaw B.A. Stawowy" <watteau@krakow.neurosoft.net>
Date: Fri, 16 Mar 2001 10:04:37 +0100
References: <Pine.NEB.4.30.0103151525350.6322-100000@bronze.lcs.mit.edu>

> out of luck?  I never took the "learn how to repair your IIIf overnight"
> manuals seriously, but maybe that's unfair.  Are replacement parts still

SM Leicas, along with Zorkis, are pretty easy to repair. Most of the repair
is simply avoiding scratching chrome :) Except this, camera construction
is very simple. And, what is even more important, extremely clever.
There is little you can mess up; for example, say, you have a discollimated
rangefinder. How to align it horizontally? Put e.g. a Hektor 135 on it,
set on infinity. Unscrew screw (!?!) just at bottom right of viewfinder
(this square glass plate on the front), There is a small tunnel inside.
Put 1 mm (1/25 in) screwdriver in it and turn until rangefinder images
coincide.
Vertical adjustments? No question about it: unscrew left front 
rangefinder window and turn this round glass left or right until 
images coincide vertically. Check horizontal alignment. Screw
chrome ring back.
Changing shutter curtains? Every camera repairman will do it;
new curtains are here (Poland) accessible also. You may even 
do one of them yourself.
Shutter needs too much pressure on button or too little? Or stuck?
Take of base plate. Take off cover underneath (this with film 
loading diagram; Zorkis doesn't have it), loosen two screws on
long metal lever and adjust it.
What else could you need to do? And all you need is a set of good
precision screwdrivers....
- -----                                
                                St.
                     (Stanislaw B.A. Stawowy)
              http://www.geocities.com/Stanislaw_Stawowy
            Echelon/Carnivore lines: Bob Black, Hakim Bey, 
           Ralph Klein, Sabotage in the American Workplace