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Aha! Drag & drop. Hope this clarifies my tinkering. This is Mk 1 This is Mk 2

Sorry, pics don't seem to be visible. How do I include them? I did use the right URLs. Are jpgs allowed? Thanks. Ian.

Metz 60CT flashes are getting old, but are well-made and very powerful – too good to discard when their normal batteries die and can’t be replaced. Lithium cells are common now, and have a high energy density – the 18650 type achieves a capacity of 3000mAh or more - but they do need careful handling. I’m down to my last good (rechargeable) lead battery, and my last decent Dryfit can’t recharge beyond 5.6v, though I have several dead ones (won’t recharge beyond a volt or two). A battery for a 60CT, containing removeable and rechargeable lithium cells, would be great to revive my old gear. A lithium battery replacement for the Metz 60-38 battery has appeared on an internet auction site, but is expensive, is not often listed, and no battery-protection mechanism is evident. I decided to investigate a DIY solution, allowing individual cells to be removed for charging – a couple of pounds buys you a single cell USB powerbank incorporating battery protection. Here’s what I did . . . Neatly saw top off Dryfit, 14mm from top, and remove contents. See here for detailed instructions (thank you, seller “vintagephotographica”). Drill out lead stubs of connecting pieces, to minimise accidental contact (leave the corner stubs of the + and – terminals [Mk 1 version has bolt-holes drilled through]). Cut away tops of partitions in lid. Mk 1 version wasn’t very ambitious: two pairs of two cells in a reconstructed Dryfit case (partitions cut out). An 18650 cell slides smoothly into 21.5mm (o.d.) plastic overflow-pipe (giving good insulation), and two pairs of 72mm lengths of pipe, glued together, fit easily into the case. http://file///C:/Ian/RetroRepairs/Battery/IMG_3417a.jpghttp://file///C:/Ian/RetroRepairs/Battery/IMG_3418a.jpg Cell connections are brass paper-fasteners (8 needed). The tails of the top paper-fasteners are melted through oval 21mm x 43mm x 2mm plastic end-pieces, the end-pieces are glued onto the pipe, and tails are soldered to wires ending in ring-connectors. http://file///C:/Ian/RetroRepairs/Battery/IMG_3419a.jpghttp://file///C:/Ian/RetroRepairs/Battery/IMG_3420a.jpg Ring-connectors attach to countersunk-head bolts in holes drilled through the original + and – terminals in the lid. For the bottom connections, fasteners are threaded through 19mm rubber bath-tap washers, their tails are soldered together, and the washers are glued to another pair of plastic end-pieces covering the pipe-ends for complete insulation. The bottom end-pieces are loose, just held in place with rubber bands to allow easy removal of cells for recharging. To assemble, insert cells head-to tail in each pair, ensuring correct polarity; add bottom end-pieces and secure with rubber bands. Invert the wired cells in their pipes, drop the ring-connectors onto the bolts in the lid, and secure with nuts. Press together and check voltage, fit into 60CT case and test flash performance. Mk 2 version has 50% greater capacity: three pairs of cells in a Dryfit case with partitions in place for insulation but the top 5mm of each partition cut away to make space for wiring. http://file///C:/Ian/RetroRepairs/Battery/IMG_3425a.jpg Two 18650 cells just fit into each of the three sections; however, to make insertion & removal easier the pairs are staggered and a little gouging of the case walls may be needed. http://file///C:/Ian/RetroRepairs/Battery/IMG_3427a.jpghttp://file///C:/Ian/RetroRepairs/Battery/IMG_3430a.jpg Each pair of cells sits in a simple cage comprising loose rectangular plastic end-pieces 17mm x 37mm with brass paper-fasteners as above, and an insulating piece between the cell cases (because casings are at different voltages when connected head-to-tail). End-pieces are notched in the middle and turned up at the corners to hold the batteries in place. The notches accept a thin cable-tie that holds each pair tightly without increasing cage width. Fit the three pairs in place and tuck loose ends of cable-ties into the spaces. http://file///C:/Ian/RetroRepairs/Battery/IMG_3424a.jpg The cages sit with the positive top-ends to the front of the Dryfit case, and negative top-ends to the rear; the three + tails are soldered to one wire, and the three – tails to another wire; wires should extend with springy loops or spirals which are bent to touch the lead terminal stubs when the lid is closed (and when it is forced further down as the 60CT battery-pack cover is pushed into place). The lid can be attached with a duct-tape “hinge”. Load battery into 60CT case and switch on – the red LED flashes merrily (slight over-voltage?) and connect a flash. Even using old 2600mAh laptop cells (identified here) recharge time was only a few seconds and the outfit seemed to remain healthy for several dozen flashes over a few minutes. That’s fine for me! For recharging in a powerbank, remove the entire contents of the Dryfit and push a cell out of its cage: everything drops apart easily. Notes Separate the casings of head-to-tail cell pairs using insulation, as casings are at different voltages when connected in series. Double-concave plastic pieces are built into some laptop battery packs. Use stiff wire (solid copper, not stranded) everywhere to minimise heating during high current flow. Overheating of lithium batteries can cause fire or explosion. Ensure + and – wires never touch. Ensure correct polarity of cells, to avoid damage to 60CT pack. A battery protection system (BPS) board can help to recharge cells outside the battery. I made a 2-cell pack with BPS board rated at 20 amps, and it recharges cells fine - but that pack failed to work when fitted in the 60CT box. I don’t know why - perhaps something to do with current/voltage limitations during discharge. I hope the pics get included - I've not contributed before! :-(

Well, here you are! Apologies for the hasty reply, out-of-focus images, dusty subject etc, and I hope I haven't broken any forum rules. The offending bottom gear has been replaced on the wind-shaft. Various parts not shown - e.g. speed-selection mechanism & focusing-screen housing, which are tied together by a thread (which moves the speed-selection pointer in the viewfinder); meter assembly; self-timer assembly etc. Not having taken enough photos during dismantling, I'm now trying to piece together a few bits of the jigsaw, hopefully not too many bits left over! Haven't tested the meter yet. If I can rig up a DIY lever-wind that can release the curtains properly, I'll be happy, but the curtain-release levers' shaft seems to have no visible means of support, apparently sitting between the case and the wind shaft (behind the self-timer). Maybe some DIY brackets will be needed. Anyway, many more happy office-lunch-hours ahead, marvelling at this engineering miracle. Lastly, I know my activities are heresy in some eyes (sorry!), and I certainly wouldn't dismantle a working Leica. But nobody else wanted this piece; it was already dead and badly mauled, and it might have been binned if I hadn't rehomed it. Thanks for your interest.

Solved! - The keyed top gear on the shaft gave some purchase, and brute force freed the bottom gear which seems (to my untutored eye) to be designed to rotate freely as it has no keying or threading. The gear may be turned by the adjacent shaft, so that the lug fitted to it releases the 2nd curtain. Now I just need three curtain cylinder bearings to replace missing ones (and a few other bits).

Anybody . . . ??? A partial answer - page 10.2 of the servicing manual (as in a blurry image found by Googling) shows the chassis, and the winder shaft seems to have no gear at the bottom - so perhaps it must come off somehow. I wouldn't be surprised if it's keyed. I'll carry on trying, aided by a tiny drop of thin oil . . .. I know it's sacrilege, tampering without a) knowledge and b) correct tools, but I want to mend it from being totally stuck & unusable to at least clickable (without other functions). TIA Ian

Well, this non-working parts-missing body Leicaflex original (non-SL, unscrewable tripod-bush version) was only £5, so I thought I'd see what a Leica was like inside - I can only say incredible, absolute precision!!! I want to remove the chassis with blinds & mirror from the case (it would be very nice to hear it say "click"), but I'm stuck at the moment. The chassis is loose in the case & should lift out (I've taken a lot of bits off), but the only obstacle is the gear at the base of the shutter/wind shaft, that overhangs the body casting and won't clear it. Can anyone advise how to remove this gear? Viewing from underneath, it has a couple of empty holes, and I can see two steel plugs in the gear, that seem to fix a plate with a small projecting lug above, but nothing moves. Should the chromed sleeve under the gear screw off? Is the gear screwed onto the shaft, or keyed onto it, or is it all one piece? It doesn't look as though the shaft can be totally dismantled from the top and pulled out from the bottom. Any suggestions gratefully received. Some peripheral spare parts may be available if required. No wind-lever, no speed-dial or rewind-dial, no baseplate, a few other bits missing. Many thanks Ian