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Loading an M3. Take Up Spools


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I have had 4 Leicas previously, a IIIc, a late M3 and 2 M2s all had a take up spool that you pulled out and had a real positive grip on the film, awkward but never had a problem with loading film. I just inherited an early M3 and the take up spool has to be pulled out but doesn't have the qualities of the other spools. Out of the 5 rolls I have loaded 3 have slipped out of the take up spool. I have found that I have to push the film in so that the full width of the film is on the spool, not just the tip of the leader. I am wondering if this is a 3rd party spool, says Germany on it but not Leitz. Wondering if it is worth buying one of the spools I am used to $60 - $120 on e**y, I am not sure if it would fit. Any other suggestions?

Thanks

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Unlikely to be a 3rd party spool (never seen one) so it sounds like the spring clip that you feed the leader into has lost some grip. However, once the film is winding on it's the sprokets that pull the film not the spool. 

I would try loading the camera with a 'spare' film and watching what happens. Maybe load and wind on a couple of times before closing the back/replacing the baseplate. 

Alternatively you could use a small piece of tape to secure the leader on the spool? 

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Have tested it out, haven't used film in about 15 years, but still having film in the back of photo drawers, fridge etc. Also had bulk load cassettes to use the film that didn't load and I rewound into the cassette.

This spool doesn't look like the other spools I have used when you push the film in you can see it going on the spool. I'd do a picture but the camera is with YYE for a tune up. I found if I push the film so that the full width is on the spool it will load, but even more awkward than the spools I am used to, you literally have to push the film into the spool, very different. with the design tape wouldn't work.

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  • 3 weeks later...

It's possible that the original Leica spool was lost and what you've got is from one of the Soviet Leica copies or some other camera that used a detachable loading spool.  If you post a picture of the spool, probably someone who knows about such things can tell you if it's the right one for your M3.  

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13 hours ago, PaulM said:

It's possible that the original Leica spool was lost and what you've got is from one of the Soviet Leica copies or some other camera that used a detachable loading spool.  If you post a picture of the spool, probably someone who knows about such things can tell you if it's the right one for your M3.  

 LTM spool (FSU cameras) and M spool are not the same:

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

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I solved the loading problem with using a regular M3 take up spool. This was the spool assembly when I received the camera the oof plastic part was on the base plate. Was this supposed to be a quick load spool, never could get it to take the film easily. 

 

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3 hours ago, tommonego@gmail.com said:

I solved the loading problem with using a regular M3 take up spool. This was the spool assembly when I received the camera the oof plastic part was on the base plate. Was this supposed to be a quick load spool, never could get it to take the film easily. 

 

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I'll take it if you don't want it. It's better suited for an M2 where you don't want have to remove it to reset the film counter anyway.

If you decide to keep it, having this diagram may help in the future as the film end goes in differently.

 

 

Edited by plaidshirts
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Thanks, but I have this on the base plate of the camera. I tried to load the camera by this diagram, 3 out of 5 loads didn't take, and as you said you have to remove it to reset the counter anyway. Back to the old spool works fine as I am used to. Came with the camera, had to buy the old spool.

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Hello Everybody,

The diagram that Plaidshirts was nice enough to provide is upside down for most users. Since the bottom of the camera only looks this way with the lens pointing away from you.

Many people would turn the camera the other way around with the film cassette to the left & with the take up spool to the right. Then the back door would open away from you so that you could see that the film was correctly engaging the sprocket teeth when it was being loaded.

Put in the film & then wind enough to see that everything is "snug" all is properly engaging.

I think that the diagram is too optimistic. I wrap the film 2/3 of the way around inside the snail. Instead of the 1/3 or so in the diagram. That way it holds well.

You don't have to remove the spool to release the frame counter on an M3. You just have to pull on the shiny drop down tube for about 6 millimeters/3/8 inch until you hear or feel the "click" of the frame counter disengaging. Then push it back into place.

In the photo the plastic film alignment piece that attaches to the inside of the base plate on the film take up side looks strangely worn. I will go look at 1 & then get back about that.

Best Regards,

Michael

 

Edited by Michael Geschlecht
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Hello Everybody,

I went t look at the plastic piece like the 1 in the front of the photo in Post #7 above & I think that it should work just fine.

All that has to be done is to attach it to the "nubbin" on the baseplate  the way that it is on the table in the photo. There is a screw on the side of the plastic piece: So that the long, thin plastic section is away from the lens & parallel to the back of the camera.

And please remember that when we are doing this that the baseplate as shown in Post #9 above should be turned around the other way with the film cassette to the left & the take up snail to the right.

This long, thin section is the alignment piece for the film.

If there are any problems please come back & ask.

Best Regards,

Michael

 

Edited by Michael Geschlecht
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Hello Tom,

What some people who use traditional spools do is to fit the film into a second & sometimes third, etc spool & then put each film-spool combination into a small, sealed plastic bag. 1 film attached to 1 spool in each bag.

Then, when it is time to use the new roll of film: A person removes the already connected film & spool and puts them into the camera. This saves a little time & bother when changing films but sometimes that little bit of time & bother saved matters.

And they can put the finished roll of film & the accompanying (But separated.) spool into that same bag.

Best Regards,

Michael

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I have had an M3 and 2 M2s, when I was in college Leica Ms were popular, most of us had M2s or M3, the rich kids M4s and M5s. In town there was a Leica trained repair person that would work for college kids cheap. One of our tests we would do is loading a Leica while walking or running. I used my M2s until I switched to digital in the early 2000s. So I was very used to loading with the traditional spools. I am doing this at my desk now, but the muscle memory is coming back. The M3 I have now belonged to one of my college friends who recently past away, truthfully my wife and I would rather have our friend. But I have her M3 revived it after it was sitting in a camera bag for 30 years her husband estimates.

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