Modification of Nikkor TC14E to fit earlier AF lenses.

I thought it would be a piece-of-cake to remove the little tab from the front

of the TC. John Shaw said that he removed the front ring plate to more easily

file down the tab. So I decided to do just that. I found out that the circular

spring and three especially shaped shims will fall out if not carefully

retained, along with the alignment pin and its handle. After filing down the

tab and attempted to replace everything, I realized that all the aforementioned

doohickies had fallen out. With about a half hour's fiddling I seemingly got it

back together, and it appears to be OK. Is there any place where I can find the

proper sequence and orientation for those rings?

Incidently, how many people have noticed the identification label(?) visible on

the glass if you look at it in reflected light and leave the rear cap on? It

says: LF-1 MADE IN JAPAN. Wonder?

"Incidently, how many people have noticed the identification label(?) visible on the glass if you look at it in reflected light and leave the rear cap on? It says: LF-1 MADE IN JAPAN. Wonder?"

That's not an identification label, and it's not "visible on the glass". It's the inside surface of the LF-1 rear cap, which you can see through the TC glass. :-)

Here's the sequence for putting the outer gasket rings back together (this is from a TC14E I just opened, I presume it's the same for a TC17E or TC20E):

The rings all have parts on the outside that extend (wider parts, extending to the outside of the ring):

Ring 1: going clockwise, a large 'flange', then immediately a very small one, then, approx. in the middle on the other side, a medium size flange

Ring 2: going clockwise, a small flange, a large one, and in the middle on the other side, a very small one

Ring 3: going clockwise, a small flange, a very large one, and a large one

The rings go onto the TC in sequence: ring 1, ring 2, ring 3, then finally the metal ring. For each of the rings, there's only one position that fits, so that should be easy.

I'll update my modification page this weekend to include the info.

Hope this helps,

Christophe.