Graflex.org

[Discpad]

Hi gang!

Long time lurker here...

I just bought a 1947-vintage Pacemaker Crown (s/# 435266) with a Bad Case of Zeiss Bumps on the front cover.

In order to properly clean it up downstairs on the workbench, I'd like to first remove it... But there doesn't seem to be an (easily accessable?) hinge pin.

OK, what's the trick?

<hr>

In case you're wondering, I'll be re-covering the entire camera with leather, save the front, which is steamed paper. I may just strip and refinish to bare wood all over; or just leave the front bare; or come up with a jig to make the cover fit over the 3-d section on the front cover, yada yada yada...

[45PSS]

[bertsaunders]

diskpad,
Pre-ann and Ann models do not have the the plastic runners or the body release, (the Pre-Ann also does not have a metal door) but wanted these instructions to cover as many cameras as possible.....just ignore the items not on your camera, and start with the screws on the two inside short rails............
Screws holding black plastic runners on the bottom of the body need to be removed....(do not remove the runners)...the (4) screws are located on the two inside short rails.....(no need to remove the rails, they are held in with guide pins, and have shims under them for alignment...I cut a piece of wood to size and use wood screws to hold the rails and shims in place)....remove (2) screws >(1) each side< holding bottom plate in place....located just outside the short rails!
Remove (5) screws ea side holding the strut guides in place (make a note on this) >>>the screws on the body release side of the body, must be replaced as they were, or you will jamb the release with a screw that protrudes to far into the body release cavity!<<<
Note: If you are going to strip the leatherette off of the cover anyway....do not try to remove the guide rails to fix those bumps.....the bumps are caused by hex head blind nuts that are miss-aligned with the hex relief in the door...they will be exposed when you strip the leather off! Two ways to fix them....sand them smooth, or back one screw off at a time, align the hex with the relief hex, and re-tighten the screws before proceeding to the nex screw!
Recovering the door can be a problem, the way I do it is.....I made a picture frame shaped hardwood frame, that I clamp over the bump...(the center opening is same size as bottom of 45 deg slopeI....apply glue on the bump and on the (45 deg) slopping sides, center the leather over it, start tightening the clamps while stretching the leather, tighten..stretch.. until the frame is tight against the door! I use Elmers white glue for this and I let the glue dry overnight!
If the glue job looks good, cut the holes that fit around the adj knob shaft and along the sides before gluing the rest down.....no corner cuts are needed on the front corners...just leave some material on the front side and stretch the material around it.....now the front can be trimmed!
Have a nice FUN day with the camera.......Bert

[Discpad]

Bert, thanks for all of the help! (more)

[bertsaunders]

I have a sample, of the material used for these cameras...it is a pre-cut cover for the Pace model! (I bought this "New In The Box F&S" sample several years ago!
I havent a clue where the "pebbled Glazed Paper" idea came from?? This sample appears to me, to be a flexable vinyl sprayed on a textured mold (for the "Morrocan" look), and it has a cloth backing layed/pressed into the back side of the vinyl, before it has dried! I do agree that the front cover was probably "pressed" into the proper shape in a press, over the hump and probably over the sides and front also in one piece....it would then, (for production purposes), be a simple matter to quickly glue it into place!
Over the years, the first thing that comes loose, is around the bottom edge of the 45deg slope, which indicates to me that it was originally forced into that shape....via a press of some sort....perhaps steam....or?????
I CALL IT "LEATHERETTE",because it is a man made product!

I use 1 to 1 1/2 oz..expensive >Real Black Morroco LEATHER sides<< to re-cover my cameras......getting very hard to find now days!
Have a nice day.......Bert

Orig stated this was for the Anniversary...corrected on 3/23/08

[Discpad]

Guys,

I'm inviting Morgan Sparks, proprietor of CameraLeather.com to join this discussion. When you go to his website, you'll quickly see that he too cares about restoring classic cameras...

However, between what Bert has posted, and what Morgan is writing to me, I think that if the two of you can put your heads together, then we'll end up with a reliable source for recovering the fronts of our Graphic cameras!

Cheers!
Dan

[bertsaunders]

To late for me to change my proceedure on this matter, have been doing it this way for 25 plus years, and I have recovered 35 to 40 cameras this way, (about 10 with the hump)! Latest project in progress, is recovering a 5x7 Press and fabricating a new hood for it!
Have a nice day.....Bert

[bertsaunders]

Forgot to mention, I looked thru the camera leather sight, looks like they make a covering basically for..35mm and larger all metal cameras! Looks like a nice product!
Morgan did make the following statement in his response...
"furthermore, the front drop bed has a molded, "3D" conture that >cant< be recovered with flat goods without making a lot of wrinkles." He went on to say in essence...."need a molded covering, made on a steam press with dedicated male/female dies. You may want to consider painting the body. . .I've seen it done and the results are not to bad......>wish I could give you a more optimistic answer!"<
As for the molded covering.....gotta win the lottery to afford it!!!!!
Have a nice day.......Bert

[Discpad]

Hi Bert!

Your proceedure looks good; and in fact I approached Morgan for the material to use it. The issue he sees is that the wrinkles will stretch out as they go over the edges of the hump. (more)

[Discpad]

Bert, how much do you charge to re-cover the front of a 4x5 Crown Graphic?

Thanks!
Dan

[bertsaunders]

Discpad,
Have had several health problems that forced me to quit the repair business....however I have several door assemblies from parts cameras that are in good shape, how about I send you one for the cost of the shipping! The serial tag can be removed and glued in place to retain the correct tag for your camera, without disturbing the cover!
Have a nice day........Bert
Contact me via email at
bsaunders1@bak.rr.com

[Blegoo]

Gentlemen:
I realize the topic is quite old, but I'll add my two cents anyway. This site has been very helpful and informative to me over the years so I think it would be appropiate to share my experience.
Please see this link:
http://www.blegoo.com/?page_id=389
First two images show a Crown Graphic front door, the last one is an earlier Graflex: both cameras have been refinished with leather covering.
As you can see, there is no problem of wrinkles (click on titles; clicking on images will open a bigger image; use back button on your browser to navigate).
The trick is to use contact cement (both on the door and the leather piece). The covering piece should be bigger (trim excess in the end).
• Start placing the leather piece on top of "bump".
• Protect sides with silicon paper (release backing, or non-stick paper).
• Using a wood piece, start smoothing down the sloping sides of door "bump", one side at a time.
• Pull slightly the leather while you do it; there is some elasticity in leather.
• Fold leather covering over sides of door. Press down firmly. Notch tthe leather at the frond door corners (just as the factory did).

Notes: My camera(s) were grade 0.5-0.9 on a grade scale 1 to 10 - that is, the covering was missing in parts, dirty beyond belief, shutter frozen, etc. So, I disassembled the WHOLE front door, and I mean EVERYTHING! I did use a ultrasonic cleaner on small parts and screws and overnight bath soaking in Fantastik brand cleaner for whatever didn't fit in the cleaner tray. Taking everything apart and cleaning was easy. Putting back is another story. For those inclined to follow in my footsteps, here is the WARNING!
The hex nuts (those Bert is mentioning) SHOULD BE IN PLACE BEFORE you start covering the door!
Yes, at my first attempt, I forgot about... and of course, I had to rip the fresh covering...
Leather was from Tandy Leather http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/Leather.asp
the so-called : "Mission Grain Pigskin Lining Black". Yes, I know it wasn't "morocco grain" but I wasn't after the "historical" restoration anyway.

A few observations:
1) I have not encounter any Graflex cameras (I own about 140) which have the front door covered with "pebbled glazed paper". In my experience, the covering is either leather or leatherette for later models.
2) Leather used originally was most likely pig skin embossed with a morocco grain; that would make sense, since it was relatively inexpensive. I don't believe that real "morocco" leather was used, since it was - comparatively speaking - expensive.
3) Use of "preformed" covering. Likely for leatherette. Not likely for leather. Bert says:

[Discpad]

Broken links to the pictures...

[Blegoo]

Discpad, this is weird... links being broken...I just checked... anyway, since this is your thread, I'll try PM to you - files are not big, average 600k, .jpg format.

[Blegoo]

Ok, let's see...
http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm148/Blegoo/1.jpg
http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm148/Blegoo/2.jpg
http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm148/Blegoo/3.jpg
Hope this works