New toy - a Star Camera Co. 10x12!

[Colin Graham]

From what I understand brass is mainly copper and zinc, so maybe there's just an high copper content in the alloy?

[Scott --]

Maybe, Colin, but the color is pure copper. Had one of the spring leafs off last night, and it was penny-colored.

[E. von Hoegh]

Jay, that's ortho lith film?! I thought that'd give very little in the way of grayscale. You're gonna have to give me more detail on that sometime...

Okay, question fer y'all: I've done a little work on the camera, and I swear that the metalwork is copper. Either plated or solid, it's definitely not straight brass. Has a nice, even, dark patina (not verdigris, though). I'm not polishing the metal. But has anyone heard of any cameras manufactured using copper?

Depending on what it has been exposed to, the zinc can be "leached" from the alloy, leaving the surface more or less copper. Pure copper would be unsuitable - hence the development of alloys such as brass and bronze.
Also, some brass alloys have a coppery look. Brass has nigh infinite variations. If you go at an unexposed surface with fine sandpaper, I bet it comes up looking more like brass.

EDIT -PEnnies are 95% copper, 5% zinc. Or were, until the early 80"s

[Scott --]

Interesting. This seems to be an obscure manufacturer (relative to the usuals), and I'm finding materials to be different than what I've seen in Senecas, Eastmans, Gundlachs, etc. The metalwork is an example.

Like I said, I like the patina, and don't feel like completely tearing down this camera, filing peened heads, or polishing all the metal. I've started what I think is going to be my protocol on this camera, which is completely filthy: scrub the exterior with 0000 steel wool dipped in lacquer thinner. The lacquer is crazing in places; this scrub will remove some of the old, yellowed lacquer and even out what remains. Doing this leaves the surface a bit dull; I think a coat of paste wax will go on after everything is cleaned up. I'm not a huge fan of waxing cameras, but I'm even less of a fan of wiping lacquer, and like I said, I'm not tearing this camera down far enough to spray new lacquer.

[Jay DeFehr]

Scott,

The ortho film that's cheap (the stuff I use) is meant for high contrast applications (lith film), but it can be made to behave more like pictorial film by some manipulation. Pre-flashing the film lowers the exposure threshold so that any additional exposure registers on the film as density. I think of it as taking the slack out of the toe. I also use a special developer I call Sweet 'N' Lo, designed to increase the film speed and tame the contrast (kind of the same thing). Then, in printing, I use a soft working, metol-only print developer. I also try to avoid high contrast scenes. Lith film is still very slow (EI 6-12), so I'm looking forward to trying some X-ray film. In a perfect world I'd just use TMY-2, but I have obligations that preclude an unlimited budget for photo supplies, and besides, I enjoy a challenge!

I should clarify that the photo I posted above was not made on ortho film, but Kodak Imagelink HQ micro film, which is actually panchromatic, though its intended application and characteristics are otherwise very similar to ortho document films. Imagelink HQ is a pretty amazing film, once one has learned to manage it. It's finer grained than TMX or Acros, like its predecessor, Technical Pan, and ridiculously sharp. It's optimized for scanning, and it scans like a dream. Unfortunately, it's only available in 16mm, 35mm, and 105mm rolls. I'm planning to build a 4"x6.5" folding camera for the 105mm roll film.

Sorry to get off topic. Your camera is a real beauty! I'm afraid I don't know about copper camera hardware, but I wouldn't be surprised to learn that nickel plated copper hardware was common. Good luck, and keep us posted on your progress.

[Scott --]

Thanks for the details, Jay. I may hit you up for some ortho lith examples in time. I'll PM you about it.

I scrubbed down a side of the rear box with lacquer thinner and steel wool. Removed all the crazing from the side, and once all the grime was removed from the metalwork, it looked very nice indeed. A coat of paste wax was easy, and the wood has a very nice sheen now. Think this will work out.

Interestingly, there's a front bellows frame, but no rear frame. Just the bellows tacked directly to the inside of the rear standard...

FWIW, I've updated the blog with these details...

[Jim C.]

Darn too late !
Are you sure that the wood was finished in lacquer and not shellac ?

My 2D was pitiful when I received it I did a small test to see if it was
shellac by wiping a small spot with denatured alcohol and the finish got
gummy which meant it was indeed shellac. I wound up rather than stripping
and refinishing, cleaning it with a damp cloth then naptha, and 'refreshing'
the crazed shellac with a denatured alcohol wipe.

[Scott --]

Jim, you're right. Shame on me for not checking that first. Scrubbed it with a little alcohol, and it gummed up and cleaned right up. I'm off to Ace for more denatured alcohol...

Good thing is that the wood's left even nicer, and will respond to a little wax even better. Thanks for the tip!

[Scott --]

Hmm, can't edit the last post anymore...

Anyway, the denatured alcohol and 0000 steel wool is working wonders. I scrubbed the parts I'd already waxed with VM&P naphtha and then alcohol, and the wood looks wonderful. Very smooth, even, and wonderfully tactile. That's really the best thing about finishing with wax - it feels wonderful in use.

[Scott --]

Haven't done much on the 10x12 recently, but a new strap made it here yesterday...


New strap for the 10x12... by Scott --, on Flickr

Found at Brettun's Village. Now I have to decide - leave it tan, or dye it black. Or darker brown...