patching vulcanite

[mike dixon]

Anyone have experience patching small areas of missing vulcanite? I just got another user M3 with a few small pieces of the vulcanite missing--nothing that would inspire me to shell out the money for a proper repair, but I'd like to fill the gaps if there's a cheap and effective way to go about it.

 

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Thanks for any help.

[sergio_ortega]

Mike,

 

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Try: micro-tools.com

 

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See catalogue for part #:4040-2.

 

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Good luck, Sergio.

[roberto_watson_garc_a]

I have done some refill in one of my M3 with epoxic cement, the one

you mix from two parts and has a black color, you mix it and you will

get a semi-hard past that you can easily apply in the vulcanite

missing areas, it will dry like a rock and won´t loose it´s shape,

you can even imitate the texture by pushing with your nails, now I

can´t easily find where I did the repairs in my M3, if the repair has

to be done in the edges of the base plate, do it whit it on and then

take it off to let it dry.Good luck.

[mike dixon]

Thanks for the quick responses. I'll probably go with the epoxy

fix for now (the missing areas are fairly small), but the micro-tools

URL should come in handy in the future and for other projects.

[john_collier]

Leica parts has replacement covers for the earlier cameras in

the same material as the M4-2 and up cameras. It is tougher

than the original vulcanite and very inexpensive. I had my M2X

recovered for about $80US including shipping and labour. They

also have complete replacement shells with the proper vulcanite

(the only way as it has to applied with heat) and they are very

expensive. Try $500US or so part only.

 

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Cheers,

[mike dixon]

$500?!!?! That's TOO F*^KING HIGH!!! (sorry, a little <i>Used

Cars</i> moment there. . .)<P>

 

Though neither of my M3's is in a condition that would satisfy a

collector, they look pretty good from a few feet away. And chicks

love 'em so much, I figure it's worth a little bit of effort to keep

them looking decent. : )<P>

 

<img src="http://mikedixonphotography.com/alexbw28.jpg">

[jackflesher]

Okay Mike. That's twice now you've shown her off in the last week...

What's her phone number? ;-)

 

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Jack

[sergio_ortega]

"Chicks love 'em so much". Now there's a marketing strategy Leica

should adopt to increase sales:

[mike dixon]

I suspect I'd get in big trouble for passing along her phone number. .

.

 

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Other possible marketing slogans:

 

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"Guaranteed to knock out a mugger with a single blow!"

 

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"It's like a Mercedes you can wear around your neck."

 

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"Isn't there enough plastic in your life already?"

 

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(and when they hire me as a spokesman) "Mike likes Leicas!"

[james_elwing1]

to replace small vulcanite areas, find good existing area on

vulcanite where pattern is not disturbed, apply talcum powder and

brush off, warm castor oil type modelling clay ('plasticene') till

soft, push onto pattern, remove, mix 5 minute epoxy plus carbon black

& apply to mould, plus a backing of non woven fabric like Japanese

hand-made paper, allow to set.

Cut to size, retaining vertical camera body orientation from cast,

adhere; 5 minute epoxy will do, then apply fresh black epoxy mix with

needle around edges to blend in. result will look OK but duller than

original surface. Use sparing amount of thinned hard varnish on new

work. Repair can be seen, but only if you point it out. Done it lots,

lasts well (at least 15 years) cameras and lenses feel much better.

James Elwing