Stuck screw Leica IIIf on the verge of stripping.

[Kriah]

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Hello everyone, i just got my Leica IIIf and im CLAing it (worked great apart from this one screw).

The screw you can see on the photo is super stuck and wont turn, i soaked it with loads of isopropanol (which usually works) and im afraid i will strip it and fuck it completely if i mess with it more.

Any suggestions on how to get it out non destructively? or should i just bring it to a service center, but im afraid i will have to pay like 200 euros just to remove the screw.

Thank you very much for your time and help.

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[doctorlebel]

Apply some acetone with a Q-tip several times.  Then insert the tip of your screwdriver into the slot.  Give the end of your screwdriver a light tap with a smaller hammer.  Not too hard.  The impact from the hammer combined with the acetone should release it.  Make sure the screwdriver fits the slot tightly.  Too thin a blade can damage the head of the screw.

[doctorlebel]

The top cover should be removed first before you attempt to remove the front cover that you appear to be trying to remove.  Removing the top cover will make removal of the front cover much easier.

[Kriah]

I will try that and see if i can find the perfect screwdriver, thank you.

[Kriah]

Gerade eben schrieb doctorlebel:

The top cover should be removed first before you attempt to remove the front cover that you appear to be trying to remove.  Removing the top cover will make removal of the front cover much easier.

I already had it of for cla, the camera is back together, i just thought about asking here now. I will have to open it up again. I will have to take the top cover off anyway, because one of the screws on the lens ring is blocked by it due to some weird tolerances sadly.

[doctorlebel]

There are 5 screws holding the front cover on and 3 that hold the cover and the slow speed mechanism to the left in your picture. Take note of the screws, as there are two different length screws and one special screw.

[Kriah]

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This is the screw im talking about 

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[Kriah]

vor 2 Minuten schrieb doctorlebel:

There are 5 screws holding the front cover on and 3 that hold the cover and the slow speed mechanism to the left in your picture. Take note of the screws, as there are two different length screws and one special screw.

yeah will do, thanks. 

[Siriusone59]

If you think someone used something like "loctite" during previous assembly and cannot loosen after trying the acetone mentioned earlier.  Find yourself a small pencil type soldering iron with a clean pointed tip.  Apply heat to the screw head for 3-4 seconds and immediately try again to remove it.

[250swb]

The soldering iron is a good idea but I'd dribble a drop of WD40 onto the screw first. Heat will of course expand the screw so if it doesn't work immediately apply more WD40 as it cools down.

[jerzy]

vor 20 Stunden schrieb Kriah:

This is the screw im talking about

…I am traveling now and cannot post no photos….
if other advices fail then take off the top cover. Directly beneath accessory shoe you will find a screw and cca 1cm to the right another one. Losen both screw, 2 turn counterclockwise. Remove all other screw holding fron plate and 3 other on the silvered ring. Afterwards you may take off the front plate together with the support bracket. And now it should be easier to separate front plate and bracket

[Kriah]

Am 26.2.2024 um 15:15 schrieb jerzy:

…I am traveling now and cannot post no photos….
if other advices fail then take off the top cover. Directly beneath accessory shoe you will find a screw and cca 1cm to the right another one. Losen both screw, 2 turn counterclockwise. Remove all other screw holding fron plate and 3 other on the silvered ring. Afterwards you may take off the front plate together with the support bracket. And now it should be easier to separate front plate and bracket

Wow that is some advanced technique, i will definately try if it all fails. Right now i dont have a accute problem which merits the opening, so i wont try it (dont fix whats not broken). I tested the slow speeds and they are within 30ms of the "advertised" speeds.

 

Thank you.

[MatR]

On 2/25/2024 at 12:29 PM, doctorlebel said:

The top cover should be removed first before you attempt to remove the front cover that you appear to be trying to remove.  Removing the top cover will make removal of the front cover much easier.

That is completely false. The top cover does not need to be removed at all to remove the front plate, removing it does not make it easier in any way. 

[nitroplait]

5 hours ago, MatR said:

That is completely false. The top cover does not need to be removed at all to remove the front plate, removing it does not make it easier in any way. 

Wow. You signed up on this forum today to make this, your first contribution, on a 1 year old thread - and you decided to not even qualify your disagreement?

I guess I should say Welcome, but I hope future contributions will be more constructive.

[MatR]

2 hours ago, nitroplait said:

Wow. You signed up on this forum today to make this, your first contribution, on a 1 year old thread - and you decided to not even qualify your disagreement?

I guess I should say Welcome, but I hope future contributions will be more constructive.

Hello. Not sure what you mean by „qualify disagreement”. Is my reply not helpful to someone who came here looking for directions on how to take the cover off? The comment I replied to was simply incorrect and misleading. The other comment by the same person „There are 5 screws holding the front cover on and 3 that hold the cover and the slow speed mechanism to the left in your picture” is also misleading . Not only it is incorrect screws count wise, does not mention necessity to remove the screws around the mount which hold the baffles inside the camera, but also suggests that the mechanism attached to the front plate on the left in the picture is the slow speeds mechanism, which of course is the self-timer mechanism instead (the slow speeds mechanism / escapement is located at the bottom of the camera). 

Edited 23 hours ago by MatR

[LocalHero1953]

Tell us who you are, what experience you have that allows anyone to judge if your statement is correct or not, then tell the OP what they should be doing instead.

That would be constructive and helpful. Otherwise yours is just a first post by an unknown, to be treated appropriately.

[250swb]

9 hours ago, MatR said:

Hello. Not sure what you mean by „qualify disagreement”. Is my reply not helpful to someone who came here looking for directions on how to take the cover off? The comment I replied to was simply incorrect and misleading. The other comment by the same person „There are 5 screws holding the front cover on and 3 that hold the cover and the slow speed mechanism to the left in your picture” is also misleading . Not only it is incorrect screws count wise, does not mention necessity to remove the screws around the mount which hold the baffles inside the camera, but also suggests that the mechanism attached to the front plate on the left in the picture is the slow speeds mechanism, which of course is the self-timer mechanism instead (the slow speeds mechanism / escapement is located at the bottom of the camera). 

It isn't a battle, it's a discussion.