Q about frame counter IIIa

[HuubL]

I recently got a good looking IIIa. Most functions seem to work well, but I noticed the framecounter sometimes hangs or making large steps. I noticed that when winding the film it turns mostly along with it, while the framecounters of my IIIc, -f and -g make a small one framenumber step. Anybody knows if the framecounter on the earlier barnacks work differently? Does anybody have any idea how to fix this?
TIA

 

[xayraa33]

the frame counters of the IIIc, f and g models work differently than the earlier models.

 

[payasam]

I think that on Leicas before the IIIc, the frame counter would make one complete revolution plus an increment of one.

 

[HuubL]

Anybody knows how the take-up spool assembly fits together with the washers and spring inside the camera and outside? When I compare this assembly with the later ones, i see no pawl to limit turning to the forwards direction only.

 

[John Shriver]

There should be a spiral spring that makes several turns around the winding shaft, and is anchored to the top plate by a screw or two.

 

[HuubL]

There should be a spiral spring that makes several turns around the winding shaft, and is anchored to the top plate by a screw or two.

Thanks everyone. I disassembled the spool, indeed found the spiral spring anchored to the body. There's a brass ring there too. Upon reassembly you can't screw the knob on firmly, this will lock up the whole assembly preventing further winding and cocking of the shutter. So I gave the knob some air and fixed it with the set screw. That works okay for cocking and winding, but now the film counter dial is rather loose and is not "picked up" consistently with winding. Also, I can turn the knob a liitle bit counter clockwise and that will be picked up by the gears inside. It doesn't seem right to me, somehow....

 

[wolves3012]

Thanks everyone. I disassembled the spool, indeed found the spiral spring anchored to the body. There's a brass ring there too. Upon reassembly you can't screw the knob on firmly, this will lock up the whole assembly preventing further winding and cocking of the shutter. So I gave the knob some air and fixed it with the set screw. That works okay for cocking and winding, but now the film counter dial is rather loose and is not "picked up" consistently with winding. Also, I can turn the knob a liitle bit counter clockwise and that will be picked up by the gears inside. It doesn't seem right to me, somehow....

The spring has to wind up tight before it locks the shaft, a little backlash is normal. You need to feed the spring over the shaft, or shaft into the spring (whichever way you're doing it) with the spring slightly uncoiled. If you don't, when you tighten the knob it will pull the spring upwards and trap it, locking the whole thing as you've noted. That's likely to be why there's not enough grip on the frame-counter.

 

[john neal]

Also, don't forget the brass spacer ring that has a small cut-out section for the spring. If that is positioned wrongly, it will all lock solid and you can't wind at all - as you found earlier

 

[Charles Woodhouse]

I've found the easiest way to relocate the take-up spindle on screw Leicas up to early IIIc's, once you have the non-return spring and its housing washer correctly positioned is with the camera held upside down and a little light grease securing the washer. Insert the spindle into the top plate (or body casting on IIIc's), align the spring holes with the screw holes and hold this assembly in your left hand with left index finger pushing down on the end of the spindle. Place the spring locking plate over the aligned screw holes and using a special 10BA screw with a long head, secure the locking plate from underneath. Then turn the camera over still with index finger pressing on the spindle and install one of the locking plate screws in the empty hole. Remove the special screw and insert the other locking plate screw, and then the washer, frame counter and winding knob. Sounds complicated but it works for me.
And don't forget to lightly grease the main bearing of the take-up spindle.
I think the 10BA screw with long head that I use came from a Konica R/F of some sort.