Tom A
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Tom A is offline
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada
Age: 77
Posts: 6,083
The original Leicavit MP used a chain with a single action clutch. the chain was notorious for stretching and this conbined with the single action clucth made it prone to mis aligned negs (overlaps or you had to pull twice on it for safe advance).
The drive in my Rapidwinder is from a reinforced timing belt and in 20 years of manufacturing I have had two belts fail. One because the user took it apart and tried to fix it and managed to twist it and one that I suspect had a flaw in the reinforcing of the belt. I did look into using a chain when I started the design, but the stretching and the "clatter" from the chain made me look otherwise.
What is interesting is tha Leica, when they started to make the "new" Leicavit (in 2003) borrowed heavily from my design and also from Mr Kobayashi's design of the Bessa Rapidwinder. The internals are directly off mine, beltdrive,one way multiple engagement point clutch and CNC machined housing. The lever lock is a direct copy of the Voigtlander lever.
Leica does use a softer spring in the return action than I do, but I do prefer having the lever come back quickly and with "authority"
Leica gave me one of the Leicavit MP's in 2003 and I took it apart (of course!) and it is a very nice design, but hugely over complicated. Any dirt or dust getting in through the base slot will quite quickly wear out the shaft that holds the lever assembly in place and the multiple sprocket gear for the drive adds unnecessary complexity. It was done to keep the profile the same as the original Leicavit.
I was more concerned with durability and strength as well as the simplest possible design. The more parts you add, the more chances that something will act up!
The Leicavit MP actually uses more parts in the locking mechanism than I do in my entire winder!
I still get the occasional winder from 1987/88 for service and upgrades. As for being heavily used, one of New York Times staff shooters said it best." You have to wear the Rapidwinder in to a specific body, does take a couple of 100 rolls and after 5000+ rolls it gets REALLY smooth" Most problems with the Rapidwinder occurs from it being dropped and the flange bent or dented. So far I haven't had a single one where straight wear has stopped it from functioning. Occasionally, the drive can wear the shaft in the clucth sufficiently to have it "hic-up" but that is a simple fix.
On November 15 it is excactly 20 years since the first Rapidwinder came off the "assembly" line and since then there has been 4000+ made.mainly M4P/M6 and MP but also 360 M2 Rapidwinders and about 100 for IIIF/IIIg's.
In spite of the Digital Tsunami there is still demand for it and that gives me hope for the future of film.
__________________
Bests to Everybody,
Tom A
http://flickr.com/photos/rapidwinder/
http://rapidwinder.com/
http://ca.youtube.com/profile?user=TnTandMrB
RFF Sponsor
Tom A's Avatar
Tom A is offline
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada
Age: 77
Posts: 6,083
The original Leicavit MP used a chain with a single action clutch. the chain was notorious for stretching and this conbined with the single action clucth made it prone to mis aligned negs (overlaps or you had to pull twice on it for safe advance).
The drive in my Rapidwinder is from a reinforced timing belt and in 20 years of manufacturing I have had two belts fail. One because the user took it apart and tried to fix it and managed to twist it and one that I suspect had a flaw in the reinforcing of the belt. I did look into using a chain when I started the design, but the stretching and the "clatter" from the chain made me look otherwise.
What is interesting is tha Leica, when they started to make the "new" Leicavit (in 2003) borrowed heavily from my design and also from Mr Kobayashi's design of the Bessa Rapidwinder. The internals are directly off mine, beltdrive,one way multiple engagement point clutch and CNC machined housing. The lever lock is a direct copy of the Voigtlander lever.
Leica does use a softer spring in the return action than I do, but I do prefer having the lever come back quickly and with "authority"
Leica gave me one of the Leicavit MP's in 2003 and I took it apart (of course!) and it is a very nice design, but hugely over complicated. Any dirt or dust getting in through the base slot will quite quickly wear out the shaft that holds the lever assembly in place and the multiple sprocket gear for the drive adds unnecessary complexity. It was done to keep the profile the same as the original Leicavit.
I was more concerned with durability and strength as well as the simplest possible design. The more parts you add, the more chances that something will act up!
The Leicavit MP actually uses more parts in the locking mechanism than I do in my entire winder!
I still get the occasional winder from 1987/88 for service and upgrades. As for being heavily used, one of New York Times staff shooters said it best." You have to wear the Rapidwinder in to a specific body, does take a couple of 100 rolls and after 5000+ rolls it gets REALLY smooth" Most problems with the Rapidwinder occurs from it being dropped and the flange bent or dented. So far I haven't had a single one where straight wear has stopped it from functioning. Occasionally, the drive can wear the shaft in the clucth sufficiently to have it "hic-up" but that is a simple fix.
On November 15 it is excactly 20 years since the first Rapidwinder came off the "assembly" line and since then there has been 4000+ made.mainly M4P/M6 and MP but also 360 M2 Rapidwinders and about 100 for IIIF/IIIg's.
In spite of the Digital Tsunami there is still demand for it and that gives me hope for the future of film.
__________________
Bests to Everybody,
Tom A
http://flickr.com/photos/rapidwinder/
http://rapidwinder.com/
http://ca.youtube.com/profile?user=TnTandMrB
