Help with another mod please!

[Ash]

Well essentially the same mod that was forgotten about.

The SI MkII Kodak Ground Camera (military marked) - Half Plate

I want to FIIIINALLY make use of it, and since it's lighter than (but probably just as bulky as) the Cambo monorail, it may be good for actual field use, and I can go out and use some large format film up!

So here's a list of the problems.

I want to repaint it, or restore the ugly brown/grey air-force colour. I'm thinking either a straight washover with black would look nice but really isn't too good if I take it on a sunny day. Oh yea, I'm in England, that's not gonna happen! Maybe woodstaining would look nice, a rich colour to make it look more classy.
....Either way the bellows (which are in great condition and not worth chucking) will look out of place, unless I painted them to suit.


I need a modern back.
I spent (sit down before you read it) £100 on a Sinar 4x5 back, especially for this camera.
One of the previous owners had cut out a 4x5 reducing back, with two little metal bolts. The GG spring part fits under. Course you lift the GG and the whole thing unclips with a TWANG!. I repositioned the metal bolts with a thin nail under each to clip onto the hook of the Sinar back. This kiiinda works but it's ugly as hell, and I don't trust it is completely flat and gives a correct view.
A quarter inch under 8x8 (back can rotate), the back area is large enough to accomodate 5x7 I think.

So here's my next problem.
Do I sell the Sinar 4x5 back, and raise funds for a 5x7 back?
-This means I need a 5x7 back, 5x7 holders, 5x7 film
Do I buy a 4x5 reducing back that is in working order?
-This means no more worry about the DIY back, and I can sell the Sinar 4x5
Do I attempt to build a 'proper' reducing back, using the Sinar 4x5 base built into a wood/metal frame, so it is light tight, and definitely flat and 'ok'?
-Probably the most effective choice, but finding the time/means to build the back would be difficult, especially with the sturdiness to allow constant use for the next few years without falling apart.



The camera came without lens, without shutter.

I have my Goerz Dagor in its mounting flange perched on the front of the camera, but it isn't really secure. I also have a Aldis Uno, and a Wray Supar, both in DIY recessed lensboards I made for the camera. I have a Empco Silent Shutter. I'm only really keen on using the Dagor.

I would like to get another Packard shutter, or else modify the Empco to act like a packard - the Empco requires 110V to work properly.

Do I devise a cunning front standard mod, like with the cambo?
-I'll be able to use multiple lenses on one shutter, but all my lenses are in their mounts for the Cambo, and I don't want to mess up that system, the front standard of the Kodak isn't large enough to accomodate the same mod as the Cambo.
Do I attack the front standard and fit a single solid front panel with the Dagor, and the shutter attached to the rear of the dagor?
-this means pulling the camera apart, and doing irreversible damage (the front standard shows enough of that damage already!)



Any thoughts? I'll get some photo's of the camera up shortly, I'm sure in my message history there are enough photo's previously posted.

My main concern is USING this camera. That means fitting the front lens semi-permanently with a working shutter, and an international back.



If anyone out there has a reducing back to 4x5 (modern/universal) then please let me know!

[Ash]

ok so I didn't get any help to my roundabout post above.

Here's the update.

I drilled some holes in the front of the camera, tried to attach the Packard shutter. It didn't go down too well.... Now I have four more holes in the front standard.

The bellows will be painted black.
I can't afford to replace the bellows right now, and as far as I can tell there is only one tiny tear, where I popped a screwdriver through the leather by accident. I'll replace the bellows one day, but for now I'm going to repair the hole then get some paint and attack those grey folds!

Frank R is selling me some wood 5x7 holders - hopefully this means the original half plate back can be used as 5x7. We'll see.

BradS is selling me a broken 4x5 back - I'll repair that and hammer it onto a nice piece of wood to attach to the camera. That means I'll have a working 4x5 back I hope. It also means I'll either keep the Sinar/DIY back as spare, or sell the Sinar back.

Dave is selling me a Packard shutter - Not sure if this will fit well with the camera. I'll work that out when it arrives.

If the Packard shutter isn't exactly what I'd like, I have a new plan:
I'll work out a cunning way to attach Cambo SC lensboards to the front of the camera. This will add a lot of weight, after all the lensboards are metal, BUT it means I can transfer the WHOLE Packard Shutter Mod (see sig) from the Cambo and attach it directly to the Kodak SI.


Today I started to strip the camera. It's REALLY painful to sand off all that grey paint. REALLY REALLY is!!! It took a LOT of sandpaper to get this far, and it'll take a helluva lot more. Below is about 3 hours work. That's it. A tiny tiny fraction of the camera.

Here are the photo's of the work in progress:

Goodbye grey paint

(note holes all over the front standard from abusive previous owners)

Starting to sand


One side done!

[Ash]

Wood-Goo stuff applied


The top is mahogany I think, is the bottom beech?





Here's the original state of the camera http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y43.../DSC00033a.jpg
that also shows the cheap and cheerful recessed lens-board I made to accommodate a Wray 4.5inch

The camera images from the seller, this is the 'original' original state - looks ok in these pics, huh?
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y43...d/DSCF0185.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y43...d/DSCF0187.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y43...d/DSCF0188.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y43...d/DSCF0189.jpg
He had a rose tinted lens I think!


If you look at the metal bar across the top of the front standard on the original photo's (removed during sanding and everything) - I just looked on the back and noticed some text covered by red paint. I scrubbed off the paint and found "NEWEY BROTHERS B'HAM LTD" - looks like the Newey Bro's did SOME metal work on the camera. Nice to find little things like that.

[Pete Watkins]

Oh my gawd. You're in a mess. Sort out your priorities.
A) What size negative film do you want to use?
B) Have you got an enlarger?
C) Have you considered pinhole?
D) Don't paint leather, if you want to change the colour dye it with the right type of dye.
E) You are creating a bit of an abortion, what matters more, the colour of the camera or the images produced by the contraption?
F) Do the world a favour, bin your collection of hammers and buy some screwdrivers.
G) If you're stripping the paint use Nitromores (Homebase, B & Q's etc.). Do NOT get this stuff on the bellows. Wear protective gloves, the proper ones!
H) Fill the holes in with wood filler and finish off with Brummer Stopping, this is a really fine filler and gives a really smooth finish.
J) I thought that Wray Suprars were enlarging lenses. They have a poor reputation and are "two a penny" to quote a phrase.
K) Look for suitable LUC shutters, camera fairs happen and are advertised. You're planning a trip to The Smoke for Photographica 2007, be patient somthing might turn up there.
L) Look at front mounting the Packard, slow down, look at the options. Consider the Repromaster lenses (I bought three on the Bay for six quid, the mugs are out there. Look in the darkroom side, lots of people think that they're enlarging lenses (I've seen G-Clarons up cheap as enlarging lenses). I bought a 5 1/2" lens in a working Compour shutter for £4-12p this year. God knows how everybody else missed it, but I got it. Some lenses on U.K. E-Bay are sold during the working day. These usually go a bit cheaply as most people are working at these times.
I've now run out of ideas, if you outbid me on the Bay I'll never forgive ya, but never mind.
Best wishes,
Pete.

[Ash]

The original post was a lot of waffling - I can no longer edit it, so I cannot sort out the mess of text up there.

Oh my gawd. You're in a mess. Sort out your priorities.

-Thanks.


A) What size negative film do you want to use?
-Either 4x5 or 5x7. I have the Calumet 45N, and I'll have this field camera as 4x5 at least. I'd prefer 4x5 and 5x7 since

B) Have you got an enlarger?
-Not for Large Format.

C) Have you considered pinhole?
-Why?!??!!?!!?

D) Don't paint leather, if you want to change the colour dye it with the right type of dye.
-It has already been painted over, check the pictures. I'm just painting over paint, using the grey as primer.

E) You are creating a bit of an abortion, what matters more, the colour of the camera or the images produced by the contraption?
-Both.
I think you're missing the point. The camera was already in a state. I wanted to sort it out and have it working fully. I needed to dismantle it, so I may as well strip off the horrid colour while I'm at it.


F) Do the world a favour, bin your collection of hammers and buy some screwdrivers.
You shouldn't diss the Irish Screwdriver. Those things are useful.
I was being ironic, I wouldn't hammer anything into this camera. Like I said, that front standard was munched by previous owners. I think giving to charities does the world more of a favour.

G) If you're stripping the paint use Nitromores (Homebase, B & Q's etc.). Do NOT get this stuff on the bellows. Wear protective gloves, the proper ones!
-That may actually be some useful advice there.

H) Fill the holes in with wood filler and finish off with Brummer Stopping, this is a really fine filler and gives a really smooth finish.
-That's what I was thinking. Thanks for the name-brand.

J) I thought that Wray Suprars were enlarging lenses. They have a poor reputation and are "two a penny" to quote a phrase.
-They are. I bought one really cheap when I got the camera last year, prior to purchasing any 'real' lenses.

K) Look for suitable LUC shutters, camera fairs happen and are advertised. You're planning a trip to The Smoke for Photographica 2007, be patient somthing might turn up there.
-I was hoping to see a fair in my area, but it's rare. The packard shutter is cheaper than searching for a Luc.

L) Look at front mounting the Packard, slow down, look at the options.
-Did you miss my original modification post where this is what I did? Not in front of the lens, but in front of the camera.

Consider the Repromaster lenses (I bought three on the Bay for six quid, the mugs are out there. Look in the darkroom side, lots of people think that they're enlarging lenses (I've seen G-Clarons up cheap as enlarging lenses). I bought a 5 1/2" lens in a working Compour shutter for £4-12p this year. God knows how everybody else missed it, but I got it. Some lenses on U.K. E-Bay are sold during the working day. These usually go a bit cheaply as most people are working at these times.
-I've not ever seen lenses go that cheap. You must have bagged the few there were

I've now run out of ideas, if you outbid me on the Bay I'll never forgive ya, but never mind.
-Eh?

[Ash]

Hmm. It looks like this really is a WWII era camera.

Every possible scrap of hard wood went into the bloody thing!

Extension rail, front standard, front standard bracket, rear standard shell.... EVERYTHING has a new type of wood!


Still some work to be done as you can see!



Front view, look at all those wood-tones!



Side view, with extension rail folded up:



I'm thinking I may buy some woodstain, and stain the whole camera a rich brown like the mahogany colour on the front bracket. Not sure though!!


I've yet to sort the bellows, and the earliest I'll receive the Cherry 4x5 back is this time next week!

[Randy H]

Ash,
If you can find it where you live, and you don't have all the paint off yet, there is a product called "Citri-Strip". It works very well on old wood, is environmentally (as well as can be) friendly, works extremely well, and will not "lift" the grain of the wood. I have used it on several old beaters over the past years. Works great. Bit of advice found the hard way, if you plan on stain and lacquer, seal the wood before lacquer. The grain on old wood tends to raise, and a shot of sealer prior to lacquer or shellac, will keep it nice and smooth looking. After stain, and again after your final coat has set for a couple days, get some #0000 steel wool and buff the finish, then wax it. "LIGHTLY BUFF", not aggressively. I learned a lot of this on an old 5x7 Agfa Ansco that they originally painted some gawd-awful grey metalflake. It, too was made of about six different woods. Stained it all cherry/walnut mixture (a little red in the brown) and six-coat lacquered. Looked good. Had a blast! Post pics of finished product. I enjoy rebuilds from fire-place items myself. Latest was a Conley 8X10 BW View. Looked like s**t. Now looks gorgeous. Try making your own bellows. 'Tis fun, and is well worth the "bragging rights" when you are done. Look at pics of my Conley and an old New-Vue in the thread "show me yours".
Have fun

[Randy H]

http://www.largeformatphotography.in...ad.php?t=20520

Try this link to the thread.

BTW, the Conley was painted brown, mounted on a slab of plywood, used as an enlarger. Bellows were shot, (rotted) glass was gone, really a trash piece that I bought for pennies. I built the bellows, cut and ground the glass, made a new lens board, stripped, steel-wooled, stained, steel-wool, sealed, steel-wool, lacquered, steel-wool, waxed. The light places in the wood are reflections. Camera is all same colour throughout.

[Ash]

Randy, that Conley looks amazing now!!

Sadly that thread has made my Kodak look even uglier!!


I think I'll be spending a lot of money on sexy wood field cameras in the future. They look so much sweeter than small format cameras


I think I'll seal the wood with the stuff from the shed (it's like a honey coloured goo) THEN get some wood stain.

To be honest I just want this thing finished and looking 'good'. I don't have the patience to make new bellows. I tried once and failed. The camera has about 24" extension as well, that's a lot of material to buy!

[Randy H]

Nothing on earth can give you the thrill,
That puttin your hands on a woodie will.