Leica restoration question

[sienarot]

So I've been on the lookout for a user condition Leica M with the intent of dechroming, refinishing it (possibly powder coating? haven't decided yet) and replacing the vulcanite. The dechroming and refinishing will obviously require me to remove the top and bottom plates. After reassembly, should the camera be sent off for any CLA (assuming there wasn't one done recently)? I'm particularly curious as to whether or not the removal of the top plate may throw the rangefinder/viewfinder out of alignment.

 

[clintock]

One way to do that would be to get the user camera, send it to Youxin Ye for cla, have him send you the top and bottom, you refinish them, send them back, and have him put them back on and replace the covering too. He usually stocks ashai covering and does a great job putting it on. That way you don't have to buy special tools and your camera will be tested after assembly..
Just a thought, I think he'd do that...

 

[sepiareverb]

Go for the Hammertone finish- looks great on an M!

 

[haagen_dazs]

clintock
side point. is your avatar the huge Van der Graf Generator at the Boston Science Museum? 🙂 =p

 

[sienarot]

clintock, that's a pretty ingenius idea! Or I could take the plates off myself and send the body first and then the plates second after refinishing to save some time with stuff going back and forth

 

[clintock]

clintock
side point. is your avatar the huge Van der Graf Generator at the Boston Science Museum? 🙂 =p

Nope it's a giant robot's butt! Seriously, that's right it's the generator..

The top plates of M cameras are sort of a pain to remove without the right tools, so that's why I thought of sending it to Youxin for the removal. He told me he once tried his hand at buying beaters and painting the tops/bottoms.. I forgot why he quit doing that, I think it was too much running around to the de-chrome place, keeping the tops straight, all the while repairing cameras and working his real job.. On top of being a dad.

 

[sepiareverb]

My bubble is burst! I was picturing another part of a robotess.