kodak commercial 8X10 restoration project

[koh303]

I will be restoring a commercial 8X10 aluminum camera.

Its an incredible design, with so much thought put into it, albeit somewhat optimistic as to what it would do in the end (IE screws threaded directly onto thin aluminum frames small locking nuts for massive moving parts etc.), though that said, for a nearly 80 year old camera it looks like it has survived fairly well. Even the original bellows is not in bad shape, only a few pin holes (but will be replaced with new anyways).

My 2 main questions here are:
1. Would the wooden extension bed fit the metal camera or are they completely different?

2. Would the tripod sliding block from a wooden camera fit the metal camera?

Any other notes or pointers welcome.

Will post photos as this progresses.

[Ari]

These are great 8x10 cameras, very light and pretty solid.
There are threads you can Google about modifying the front standard for tilt.
I'd stay away from mixing the wood with the silvery metal; it is such a pretty camera, it deserves to be made whole, if you can do it.

[Mark Sampson]

FYI, the Kodak Commercial 8x10 is made of magnesium, not aluminum. It is indeed a metal version of the 2-D, but I have no idea if parts from a 2-D will fit... I never saw the two together. A colleague who a Commercial in the '80s had the separate bellows extension that allows front tilt (it attaches like a lensboard). That part is worth looking for.

[koh303]

Interestingly enough, this camera has a tilting front standard (which currently does not really lock the tilt in place).
Yes - it is magnesium, not aluminum.

Can someone with experience in the matter offer advice on best polishing/cleaning with least damage for this thing?
I doubt it was a shiny metal camera when new, but most likely coated with some fixer/protectant film now all gone.
The metal is not tarnished, but has lots of crud and user/oil residue all over which will need to come off. I do not want to over do or destroy anything.

Right now i am thinking about starting with 0000 steel wool, then moving on to 400 and 800 water sand paper.

I have not yet decided if i should finish this with a real polish and buff. I know i can make it shine like a mirror, but is that appropriate?

[vinny]

I'm sure the ebay shoppers will love a restored 8x10 with mirrored finish.

[Peter De Smidt]

I'd try cleaning it with a non-abrasive cleaner first.

[koh303]

I'd try cleaning it with a non-abrasive cleaner first.

Like soap? or is there something dedicated to metal which is not abrassive like auto polish or brasso?

[Peter De Smidt]

Sure. I'd give dish soap and hot water the first go. You can always follow up with mineral spirits or similar.

[koh303]

First i need to find out if the folks in HK will make a new bellows for it with the frames built in, i am sure i will botch up gluing it to the existing frames.

[vinny]

Glueing bellows is the most nerve racking thing I've ever done. Anything with contact cement scares me.