Re-leathering a Graflex?

[Ian Grant]

Thanks Frank

Now the french polish has dried and hardened, I can see that just a light sand down and a last couple of coats is enough. The bellows are now cleaned and re-stained.

This old pre-Anniversary Speed Graphic was not quite what I expected when I bought two Speed Graphics on the auction site, the idea was enough parts from the two to make one good camera.

Instead this nice little camera needed a little simple work, and will soon be working beautifully, like the tale of the ugly duckling has emerged like a swan - in this case displaying its wooden elegance.

The other awaits restoration and will need recovering, after some replacement parts are found or fabricated, and the bellows repaired or replaced. This one will take longer than the 3 or 4 hours spent on the first.

Ian

 

[bertsaunders]

Re-leathering Graflex/Graphic camera bodies

I have been collecting/repairing/restoring these cameras for over 25 years, have re-leathered at last count, 27 camera bodies, several in my own collection as well as for customers!
The moroccan leather is getting hard to find, I suppose for lack of demand, but it can still be found! Elmers white glue is what I use for new leather as well as repairs (damp cloth used to wipe excess)!
Carefull removal of old leather, paint scraper usefull to get to the bare wood!
You must be carefull not to gouge holes in the wood as every imperfection will show thru the new leather finish...Bondo works great to fill holes! Carefull scraping and finish sanding is important to the entire project!
The most difficult item to recover, are the aluminum front doors on the Speed/Crown Graphics! I have made wooden frames that I clamp down slowly after stretching/pulling the leather to lay smoothly over the lens clearance bump in the center....it also helps to pre-cut the leather to fit around the hard to cut features, like around the focusing shaft and the strut arm support plates....it is important to leave excess leather so you have something to pull on to stretch the leather smoothly in place!
I have many repair instructions (Graphic/Graflex only) ready to send out via direct email free of charge, that I have written up from experience over the years....and I will help via email to answer any repair questions you might have! I have fabricated from scratch almost every item on these cameras (except the hardware) but including such things as........
lensboards
aux lensbds (for adapting all of your lenses to a single board)
Lensboard retainer locks (turn a D model or Super D upside down and the lensboard will fall out) my retainer prevents this from happening!
stovepipe hoods
bellows
shutter curtains (I have instructions and matl. sources, to fab your own
curtains)
conversion backs to convert 3x4/4x5 RB Graflex backs to 4x5 Graflok RB backs
And I have many spare parts from parts cameras I have bought over the years!

bsaunders1@bak.rr.com
have a nice day......Bert