ahha.. enjoy it, ... but seriously, when I first opened the old Graphic box of my dads years ago, the 3x4 had a musty smell, that was stored inside, but I enjoyed it because it was ageless time, coming to light again. Gradually, using the camera ect the smell disappeared, but then I live in Arizona, its a lot dryer here.
Suggestion: Open it up, take the lens and lens board off, open up the back, even if you have to remove the ground glass, let it air out.
Thank you all for your suggestions. The camera body is metal and it was kept inside a lined case in a semi damp basement for a number of years. I don't want to try any solution that will affect the bellows material so what I'll end up doing is,when the rain stops on Monday, I'll take the lensboard and the groundglass back off and let it air outside for the day. That is unless some curious squirrel or bird decides to check it out.Hit it with some Lemon Pledge. I don't know if that will do much for the odor, but it certainly won't make it worse. In any case, that stuff is good for softening and moisturizing the bellows, shutter plane curtains, and leather covering. It's a great restoration tool for those cameras.
Maybe wipe it down with a cloth dampened with hydrogen peroxide to kill any mildew that may be growing inside it and the case. Charcoal (briquettes or lump) placed inside will remove the odor.Thank you all for your suggestions. The camera body is metal and it was kept inside a lined case in a semi damp basement for a number of years. I don't want to try any solution that will affect the bellows material so what I'll end up doing is,when the rain stops on Monday, I'll take the lensboard and the groundglass back off and let it air outside for the day. That is unless some curious squirrel or bird decides to check it out.
Doug
If I had to take a guess I'd say that the camera structure is made of oak
I have a 2 1/4 x 3 1/4 Busch Pressman C camera which has a metal body. Busch also made the Pressman D a 4 x 5 camera, which was also metal bodied.Speed and Crown Graphics' bodies are made from Mahogany. Why guess about what you can look up?
OP, you're a little confused and have been misleading us. I'll grant you that you don't know much and that Graflex' nomenclature is confusing. Graflex' press cameras with metal bodies were sold as Super Graphic and Super Speed Graphic. The SSG differs from the Super Graphic in having a normal lens in a Graflex leaf shutter with claimed top speed of 1/1000. Pacemaker and Super Graphics have bellows made of a synthetic material.
But since you're confused you may not even have a Graphic. There were other metal-bodied press cameras.
Look again. My first 2x3 camera was a Pressman C. It had a metal front door and back and a leather covered wood body. Yours should be the same.I have a 2 1/4 x 3 1/4 Busch Pressman C camera which has a metal body. Busch also made the Pressman D a 4 x 5 camera, which was also metal bodied.
I recently got a set of Ansel Adams books with that musty smell, I killed it with ozone and airflow. I have a room filter than generates a small amount of ozone to aid in removing particles from the air, I just opened the books and arranged them on the outlet of the fan. So open your camera, remove then lens and the back, extend the bellows (Speed Graphic bellows are pretty tough) gently and blow dry air through the camera for several days.
I like your thinking, Sirius! I'd suggest a good single barrel burb (as my lovely wife Flora says). Beware of cutesy names! There are many upstarts out there....
- Place the camera on a kitchen or dining room table.
- Open the camera up completely.
- Remove the lens and lens board.
- Sit down.
- Pour a shot of bourbon in a glass.
- Drink the bourbon.
- Repeat from step 5 down until the odor disappears.
I prefer my burb on the rocks, but YMMV. Please, no soft drink adulterants! In the hot summers typical here in Georgia a Mint Julep is recommended, but don't skimp on the quality of the burb! Sterling silver julep cups are traditional, but costly. And let's not enter the "muddle vs. crushed" debate. Too many long friendships have foundered on these rocks! Tragic....
Or the bellows might start smelling of "apples". Once bought a sack of ripe apples at a roadside stand in New Mexico, put the sack on the back seat and after a day in the car, the whole automobile smelled like bourbon. I was careful not to bend any laws all the way home............Regards!
- Place the camera on a kitchen or dining room table.
- Open the camera up completely.
- Remove the lens and lens board.
- Sit down.
- Pour a shot of bourbon in a glass.
- Drink the bourbon.
- Repeat from step 5 down until the odor disappears.
Or the bellows might start smelling of "apples". Once bought a sack of ripe apples at a roadside stand in New Mexico, put the sack on the back seat and after a day in the car, the whole automobile smelled like bourbon. I was careful not to bend any laws all the way home............Regards!
- Place the camera on a kitchen or dining room table.
- Open the camera up completely.
- Remove the lens and lens board.
- Sit down.
- Pour a shot of bourbon in a glass.
- Drink the bourbon.
- Repeat from step 5 down until the odor disappears.
I wonder how a Martini made with Ouzo would taste? Nah, I like the taste of juniper........Regards!Straight is the preferred method of imbibing, however there are a few exceptions such as Mint Julep, dry Gin Martinis [stirred, not shaken] Ouzo with a little ice.
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?