What is the size of Leica IIIf focal plane shutter?

[kymtman]

I am building silk replacement shutters for a variety of classic

cameras and the measurement that I need most is the width of a Leica

IIIf shutter. Someone told me the size was 1" 5/16, can anyone verify

that?<div></div>

[john_shriver]

The width fits exactly on the flat portion of the closing curtain spool on the main shutter shaft. It does not extend into the curved bevel on the ends. However, this is not an extremely critical dimension.

 

But, if you don't have the existing curtains, you are in for a very "interesting" time figuring out the right length of the closing curtain, and of the tapes on the opening curtain. They have to have to correct overlap when closed (somewhere around 3mm), and each end of the travel has to be in the right place. Leica used a jig to hold the spool in the right position, to get each curtain in the right location.

 

It took me three tries to fine tune the location of the closing curtain on my Canon IIF, and my new curtains were a perfect match for the originals in length.

 

You will know the overlap is wrong if you can't get the high shutter speeds right, but the bottom "high" speed (1/20?) is correct.

[huw_finney]

It's going to be metric! so use a metric rule when taking measurements this will reduce errors by not double converting. It looks like both curtains are still on the big drums, that is the tricky bit to get right, as long as you have just over a turn on the drums when fully undone that will be enough length. If you get realy stuck I can measure my IIIG wound positions for you, this will mean unsleeving it so only in an emergency please.