Canonet QL17 top disassembly?

[iamskye]

Just got my black G3 QL17 off eBay, what a beauty!! A little dust in the lens, but no haze, and of course the light seals are gummy.

However the priority is to affix a missing strap lug to the right hand side of the camera so I don't drop it. I have a "parts" QL17 that will be the donor.

It looks like to take off the top cover, the film rewind and advance knobs needs to be removed, then the 3 small screws around the edge. How do you remove the knobs?

Thanks,
Skye

 

[agi]

It's easy to take the top cover off. Use a piece of masking tape on top of the advance knob to screw it off. The masking tape gives you something to grip on while unscrewing it. The rewind knob can be taken off by carefully using a pliers (needle-nose) to hold it in place while unscrewing the top off. There might be better ways and hopefully someone chimes in but I just replaced the top cover to one of my Canonet's yesterday using this method.

 

[pb908]

Using plier (long nose), covered with shrink tube to prevent scratces due to plier), hold the top area (round part) surrounding the shutter button, turn counter clockwise and you can remove the advance lever assy easily.

the rewind knob, open the back cover, use small screw driver, use it to hold the inner fork that use to catch film tank. And then turn the top rewind knob counter clockwise to unscrew it from the fork.
hopefully simple enough

 

[pb908]

Using plier (long nose), covered with shrink tube to prevent scratces due to plier), hold the top area (round part) surrounding the shutter button, turn counter clockwise and you can remove the advance lever assy easily.

the rewind knob, open the back cover, use small screw driver, use it to hold the inner fork that use to catch film tank. And then turn the top rewind knob counter clockwise to unscrew it from the fork.
hopefully simple enough

 

[iamskye]

Thanks for the help! Just to be clear, I'm unscrewing the large silver "washer" over the film advance lever, NOT the shutter release correct?

 

[RicardoD]

Poke around google, there are pictures of this step by step disassembly somewhere. I know I figured it out a few years ago when I fixed my QL17 and remember finding photos to do this.

 

[RicardoD]

I did a search on myself here at RFF and found exactly what you need! Search is your friend.

Go this this thread:
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=21620

A few posts down you will see the top dissassembly links I recommend to guide you through top cover removal.

 

[airds]

Try to remove it with good ribbed washing-up rubber gloves on - you maybe lucky !

 

[dmr]

Try to remove it with good ribbed washing-up rubber gloves on - you maybe lucky !

Mine absolutely would not budge using various friction things.

I ended up using the Dremel to drill two very small holes into the ring, so a lens spanner could be used. I got it off this way. No, it really does not look bad with the two holes in there.