Repaint Recommendation?

[giganova]

I am thinking about buying a beat-up camera body, getting it repainted, put on new covers, and a CLA/restoration.

Any recommendations who does a good repaint job in the US?

In what order do you do repaint/cover/CLA?

Thanks!

 

[Veggies]

I know Youxin provides the service but I beleive he ships it overseas to be done. I know you said in the US but Alan Starkie's work is amazing.

 

[giganova]

Thanks!

How hard can it be to paint a few small metal parts? 😉

 

[Mackinaw]

Again, not the U.S., but Kanto Camera in Japan has a reputation for doing great work. See their English website.

Jim B.

 

[Disappointed_Horse]

Thanks!

How hard can it be to paint a few small metal parts? 😉

It's not hard to paint, but the detailed disassembly and reassemly of a complex mechanism is. For example, I contacted a well-known shop in the UK that does repaints of Leicas, and they could not do a similar job on a Nikon SLR.



Also, paint doesn't stick to chrome very well. If you're talking about stripping a chrome camera down to repaint, that's a pretty specialized electro-chemical process.



I'm curious about having a thermally cured finish (i.e., paint that you have to bake to cure) done to one or more of my cameras. There are a couple (Cerakote and Duracoat) that were designed for firearms. I think these would be fantastic for cameras, but I don't know who would be willing to do the work.

 

[giganova]

This seller from Taiwan seems to be doing a great repaint job:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/LEICA-M2-RANGEFINDER-FILM-CAMERA-REPAINTED-MATTE-BLACK-CLAd-EX-90D-W/143309408424

There a Japanese repaint service advertised for $823.- + $20.- shipping. Not exactly cheap:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Leica-M2-M3-Painted-Oh-Leather-Re-Leica-Repainting-Service/233306138497?_trkparms=aid%3D555018%26algo%3DPL.SIM%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D57476%26meid%3D0ca9b18f505e44ed88ceadd5f73c1e1d%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D5%26rkt%3D12%26sd%3D143309408424%26itm%3D233306138497%26pg%3D2047675&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851

 

[B-9]

If your serious enough. You can do it yourself.

Muriatic Acid for the chrome.

MetalX B-929 for the Nickel.

B-929 works best heated and the part submerged but can be applied cold with a brush.

Use proper PPE and common sense.

I’m sure there is a Auto-Body shop in your area with a experienced painter who could spray and bake something that small for a case of beer.

 

[giganova]

I'll try that, and if successful, I'll paint your Leicas in any color you want for $500.- -- which saves RFF members over $300 compared to services offered by others! 😀

 

[Erik van Straten]

I like this one from that seller. Reminds me of pre-washed jeans.

Erik.


https://www.ebay.com/itm/LEICA-M4-R...720602?hash=item2ced79735a:g:~uIAAOSwThddE1yK

 

[giganova]

Must have been inspired by the Lennie Kravitz M-P Correspondent edition 😀

 

[giganova]

I wish someone would repaint in Hammertone. So pretty with the silver dials!

 

[Huss]

Hammertone is my favourite finish. Just looks fantastic.

 

[Erik van Straten]

Hammertone is my favourite finish. Just looks fantastic.

The same guy as above also does hammertone, different kinds:

 

[B-9]

I'll try that, and if successful, I'll paint your Leicas in any color you want for $500.- -- which saves RFF members over $300 compared to services offered by others! 😀

Haha, good luck!

I’ve stripped and painted more than a handful of cameras. It’s either a labor of love or a bust. Unfortunately no middle ground.

Honestly. Do it!

PM me ill send ya a pouch of B-929 to try.

 

[aizan]

I wonder why camera repair shops in the US don’t repaint cameras. At this point, it should be in more demand than ever.

I picked up a Badger Millionair for cheap and a Procon Boy LWA trigger type airbrush. Now I need to sort out the plating and sandblasting situation. I have a Pentax SL, Rollei 35, and Olympus Pen S waiting patiently. 😀

 

[B-9]

Sandblast :O hope you really do not mean sand.. you will watch those tops turn to abstract art in your booth.

You can grab a plating kit pretty affordably. I recommend

https://www.caswellplating.com/

IMHO this topic has been exhausted over the years. With proper research its not far from practical application for most DIYers. You just need to decide if its worth the time of gaining the knowledge, collecting materials, arranging PPE, and using caution as we are talking dirty work. Its surely not rocket science and I have always felt the painting is the hardest part of the arrangement.

For those not in the know PPE= Personal Protection Equipment (i.e. respirator, gloves..)

 

[Rob-F]

I like this one from that seller. Reminds me of pre-washed jeans.

Erik.


https://www.ebay.com/itm/LEICA-M4-R...720602?hash=item2ced79735a:g:~uIAAOSwThddE1yK

I like this one, too. It looks really lovable!

 

[aizan]

I have no idea what kind of sandblasting is involved! Walnut shells? Glass beads? Baking soda? All I know is that it’s probably necessary to remove black enamel from the chassis’ trim edges. It’s also part of the satin chrome process, so there must be something that’s safe.

See page 5 of the ‘The “Leica” Camera’ report (1946)

https://www.macfilos.com/2018/04/06...on-the-factory-by-british-inspectors-in-1946/

After I sort out black paint, I’m going to do satin chrome and black chrome. 😀 Tom A had a friend who knew how to do black chrome and did an M2 for him.

 

[splitimageview]

I used to paint Leicas, worked on many projects, colors, & variations, it takes lots of:

Practice
Patience
Proper Equipment
Talent
Practice
More practice

It’s definitely a non-trivial effort to make it look professional.

If you’re intent on freshening up a Leica, you don’t want a fifty foot paint job. Better to just attend to the mechanical operation and leave the cosmetics as-is.

Take it from one who knows. 🙂

 

[splitimageview]

I'm curious about having a thermally cured finish (i.e., paint that you have to bake to cure) done to one or more of my cameras. There are a couple (Cerakote and Duracoat) that were designed for firearms. I think these would be fantastic for cameras, but I don't know who would be willing to do the work.

The Starkies use both of these.

Cameraworks-uk.com

Alan and James have painted many cameras for me. They currently have some items of mine, lead times have stretched a LOT since the first work they did for me two years ago. They are swamped, because they do outstanding work.