1A folding pocket Kodak

[Agulliver]

I've just bought this beauty, clearly in need of TLC. How do I open it to check the film loading?

 

[BAC1967]

That one looks a little different than mine but there is usually a lever on the front next to the bellows. When you move the lever the bellows and lens section comes out the front so you can access the film chamber. I don’t see the lever on yours dut it is a slightly different model.

 

[NedL]

That's one of the early models, with fixed focus. These things had several different ways to remove the back... most had buttons on the top and bottom that you squeeze at the same time to lift the back off. Some had a sliding lock on the front. I think this one has a small tab between the back and the camera itself (that has the bellows ).

 

[removed account4]

I've just bought this beauty, clearly in need of TLC. How do I open it to check the film loading?

i thnk this is a No. "0" camera not a No. 1 ...
http://www.kodaksefke.nl/0-folding-pocket-kdk.html

around 3:45 you will see the knob like yours you need to turn to remove the back ..
have fun!
john

 

[Agulliver]

Thanks for the replies, in the end it slid off, revealing the base plate with the patents and serial number....a little research suggests this dates from 1898-1900. I can make some shims easily enough to accommodate a 120 spool. The camera had a 116 spool in it which I can use as take-up spool....but the winder is broken. Any ideas how best to fix this? I do have access to a workshop but am not the best at making things...so something simple would be easiest. The camera is shabby but the shutter works, lens looks clear, aperture slider works. The red plastic is missing for the window but I have red a red gel I can put in there instead.

Please see the images attached for the serial no plate and the broken winder key.

 

[removed account4]

Hi Agulliver
I don't really have any useful suggestions for repairing your camera, or replacing parts "in-kind" ( original parts).. but i can suggest buying a junk folder or strut camera and removing the winder from it and seeing if you can use it to replace yours. I don't know how secure the parts are to the pieces they are attached to, but guessing once you remove the leatherette maybe you can get at the parts that need fixing... my uneducated guess is it might just be a turnkey and shaft, and the back being bent back to form so it slides in and out and is secured right to stay ON and LIGHT TIGHT.
Fun Find !
John

 

[NedL]

I was thinking same as John. Those slots make it look like you might be able to remove the winding "key", and then you need to replace it with something. I think it might be hard to find another one of those 1898-99 models to get parts from. Lot's of people jury-rig a winder when they make pinhole cameras for 120 film, so it's possible if you use your imagination -- you could look at the f295 site to see some 120 pinhole camera winding solutions. Here's one idea. Also you'll want to go in a dark room and shine a flashlight into those bellows to see if there are any pinholes at the corners or edges. I've used liquid electrical tape to repair small pinholes and if you search around here there are other solutions too. Also 116 makes a nice playing card-sized paper negative...

 

[shutterfinger]

That center piece is or should be a wood insert that unscrews from the wood and may only provide a solid column for the wind key shaft. Remove the leather (leatherette was not invented at that point in time) around the key lever. You will likely find 3 screws in a plate that lifts off with the wind shaft and handle. On the shaft or inside the cup there may be 3 holes with springs and tapered end plungers that press against the shaft allowing one direction turning only. The springs and plungers are tiny and a PITA to reinstall.
The springs may be broken if someone forcefully turned the shaft backwards. The wind key likely sat in a slot in the wind shaft and was attached with a brass pin through the key and shaft.

 

[Agulliver]

As a temporary measure I used part of a laboratory spatula as a winder....and blow me, it worked! There are some issues, I'll need to fix the leather as it looks shabby and I do need to make/fix the winder properly but this 120 year old camera works. I think the rollers are dirty as there are specks on the negatives and some spots of emulsion missing...but overall I am very pleased with what this 19th century technology can do. The negatives end up being about 100x55mm on 120 film which gives quite a wide field of view. The lens is surprisingly sharp. I put a roll of Fomapan 100 through it and here are some of the results.

 

[NedL]

Well done!!!