wlaidlaw Posted June 19, 2018 Share #1 Posted June 19, 2018 Advertisement (gone after registration) The plastic windows on my IIf-RD's wind on knob have gone very yellow, like windows on old cars used to go. I suspect this means the windows were made of celluloid and it has oxidised. Has anyone attempted replacing these and if so, how difficult is it. I do have a nice pair of unused Leica new spare parts of the winder and rewind knobs, still in their original tissue paper but they are for a IIIb and don't have the film reminder windows, so would not be original. The rest of the camera is in near mint/unused condition and these yellowed windows rather spoil the appearance. It is not at the stage of needing a CLA, as it had one at CRR about 7 years ago, otherwise it would join the big work list for Alan Starkie in the autumn, where I have pre-booked work slots for 4 CLA's and other work on various Leicas. Wilson Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted June 19, 2018 Posted June 19, 2018 Hi wlaidlaw, Take a look here Replacing plastic windows on wind on knob on a IIf. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
Reini Posted June 19, 2018 Share #2 Posted June 19, 2018 wlaidlaw Do you know this Video? Should help for the first cleaning attempt. Or generally to change the rewind knob. 6 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
earleygallery Posted June 19, 2018 Share #3 Posted June 19, 2018 Amazing what you can find on You Tube! Such a specific question, it's quite funny. Might try this myself. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reini Posted June 19, 2018 Share #4 Posted June 19, 2018 I've done that (even after this tutorial) with my IIIf already. The video explains it but uncomplicated. I like nobbysparrow, he has another very nice and helpful Videos! Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
farnz Posted June 19, 2018 Share #5 Posted June 19, 2018 It's a strangely absorbing video clip even though I have no plans to do this with my IIIg's wind-on knob. Pete. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reini Posted June 19, 2018 Share #6 Posted June 19, 2018 @Pete Do not you have to. The button of the IIIg has no windows. If you want to disassemble the camera once/disassemble is the same. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
farnz Posted June 19, 2018 Share #7 Posted June 19, 2018 Advertisement (gone after registration) @ Reini You're right! I was recalling my IIIf that I had before my IIIg. Pete. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wlaidlaw Posted June 20, 2018 Author Share #8 Posted June 20, 2018 Many thanks Reini. I had not thought to look on Youtube. I looked on Google with no success. Nobbysparrow is a useful source for things like the shutter release collars for Barnack Leicas, which are notorious for jumping off these cameras and then hiding themselves. Wilson Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wlaidlaw Posted June 20, 2018 Author Share #9 Posted June 20, 2018 As the plastic windows need replacing on mine (strong sunlight in the south of France where my IIf lives) and have gone yellow and opaque, I will remove the wind-on knob, as explained by Nobby Sparrow and just send that to Alan with all my other cameras in the autumn. Having been trying to cut up sheets of polarized plastic to replace the scratched lenses in my 1920's French linen flying cap with built-in goggles (I wear it when driving my three wheel Morgan with no windscreen - very practical), I know how difficult it is to cut plastic up to an exact size and shape. The windows in my IIf are a fraction of the size of the goggles lenses and corresponding more difficult. Wilson Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerzy Posted June 20, 2018 Share #10 Posted June 20, 2018 video is not showing how to get to the plastic window.... You need to take this apart Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Plastic window is glued to the silver disc As Wilson wrote cutting new windows is pretty tricky, you need to be very precise 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Plastic window is glued to the silver disc As Wilson wrote cutting new windows is pretty tricky, you need to be very precise ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/285743-replacing-plastic-windows-on-wind-on-knob-on-a-iif/?do=findComment&comment=3540882'>More sharing options...
Reini Posted June 20, 2018 Share #11 Posted June 20, 2018 Jeruy knows the last helpfull Secrets! Thumbs up! Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry Attrik Posted July 30, 2018 Share #12 Posted July 30, 2018 Just what I was looking for!!!! Many thanks Wlaidlaw and Jerzy. The window looks as though it is a single disc with a hole in the middle; right? Does it actually need to be glued to the top disc? Or is it friction between the window and the indicator disc which alters the setting indication? Must have a look at mine. Thanks again D.Lox. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wlaidlaw Posted July 31, 2018 Author Share #13 Posted July 31, 2018 (edited) I would guess the reason the clear plastic disk is glued to the top cover is to stop it rubbing against the black and red area with figures which sits below and eventually rub that paint off. Hopefully if the disc, which from the yellowing I suspect was originally celluloid, is replaced by a new disc cut from polycarbonate, that will not go yellow or opaque over time, being a much more stable material. Wilson Edited July 31, 2018 by wlaidlaw Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted July 31, 2018 Share #14 Posted July 31, 2018 As the plastic windows need replacing on mine (strong sunlight in the south of France where my IIf lives) and have gone yellow and opaque, I will remove the wind-on knob, as explained by Nobby Sparrow and just send that to Alan with all my other cameras in the autumn. Having been trying to cut up sheets of polarized plastic to replace the scratched lenses in my 1920's French linen flying cap with built-in goggles (I wear it when driving my three wheel Morgan with no windscreen - very practical), I know how difficult it is to cut plastic up to an exact size and shape. The windows in my IIf are a fraction of the size of the goggles lenses and corresponding more difficult. Wilson Professional advice, Wilson: Use Oral B Superfloss to remove the insects from between your teeth after driving your Morgan. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wlaidlaw Posted July 31, 2018 Author Share #15 Posted July 31, 2018 Professional advice, Wilson: Use Oral B Superfloss to remove the insects from between your teeth after driving your Morgan. I would use my Oral-B Oxyjet but sadly my Morgan has been sick for the last 15 months. From the horrible cracking noises it was making, I suspected like many of the 2012-2013 models, its chassis was failing. There was not a proper Morgan dealer in south east France, the nearest being the other side of Toulouse, an eight to nine hours drive away. Eventually that dealer appointed a service agent at the Paul Ricard Circuit, which is only about an hour and a half away, at the beginning of 2017 and I finally managed to get my Morgan in there for checking in May last year. It was found to have one of the four main chassis tubes completely broken through and the top tube on the other side cracked. If it had been in an accident, it would have folded up like a concertina. After a lot of to and fro, Morgan agreed that the chassis should be replaced under warranty in France. This turned out to be a huge error on my part, as the service dealer, although apparently competent at repairing historic race cars, was just not capable of doing the job properly plus Morgan bent over backwards to be unhelpful to them. When I got the car back in early May this year, it was full of faults plus badly/wrongly done work and fell to pieces with a rear hub failure due to incorrect assembly after just 300km. The French garage then messed about with it for another month until I called a halt and had the entire vehicle trucked back to the Morgan factory in the UK, where it has sat since. Morgan hope to start work on it next week. Once it is repaired, I will probably sell it and buy either a Caterham 7, a Grinall Scorpion 3 (with a BMW 1300cc/185 BHP engine) or an Ariel Atom 3.5. I am totally fed up with the staggering unreliability of the Morgan, which has resulted in extremely high running costs. I have done just over 2000km to date in it and my costs of repairs and shipping back to the UK so far have been £6000, with another large bill from Morgan plus shipping back to France (if I keep it) still to come. A cautionary tale for anyone considering a Morgan. Wilson Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaapv Posted July 31, 2018 Share #16 Posted July 31, 2018 The marque must have come down - I bought a 4/4 in 1979 and drove it as a primary car until 1993 - it must have done well over 150.000 km without missing a beat after removing all the failure-prone emission control stuff from the carburettor. Apart from the exhaust breaking constantly due to an idiotic layout. I have a feeling we are slightly OT... 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dadati Posted January 4, 2020 Share #17 Posted January 4, 2020 Thanks for this topic, which helped me to fix the top of the wind knob from my Leica IIf 👍 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amolestalo Posted February 3, 2021 Share #18 Posted February 3, 2021 On 6/20/2018 at 2:03 PM, jerzy said: video is not showing how to get to the plastic window.... You need to take this apart Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Plastic window is glued to the silver disc As Wilson wrote cutting new windows is pretty tricky, you need to be very precise Hello! By any chance do you have an advice on how to split these parts apart? Thank you so much! Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerzy Posted February 4, 2021 Share #19 Posted February 4, 2021 you need to hold chromed part (orange arrow) in a clamp and unscrew the part marked blue, use clamp as well for this Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.