DIREKT or Leitz APDOO timers - anyone fixed one before?!

[Davidhel]

Hi all

I have two of the old self timers that both work but are very very sluggish!

Leitz APDOO: The mechanism stops and starts and sometimes you have to help it along by turning the dial too! I reckon if I could get inside I could soak the mechanism in lighter fuel and getting it running better. My question is, how do I open it up?

1. The screw on the dial?
2. The two screws at the base?
3. The 3 screws in a row at the back?

Any ideas?

DIREKT: When pushed only half way up the mechanism runs well, but when pushed right up it takes a very long time to kick in. My idea at the moment is to soak the whole thing in lighter fuel for a few hours and then work the mechanism. I can't see anyway that this one dismantles and I'm thinking it must be quite simple inside...

Does that sound a good way forward?

I've fixed a couple of Leica's before so dismantling the APDOO should be OK...

As always, any help hugely appreciated!!

 

[Jerevan]

The DIREKT looks a bit more complicated to get apart (no obvious screws, some sort of press fit) but neither of them could be that complex.

Soaking the whole DIREKT - I am not sure you get all the grime out of it - maybe you just move it around.

Perhaps you get more and better answers in the repair forum.

 

[Davidhel]

Jerevan - thanks for your thoughts on this...I'm guessing that soaking the DIREKT won't make it worse...but it may not fix the problem!

 

[Mr_Flibble]

Not sure if the clockwork springs were lubricated with grease like on the grammophone players. Flushing them clean completely probably isn't a good idea.
Though, it might soften up some of the lubricants.

 

[Davidhel]

Thanks for that Rick.....but it's too late!...

So, I took the plunge a few days back and soaked the DIREKT in lighter fuel for 24 hours. Whilst it's not totally fixed it is running considerably faster than it was before....20 - 30 seconds rather than a couple of minutes...but this could equally be as a result of a lot of working the mechanism over a few nights!