On the face of it this may seem like a frivolous question but since there are so many back-packing, field-toting, equipment-lugging practicioners of the large format camera out there, maybe not. Does it make any sense to wax wooden cameras? Floors get waxed. Coffee tables get waxed. Wouldn't waxing the wooden parts with, say, butcher's wax, offer a degree of protection from rain, water, snow or other of nature's surprises?
Yes, and it helps lubricate the wood-to-wood moving parts like beds, etc. I use a carnuba wax. Regards, ;^D)
I swear, when I saw the heading for this post, I was glad I didn't have a cybersex filter on! :-)
What is butcher's wax? Where can I get it. I have a wooden camera but don't use it much in bad weather because it was so expensive.
?
I use a little bit of paste wax on my wooden cameras. Makes them look nice, cuts friction on wood-to-wood parts, makes water bead up.
Wow, cool; a 13-year-old thread brought back to life! A quality wax used in moderation on a wooden camera is a good idea.
On the sliding parts, I use a mixture of beeswax and graphite. I do not wax the rest of the camera, if the lacquer finish is intact it is unnecessary.
One man's Mede is another man's Persian.
Modern wooden cameras are, I presume, all lacquered with some kind of cellulose lacquer, older outfits must be french polished (shellac based lacquer). Either way waxing is a good idea, these are after all wooden objects that are taken out into the elements and wax offers one extra layer of protection. I would only use real beeswax however and definitely avoid any of the silicone sprays.
Many years ago, Fred Picker told me to use Renaissance wax on my Zone VI. I used to do that every two years or so. Apart from the scars of use, the camera still looks good.
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks