This is an old thread...but it's an interesting topic. I've had one for awhile but don't use it much...and will start stripping it down, soon, to its basic elements. I like the idea of painting it some unique color...but what I'd really like to do is turn it into a wide angle camera...shortening it's bed...maybe adding a bag bellows...and lowering it's weight...hmmm...
...but what I'd really like to do is turn it into a wide angle camera...shortening it's bed...maybe adding a bag bellows...and lowering it's weight...hmmm...
75 is as wide as I want...as I own one as well as a 90. Just need to lower the weight and bulk. May get the surgical gloves out this week...
All cameras made by Folmer and Schwing Manufacturing Company from their beginning in the late 1890's through 1922 are made from Honduran Mahogany, covered in XXX Moroccan leather with silver plated brass hardware.[I didn't know they are mahogany, mine definitely didn't feel like it. But if they all are, tempting.
All cameras made by Folmer and Schwing Manufacturing Company from their beginning in the late 1890's through 1922 are made from Honduran Mahogany, covered in XXX Moroccan leather with silver plated brass hardware.
1923 the hardware plating was changed to paint.
1947 the body covering changed to leatherette, aka Naugahyde until the end of the company in 1973.
1949 saw the introduction of a Bakelite body camera, the Century Graphic, a 2 1/4 x 3 1/4 similar to the Crown Graphic. All other 2x3 and larger format cameras remained Naugahyde covered Mahogany with various platting or paint on brass hardware.
The thickness of the body covering is figured into the size of the other camera parts so when stripping a body the back, bed, FPS roller bearings and control plates have to be shimmed the covering thickness to fit and work properly.
I didn't know they are mahogany, mine definitely didn't feel like it. But if they all are, tempting.
If you want to refinish, refinish away. You don't have to do anything else to use a 75 on the camera. There's not much you can do to reduce weight besides removing the range finder (not very heavy) and the focal plane shutter.
...but what I'd really like to do is turn it into a wide angle camera...shortening it's bed...maybe adding a bag bellows...and lowering it's weight...hmmm...
All cameras made by Folmer and Schwing Manufacturing Company from their beginning in the late 1890's through 1922 are made from Honduran Mahogany, covered in XXX Moroccan leather with silver plated brass hardware.
1923 the hardware plating was changed to paint.
1947 the body covering changed to leatherette, aka Naugahyde until the end of the company in 1973.
1949 saw the introduction of a Bakelite body camera, the Century Graphic, a 2 1/4 x 3 1/4 similar to the Crown Graphic. All other 2x3 and larger format cameras remained Naugahyde covered Mahogany with various platting or paint on brass hardware.
The thickness of the body covering is figured into the size of the other camera parts so when stripping a body the back, bed, FPS roller bearings and control plates have to be shimmed the covering thickness to fit and work properly.
Dan, one advantage of modifying a Speed Graphic to make a wide angle camera is you overcome the problem of needing to drop the bed to prevent the ends of the rails appearing in the image, this occurs even with a 90mm f6.8 Angulon on a 5x4 Graphic.
I don't know what kind of glue they used, but...wow. It won't peel off. You can't scrape it off. Using a razor blade won't work because the wood is soft and it's too easy to dig into it. Even the solvents I use for stripping the decals and pinstripes off cars didn't work. Ended up using AN ELECTRIC SANDER to remove it.
Use Steam. Wet a cloth or sponge almost to a drip with very hot water. Place saturated cloth on a section of the body for 3 to 5 minutes. Using a straight edge rigid blade putty knife scrape the covering off. Leaving the wet cloth on too long results in the covering turning to goo and the grain of the wood starts to raise.
2 1/4 X 3 1/4 RB Series B made in 1949:
View attachment 86603 View attachment 86604View attachment 86602
Use Steam. Wet a cloth or sponge almost to a drip with very hot water. Place saturated cloth on a section of the body for 3 to 5 minutes. Using a straight edge rigid blade putty knife scrape the covering off. Leaving the wet cloth on too long results in the covering turning to goo and the grain of the wood starts to raise.
2 1/4 X 3 1/4 RB Series B made in 1949:
View attachment 86603 View attachment 86604View attachment 86602
I never did like the look. I was thinking about it when I got mine naked and seen the work involved to put new clothing on. But I pushed forward and never gave up. Heh.
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