How hard is it to make Leica M Custom Framelines?

[Rob-F]

I wonder what would be involved in doing this? Might it be a good little cottage industry?

Custom framelines could serve several purposes:

--Sized for distance focusing, like on the M2/M3/M4/M5
--Addition of the 28mm frameline
--addition of the 75mm frameline
--removal of the 75mm frameline
--removal of the 135mm frameline
--Combined removal of a frameline with resizing of others

Some photographers might even want a 75mm frameline with no 50mm.

But I don't know what the frameline masks look like or how hard it is to make them. Are they metal? Could they be reproduced photographically? How about a sensitized glass plate? Could they be 3D printed?

 

[Ronald M]

I believe DAG used to block out unwanted lines.

 

[Deleted member 65559]

I believe DAG used to block out unwanted lines.

I'm not sure they can all be blocked out. When Don had my M4 he said he couldn't block out the 135 lines. But i know why people like the early cameras....for some of us the M6/MP frameline set is a visual nightmare.

 

[shawn]

Doubt 3D printing would work as they are thin metal plates that move against each other to expose the different frame lines. Would probably be relatively easy for a laser cutter to duplicate though.

Shawn

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Some in UK were made new famelines for old Ms. Price wasn't too expensive for Leica world. Adding of 28 requires new RF, I believe. Masking existing framelines is not only DAG's exclusivity.

 

[madNbad]

Some in UK were made new famelines for old Ms. Price wasn't too expensive for Leica world. Adding of 28 requires new RF, I believe. Masking existing framelines is not only DAG's exclusivity.

Ko, they are the Free to Air brightline mask from Cameraworks UK.

 

[FrozenInTime]

Would laser cutting be the right process for a mask set ?

40mm frame lines and 1:1 aspect markers would top my list.
In return I would be happy to drop the 75,90 and 135mm lines.

 

[JeffS7444]

If it relies on thin metal parts, they can be created by the old-fashioned method of chemical etching, and that's something that could be done at home at modest cost.

 

[bluesun267]

I'm very curious about this too. Having looked at the framelines "in person" on several M cameras I've serviced, they are really a marvel of miniature precision. Including the Hexar RF which also uses metal plates.



How do they do it? What process is used to cut such uniformly perfect slits? Have they changed the fundamental manufaturing process since 1954 when the M3 was introduced? (Was laser cutting even dreamed of back then?)


For watchmakers this discussion is probably hilarious--M frame lines probably look large and antiquated compared to many components in the better watch mechanisms. But I'd still like to know!

 

[PRJ]

I blocked out the 75 and 135 framelines on my Hexar. Pretty simple to do but fiddly. As mentioned above there is that place in the UK that makes masks. you could always ask them if you were really serious about it.

 

[Miles.]

As mentioned above, Cameraworks-UK manufactures frameline masks for M3s and M2s as those masks were originally glass, where newer M's used metal masks. So I suppose a custom one is doable, at a cost. SKGrimes might be up for it if Alan and James weren't.

 

[Rob-F]

If it relies on thin metal parts, they can be created by the old-fashioned method of chemical etching, and that's something that could be done at home at modest cost.

That's interesting. It might be the way to go.

I have thought of picking up a trashed "for parts" M2 or M3 to take apart and see these parts for myself. Might be a good winter project.

 

[Rob-F]

I blocked out the 75 and 135 framelines on my Hexar. Pretty simple to do but fiddly. As mentioned above there is that place in the UK that makes masks. you could always ask them if you were really serious about it.

How do you do that? I imagine covering the slits with a thin tape.

 

[FrozenInTime]

found an old thread on the topic
https://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1455301&postcount=13

You can have the 28/75 frames installed in a pre-M4P. You can also have someone like DAG block certain frames in later models (take out/block the 75 in a M4P or later). Leica's a la Carte offers selected framelines on some models, such as 35/50/90 on Mp's etc - but at a price!
As for the 40 mm framelines. You would have to make up a mask and probably replace the 50 frame with the new mask. These are thin stainlee steel, laser cut masks. Of course they are not straight forward, there are holes cut in the for fasteners etc.
I agree that a 2 body kit with a 0.58 for 35 only and a 0.85 for the 75 only would be nice. However. I find myself using my 75's on Bessa R3's instead, as it has a free standing 75 mm frame. No confusing 50/75 combination - and considerably cheaper than custom a la Carte Mp's anyway.
As for the 40's - I file down the claw to give me 35 frames and use the inside of the 35 frame as a guide - close enough for me.

 

[FrozenInTime]

Also example of individual rangefinder parts including photos of the mask set here ( the image won’t link by itself so I cannot embed )
https://www.angelfire.com/biz/Leica/page10.html