Questions: DIY AI'ing of Nikkor Lenses

[sissysphoto]

This question is not to seek advice or warning of DIY grinding or filing of the aperture ring of old-style Nikkor lenses in an attempt to convert them to AI. Poor or sloppy work is always unacceptable. The question is meant to seek input on the trustworthiness of having done the work. For instance I have an old 50mm 1.4 that was obviously ground by somebody who did excellent work. And on my Nikkormat FT3, it actually works. But just barely. The flange on post 1977 AI lenses protrudes much more than is possible by just grinding of a non-AI lens. As I say, a home made job just barely has enough length to pick up the little folding index block on an FT3, by a hair. But what about an F2AS? Or other post 1977 Nikons? All it takes is for something to be out of tolerance or bent by a hair, and a homemade job might not catch the indexing block. Or it seems so to me, not being entirely familiar with the dependability of it. I've always known only the pre-AI world. In fact, I guess I'm old-school Nikon, where the zip-zip is just a way of life. So I wonder, does anybody have any stories about any undependability of home AI? Thank you.

 

[RalphLambrecht]

This question is not to seek advice or warning of DIY grinding or filing of the aperture ring of old-style Nikkor lenses in an attempt to convert them to AI. Poor or sloppy work is always unacceptable. The question is meant to seek input on the trustworthiness of having done the work. For instance I have an old 50mm 1.4 that was obviously ground by somebody who did excellent work. And on my Nikkormat FT3, it actually works. But just barely. The flange on post 1977 AI lenses protrudes much more than is possible by just grinding of a non-AI lens. As I say, a home made job just barely has enough length to pick up the little folding index block on an FT3, by a hair. But what about an F2AS? Or other post 1977 Nikons? All it takes is for something to be out of tolerance or bent by a hair, and a homemade job might not catch the indexing block. Or it seems so to me, not being entirely familiar with the dependability of it. I've always known only the pre-AI world. In fact, I guess I'm old-school Nikon, where the zip-zip is just a way of life. So I wonder, does anybody have any stories about any undependability of home AI? Thank you.

I had all mine done in Michigan, and they all work just fine.

 

[rpavich]

I've done a few of mine, I've had several done, I've bought ones that other folks have done. I've shot them on Nikon's of varying vintage.
Never a problem.