Camera Refinishing

[barryjyoung]

Here are some before and after pics. Let's see your refinishing pics!

 

[Ole]

You've missed an option: I am refinishing a wooden camera!

 

[roteague]

I prefer metal cameras.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

I'm refurbishing my 11x14" American Optical camera (circa 1890-1915), but I don't plan to strip it and refinish the whole thing--just fixing what needs fixing.

 

[jjstafford]

I have a Century 1 8x10 including the number matched extension and it's all in great shape but from time to time I wonder if I should just make it perfect by refinishing it before selling it, or is it more valuable to show what little exposure it has had?

Definitely have to sell it, though.

 

[Ole]

You've missed an option: I am refinishing a wooden camera!

I just want to add that the camera I'm refinishing was stripped by somebody else - I bought it as a half-finished project. I hope to get it finished this winter.

 

[Seele]

I have the remains of a 1882 George Hare, by the look of it a previous owner thought that black-finished cameras (in the American style) was fashionable so he painted it black, in addition to some "creative improvisations" as well. I have stripped it down completely and now figuring out how to replicate some of the broken parts and then get it rebuilt and refinished from the ground up, so as to be as close to original as possible, as yet, useable: it's a half-plate model with missing back so I would need to construct a new back for standard 4X5 darkslides anyway.

It reminds me of old car and motorcycle enthusiasts. If a motorcycle is supposed to be "original" then even a cadmium-plated bolt on it would disqualify it; when you remove the old paint the originality is gone. But for the enthusiast who just comes across a wreck, he could give it a full ground-up rebuild, lavish upon it the care and finish well beyond what the original manufacturer could afford; that makes for a "concour d'elegance" specimen. For me this George Hare is of the latter type, so bring out the french polish!

 

[barryjyoung]

You are right. OK, next time I will certainly add that as an option.

 

[barryjyoung]

It is probably worth much more in original finish if the finish is good at all. Refinishing is for beater cameras that look like they really need refinishing a bunch! So everyone is wondering how much you want for your camera.

Thanks

Barry Young

 

[barryjyoung]

Ummm, what did you need specifically for this camera?

 

[barryjyoung]

Why oh why did the pics of my camera not show?

Does anybody know?