can i paint M3 chrome to Black Paint

[monster]

I love black camera, brass roundings, white engravings 😎

but M3 that i use as my main camera is chrome.

can i change paint M3 chrome to black enamel paint and preserve engravings.

thanks

 

[Harry Lime]

The camera shell is brass with a layer of very hard nickel and then silk chrome. Use need to have the camera disassembled and then the chrome needs to be stripped via a very toxic reverse plating process. www.acmeplating.com can do this for you. The ASA dial on the rear door is tricky, because you need to drill out rivets and then replace them.

Next you need to paint and bake the parts and then the whole thing needs to be reassembled. The engravings are filled with a white paint stick.

 

[Rik]

Do a search here on camera painting, also look in the Repair Forum. This has been discussed many times, also with a lot of good tips.
The short answer: yes you can do it, given the right tools and materials.

 

[findwolfhard]

Repainting!

Repainting!

DO NOT try to dechrome yourself without any substantial experience in galvanization ! Do not fall for easy tricks and cheap advice! You can ruin Leicaparts easily and then you are in trouble.
best regards Wolfhard

 

[splitimageview]

Just send it to me. 🙂

 

[Rik]

DO NOT try to dechrome yourself without any substantial experience in galvanization ! Do not fall for easy tricks and cheap advice! You can ruin Leicaparts easily and then you are in trouble.
best regards Wolfhard

why do you need substantial experience? Hydrochloric acid (muratic acid?) does the trick nicely and require only very careful handling.
It is not that easy to ruin Leica parts. Althoug the top plate is not very thick, it is not that fragile either. I have done it.

 

[abenner]

I'll pimp Robert (digitalintrigue) a bit as well. Check out www.digitalintrigue.net for some of Robert's examples, or just check out the classifieds as he's had some painted M3's there as well. Hardly worth trying to do everything yourself, give the downside, when there's a great, affordable option to have it professionally done here in the US.

 

[monster]

thanks a lot.

i think i cannot do it myself, so i'm in thailand and looking to send to somewhere in the world that can repaint my camera and send back to thailand.

how much for the repaint works?

 

[waileong]

Actually I wish there was someone who could paint my M3 red. Black and chrome don't tickle the imagination any more...

 

[oscroft]

Hi Monster,

i think i cannot do it myself, so i'm in thailand and looking to send to somewhere in the world that can repaint my camera and send back to thailand.

Where are you in Thailand? (I'm in Bangkok at the moment myself)

 

[Vickko]

To digitalintrigue, your page is wonderful. How long have you been doing restoration

To digitalintrigue, your page is wonderful. How long have you been doing restoration

To digitalintrigue, your page is wonderful. How long have you been doing restorations?

Vick

 

[Per Bostrom]

To each his/her own, but to me, made chrome stays chrome, made black stays black...or worned brass....

 

[splitimageview]

I've been doing them on my own gear for many years, but only recently started offering the service.

Thanks for your comments. 🙂

 

[monster]

Hi Monster,


Where are you in Thailand? (I'm in Bangkok at the moment myself)

i'm bangkok too 😀

 

[wallace]

Painting Leicas is nonsense and should be forbidden! ;-)

 

[wallace]

Why do Leica do it then? 😉

Leitz won't strip off the chrome to paint the camera black.
Why not sell the chrome M3 and buy an original black one instead?

 

[Ben Z]

Man, times have sure changed. I remember when Earl Scheib would paint an entire car for $99. Of course it would wear to a "lovely patina" in short order, too 🙂

 

[BadMonkey]

Here, Here!

Here, Here!

I wish I had that kind-of cash to buy an MP but alas I don't and can't so this is a viable alternative to having a black Leica body, I'm never selling this M3 so I figure I'll maintain it and up keep including the occasional paint job. Just like a vintage automobile, maintain it and it will last a long time. Especially when they're built to last like Leica's.

Cheers.

If had that amount of cash lying around I wouldnt spend it on a original BP M3... Unless I had lots of that cash lying around of course...🙂
Face it, the cost of a original BP M2 or M3 is kinda out of range for many people. Or they wont use that kind of cash on a camera just because it is black and not chrome. I have an original black M4 thats my main camera together with the repainted M3. The repainted M3 looks awesome and I dont have to worry about losing 2000$ value if I get a nick in the paint...

 

[thomasw_]

I recommend Robert's work very highly, too.