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Press photography & inclement weather?
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daleraby



Joined: 24 Nov 2001
Posts: 60
Location: Green Bay, Wisconsin

PostPosted: Wed Jan 09, 2002 8:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Get a grip... hmmm... I'd like to, but I don't really need one... in my younger years I worked as one, though.

As to your wife... you made a mistake Alek... you married a smart woman... now if you don't hear from me again, it means that Toni has been lurking here and read this. I will no doubt wash up on a Sicillian beach some day.
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wolvertone



Joined: 27 Nov 2001
Posts: 31
Location: Southern USA

PostPosted: Thu Jan 10, 2002 4:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Dale, do what I do. Strip 'er down to the nickers. (remove ALL leather).

Completely disassemble the camera. Soak all metal pieces in paint remover, and then use a electro-chemical process (1:1 water and muratic acid, 12-volt battery charger with the neg holding stainless steel in the liquid and the pos holding the piece in the liquid) to strip the chrome. Steel wool the newly found brass to a high polish and a couple of light clear coats to the body.

Re-assemble, and you'll LOVE IT. Mahogany and brass. MMMMmmmmmm.

Steve
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daleraby



Joined: 24 Nov 2001
Posts: 60
Location: Green Bay, Wisconsin

PostPosted: Sun Jan 13, 2002 12:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well, the soggy old thing arrived today. Leather is pretty bad, some parts are missing, there is corrosion, though not as much as I expected.

Surprisingly, the focal plane as well as the between the lens shutters work just fine... even seem to be fairly accurate. It has a synch contact for the focal plane shutter as well as a solenoid(?) for the front shutter. The bellows seems to be in just fine shape... suprising, considering the condition of the exterior of the body. I will also need to do some work on the rails inside the body.

All in all, it is more of a parts camera than a user, though I think I might make it work again.

Remarkably, despite the obvious neglect and abuse this machine has been given, I think it could be made to function after a fashion with a little wood and glue, if necessary, in an hour or so.

I think that this settles the debate on inclement weather care. The photographers of years past didn't have to worry about the weather... they simply took the Graphics out into the monsoons and did business as usual. The Graphics were up to the task.

The serial number is 390002, should any of the Keepers of the Copy see this. I'm curious about how many years this thing has seen.

Dale
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wolvertone



Joined: 27 Nov 2001
Posts: 31
Location: Southern USA

PostPosted: Sun Jan 13, 2002 2:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

There's a good chance that that doesn't say ANYTHING about inclement weather and the durability of these cameras.

Don't you think that if it were out in monsoons taking pics, the bellows would get ruined as well?

It makes more sense to say that the camera was closed shut and left alone in a humid spot (in the South or in a cold damp basement up North) for a long, long time. That would explain the corrosion. The fact that the leather was falling off was a result of humidity as well. They probably used hide glue which is soluble in water which will make it "lift" over time. Not to mention that the leather covering will wick the moisture straight to the glue, since it is fiberous.

Steve

[ This Message was edited by: wolvertone on 2002-01-12 18:48 ]
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daleraby



Joined: 24 Nov 2001
Posts: 60
Location: Green Bay, Wisconsin

PostPosted: Sun Jan 13, 2002 4:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

That had occurred to me, but other factors seem to indicate heavy use... wear on the rails, the back where the film holders slide in, etc. Also, the bellows wasn't stiff and stuck to itself as I have seen some cameras get.

One other possibility is that the bellows was replaced at one time... it sure would explain why it doesn't match the rest of the camera.
We'll probably never know the whole story as the old beastie cannot talk.

I think I may try the refinishing process you suggested... at least on the wood and leather covered metal parts. Should be able to find replacement screws and fabricate the missing parts from the back with no problem... I don't know about finding another wire finder, though. Summer project...
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45PSS



Joined: 28 Sep 2001
Posts: 4081
Location: Mid Peninsula, Ca.

PostPosted: Mon Jan 14, 2002 4:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote



[ This Message was edited by: 45PSS on 2005-12-24 19:53 ]
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Gandolf



Joined: 26 Dec 2001
Posts: 328
Location: middle earth

PostPosted: Mon Jan 14, 2002 1:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

this one musta been caught up in the post war fracas, say covering the war trial in Japan. built late '46 early '47
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daleraby



Joined: 24 Nov 2001
Posts: 60
Location: Green Bay, Wisconsin

PostPosted: Mon Jan 14, 2002 5:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

45PSS:

... quite a few of 'em, actually. I've decided to get the two that I have up and running before I tackle another... I did find a nice looking Graflite, though.

Gandolf:

Thanks.
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wolvertone



Joined: 27 Nov 2001
Posts: 31
Location: Southern USA

PostPosted: Wed Jan 16, 2002 4:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Here's what it'll look like when you are done.

Steve






[ This Message was edited by: wolvertone on 2002-01-16 08:48 ]
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Les



Joined: 09 May 2001
Posts: 2682
Location: Detroit, MI

PostPosted: Wed Jan 16, 2002 5:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

when you stripped the dead cow skin off, was there any newspaper underneath? On earlier cameras (top handle and cycle graphics) they used newspaper as a seperator and only glued the edges. while it's not incredibly accurate, one can get a sense of when the camera was built by the date on the paper.
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hartwell_a_m



Joined: 04 Jun 2001
Posts: 84
Location: Northern California

PostPosted: Wed Jan 16, 2002 8:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

After seeing the results of your strip and clean idea I'm allmost tempted to do the same with my Baby Speed Graphic though I will probably look for another body to do the procedure on.
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wolvertone



Joined: 27 Nov 2001
Posts: 31
Location: Southern USA

PostPosted: Thu Jan 17, 2002 2:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

No, no newspaper. It's not a top handle.

I've done this twice now and sometimes the leather can be VERY stubborn. I use a 1/4 sheet sander and 80-100 grit to pull the "suede" part off the body (don't leave the sander in one spot, keep it moving) then go to 220 and then a quick polish with 600 wet. This camera can be disassembled, worked on and totally done in about 3-4 evenings.

I'd love to rip one down and find newspaper!

I think I will be letting one of these go, since I have a Crown as well, and three of these seems excessive, since two are identical.

By the way, the lens board is homemade from solid mahogany, and I have made up a jig with my router and can whip these out in about 5 minutes. They match the camera great and would be nice for a regular speed as well.

[ This Message was edited by: wolvertone on 2002-01-17 06:24 ]
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hmartin@tns.net



Joined: 04 Sep 2001
Posts: 83

PostPosted: Thu Jan 17, 2002 4:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Steve.... I don't understand how you handled the extra thickness of your wood lensboard? Did you shim out the lensboard upper and lower metal locks? My Crown metal lensboard seats flush with the front metal frame assembly. Thanks, Harry
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hartwell_a_m



Joined: 04 Jun 2001
Posts: 84
Location: Northern California

PostPosted: Thu Jan 17, 2002 5:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

On the Speed Graphics the lens board sits flush with the face of the front standard. You will have to recess the back edges of the lens board so it will seat properly in the standard, BTW the Mahogony lens board is a nice touch.
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wolvertone



Joined: 27 Nov 2001
Posts: 31
Location: Southern USA

PostPosted: Thu Jan 17, 2002 6:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Right you are, hartwell.

BTW, I am offering myself as a source for lens boards for the Speeds and any custom made recessed you may need.

Steve
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