Rollei Recovering Service
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ROLLEIFLEX TLR | Leather
colors & types |
Rollei Recovering Service |
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The black diagrams here show the leather parts common to many Rolleis. These include several hood designs, the door latch, and 3 styles of backs. For now we've labeled each as A, B or C, but this is not to say that hood "A" goes only with door "A" . . . this nomenclature will evolve as all the cover parts (and there are many) get sorted out. Most of the type "C" hoods have a "Rollei F&H" logo that is about 18 mm wide. The Rolleiflex "T" type 3 has a logo that is just 14.5 mm wide. It's a good idea to let us know the width of the logo on your camera. The feet were riveted at the factory after the cover was on. (Notice the "small feet" on the "A" diagram) Since we don't want you to remove the feet, the holes are cut wider than the factory holes. Don't be afraid to "open" the holes by cutting them. The cover will go on easier and you won't notice the incisions afterward. |
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Below are only some of the patterns we can cut for your camera, and we will update this section soon . . . . About 75% of the Rollei TLR's made since 1939 are supported, with more added regularly. By sending us a photo of your camera, we can help you order the right kit. The green diagram shows the leather for the late Rolleiflex 3.5F and 2.8F. The early versions use a different piece for the crank side; the same one used below on the . . . . |
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MX EVS, shown in blue. On the center piece, notice how the cut around the focus knob allows for the DOF scale on the body. |
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The
magenta diagram shows the leather for the 2.8F, Type 1. Since the Rollei kits are cut with templates, it's possible to "mix and match", extending support to variants that are not, strictly speaking, supported by us right now. Stay with me on this and I'll try to explain . . . It's possible to delete any hole on a supported leather piece. It's also possible, by combining templates, to cut any hole you see on one piece into another piece. It's not possible for us to add a hole not already present on at least one template, although you can do this yourself. It's also not possible to delete an "open" hole, meaning one that doesn't "float" within the piece. |
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| Above:
Examples of
the early and late Automat are
shown in orange. Remember things like the strap lugs, film counter and self timer can obscure the leather pattern underneath these parts. But if you look carefully, you shouldn't have to take anything off the camera to figure out your needs. |
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The Rolleiflex T is the only TLR
encountered that uses a "3-D" piece of covering on the bottom front. Leatherette cut from a flat sheet "gets around" the contours of a camera with a linear fold or bend. It can properly recover pieces with multiple facets with parallel folds, or folds whose axes do not intersect. Recovering with sheet leatherette is like origami, but not papier-mâché. For example, I can wrap a flat sheet around a block of cheese without wrinkles . . . but I can't do this with an egg! Luckily, the contours of this section are gentle, and you can make the section conform well enough, by first placing the bottom edge fully , where the knife is shown. Then you can work the piece down with your fingers until the 2 surfaces are in full contact. (Seal grain "fine" leatherette is used here.) |