Leica m6 repaint

[Batdepat]

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Hi,

Okay I will admit I've been wanting a leica for a fair while now and just to clarify I'm 19 still at college (soon to be university to do photography). And this leica has been brought to my attention its cheaper and it has a catch.

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It does have paint blistering as it were. However me and my father are into airsoft (for those of you who don't know what it is it's practically paint ball with bb guns, sounds stupid but its fun!) well my father has had his airsoft guns 'ceratoked' this is a form of painting (and it is cooked) but can pretty much stick to any metal (What is Cerakote?) more information on it there. So I believe by now you'll get at what I'm coming to, I have no experiance repainting leicas and from what i gather people who have done it, it cost an arm and leg. So I was wondering if it would be suitable to paint a leica m6 top plate using this method as it would be fairly cheaper to do so then to buy another top plate at a later date.

 

Thanks for your time

Alex

[enboe]

If the camera is otherwise well sorted out and you can also secure a lens, don't let the plating bubbles bother you while you are still in school. Spend the cash allocated for painting on a few hundred feet of film and work on your craft. Pretty Leicas will still be available once you graduate and secure your career position.

 

Just my opinion.

 

Eric

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[menos I M6]

Check if the camera is sorted mechanically so it can be used to take photographs.

Apply some tape to the top deck, if the bubbles bother you (some people do have metallic allergies, reacting to nickel plating, etc … and have issues with the alloys Leica used on certain models, as soon as the paint/ chrome plating is broken).

 

Once you have checked that it is working properly, use the camera. The zinc bubbles will in no way influence the quality of the photographs you will produce with it.

 

If the zinc corrosion bubbles bother you cosmetically, selling this camera and buying a nicer condition one can be more economic.

[pico]

I agree with Eric. Use it and enjoy the savings. By the way, repainting the M6 top with any process that requires high heat could warp it.

[2wk]

Have you requested a price quote from Youxin Ye for painting?

[madNbad]

Use it as it is and spend the money on a lens or film. Zinc oxidation, the bubbling, could reappear even after it's repainted,

[250swb]

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To get paint to stick first you have to strip the chrome plating off, then fill the indentations from the bubbling, then etch prime and paint it. At which point anybody would wonder why they started because they will realise by then that the slightest scratch will show the silver zinc underneath which will then be open to the air and start to corrode again.

 

Tape is the better idea if the bubbling bothers you. Personally I think if you have a camera with some sort of grungy aspect to it's finish you would/should be more willing to use it rather than baby a brand new pristine finish.

 

Steve

[Batdepat]

thanks for the responses guys, so even if i dont paint it do any of you know where i could buy a top plate from if i ever want to replace it? its a m6 0.72.

thanks again for your time

[menos I M6]

thanks for the responses guys, so even if i dont paint it do any of you know where i could buy a top plate from if i ever want to replace it? its a m6 0.72.

thanks again for your time

 

The issue with top plate replacements is that good parts are still going relatively expensive compared with the difference in value of a camera in need of a refreshment and a similar camera with a nice cosmetic condition.

 

They are anywhere between 100 USD and several hundred USD depending on condition.

Get in touch with the recommended repair people where you live (here on the site in the FAQ is a list of recommended repair specialists, who might be able to sell a top plate or do a repair).

 

In the US Sherry Krauter (Golden Touch), Don Goldberg (DAG) or Youxin Ye come to mind.

 

There is also always the possibility to have the camera done directly at Leica in Wetzlar but for their excellent service the cost are usually more steep.

[McGirton]

Having it repainted from somebody else wouldn't be worth it money-wise because it is really expensive and my guess is that with buying this body and having it repainted you could buy a pretty mint M6.

 

You can have your dad give it a go, I don't see a problem there. Even spray paint can be great when done well. The most important thing is that you can the coating that is on now off completely. You usually use a bath for that which takes off all coating from the metal.

 

That being said, the M6 is not really known for being a good re-paintable body, unlike older Models and the M7 with full brass parts.

 

Honestly, just buy it and leave it as it is. The bubbles are just a cosmetic "issue". I'd save the money for whatever repainting you want to do and the cheaper price of the body to get a proper lens.

[philipus]

Can an M6 actually be repainted? The Nemeng FAQ says it can't but perhaps there are different techniques.

[normclarke]

Top plates do become available from the various auction sites and also at many of the forum's that appear on the net. This would be my prefered option. Painting a zinc top may be a problem.

 

Best,

 

normclarke.

[menos I M6]

Can an M6 actually be repainted? The Nemeng FAQ says it can't but perhaps there are different techniques.

 

Yes it can. It will though not show the often desirable effects through use as many people like about brass based Leica gear.

 

It will also at some point break through again and will corrode unfortunately due to it's alloy's characteristics :-(

 

Before any painting is commenced the zinc alloy parts would have to be chemically treated to remove the chrome and nickel plating for best adhesion and best prevention of further corrosion.

 

Again - in this case it makes no economical sense.

For a hobby job though where consumed time is only a measure of pride rather than accumulated cost, it's surely doable ;-)

 

 

OT, but this gives some insight on why Zinc Die Casting components are a bad idea to be used in potentially stressed components as camera housings:

http://zinc-diecasting.ionainteractive.com/db-en/HTML/1-4.php

 

in short: Zinc Die Casting parts basically crumble away under impact when aged, while brass stays strong for decades, making it such a great material for a camera body which might get knocked over time and generally is in good usable condition decades after manufacture.

Edited February 6, 2015 by menos | M6

[philipus]

Thanks Dirk. That's an interesting article in zinc. I guess it would be ok as long as one removes the electronics before heating up the top plate.

 

br

Philip

[menos I M6]

Yes Philip with Zinc die casting alloys the most important thing for further surface treatment is to remove any corrosion and seal the surface immediately from oxygen.

 

I am involved with these things for a living actually - I love, eat, breath high pressure die casting (among other things) ;-)