Leica Cassettes: any felt inside ???

Luddite Frank

Luddite Frank

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I have a "dumb question" regarding Leica reloadable cassettes, both the FILCA and M varieties:


Are there supposed to be any felt light seals anywhere inside these things ?


Another member posted pics of an unmarked cassette, and I noticed what looks like a felt washer in the bottom of it ...


I haev about six Leitz cassettes, three which were brightly-polished by an unwitting former owner, the others are un-molested... NONE of mine had any felt anywhere...


Should they ?

Is the felt mandatory for light-sealage ?


Thanks...


LudditeFrank
 
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As far as I'm aware all FILCA cassettes should have the felt ring at the top, but not all have the bottom felt ring (I was generalizing a bit when I referred to FILCAs have two rings in my other post about the mystery cassette).

If the bottom of the centre reel is flat then there should be felt in the bottom of the container as a light seal. However some versions (and I currently have two like this) have a reel that extends through the bottom of the magazine like on an IXMOO and, in my collection at least, these don't have the felt ring in the bottom.
 
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Leica filca cassette felt

Leica filca cassette felt

Hi Frank

I've recently purchased six filca cassettes. They all have felt in the bottom and the top part, except one cassette where one piece of felt is missing. I replaced it, but it's tricky without the correct punch. I wonder if this felt in general gets compressed over the years and causes light leakage.

I'm still on my first roll of film shot using a filca cassette, so I can't comment about light leakage yet as it's still in the camera.

Have any other users replaced the felt?

These cassettes are such beautiful devices, it would be a shame if they all started leaking light around the felts.

Paul
 
Thanks for the replies....

Was the factory felt glued-down at all ?


Suggestions for replacement felt ? (I'm in the US...)


I did look at my token IXMOO, and noticed the ridge on the bottom flange of the spool, and the groove in the bottom of the cassette... out of six Leica cassettes (one IXMOO, five FILCA), none of them have their felt... (sigh).

As for finding a punch to do the center-hole, I would suggest getting a set of "hollow punches" from a place like Harbor Freight; using a block of wood for a backing, cut the center hole by pressing the punch against the felt and twisting gently, back & forth...

Luddite Frank
 
Interesting thread Frank - I have a few of these, and had not noticed that some have the felt and some don't - must check the spools to see if any have a lip to prevent light leaks.

You could try John Goodman for replacement felt - he does some nice pieces in his light-seal kits and I'm sure he would sell them separately. You would need to source a couple of punches though, and find a way to keep the cuts concentric.
 
Augenblick said:
Hi Frank
I wonder if this felt in general gets compressed over the years and causes light leakage.
Paul
Click to expand...

I've never known compression of the felt to be an issue. The problem seems to be that the glue holding the felt in place can dry out after forty or fifty years and the felt drops out. I've had to re-glue one or two back in place, but I've been lucky in never having had to actually replace any.
 
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