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View Full Version : 10 Hours of Sanding, screwing, oiling and new to the forum



marcaeon
2-Aug-2013, 09:52
Well I thought I'd kick off my first post with some of this weeks work.
Got myself a box of old wooden bits and bellows full of spiders and after
many long hours sanding, polishing, oiling plus a new screen and set of bellows
from Birmingham here she is. The latest edition to the family: Ansco 21. Pre Agfa now finished in turk oil.

Hello from England x

99598

andreios
2-Aug-2013, 10:31
What a beauty! Congratulations! What is the format?

Jim Galli
2-Aug-2013, 10:34
Yes, a thing of beauty, ready for 80 more years +

marcaeon
2-Aug-2013, 10:45
Thank you. She's 4x5 now.

Cletus
2-Aug-2013, 11:09
WOW! Beautiful work Marcaeon! If I didn't know better I'd thought you were showing a museum piece. I wish you'd have posted a few (and slightly larger) photos of your camera.

Steve Smith
2-Aug-2013, 11:12
Fantastic. Can we see a picture of it folded up? (and bigger!)


Steve.

marcaeon
2-Aug-2013, 11:19
I will have a go.. 99601 I have some photos from Monday when it was in bits. I made a mistake with the first attempt because I put a lacquer coating on the brass but after a few movements it looked really terrible from scratches so it all had to come off again. This photo is mid work, old bellows with the chipped varnish etc

marcaeon
2-Aug-2013, 12:04
996029960399604 Here she is in bits. My girlfriend laughed when I said 10 hours. Ok maybe it was a bit more. The last part of the camera to be "really" complete are the lens boards. I took it to the local wood chap who said straight away its 1926 wood. Looking on amazed I asked how he knew and its to do with Castro and what he did. Anyway. He has "did have" one lovely bit of furniture that was made of the stuff and yes, its been chopped up just for the lens boards so they match. I've really enjoyed spending the time on it. First camera I have owned that I feel really is mine, funny because I expect all the previous owners are passed on now. I hope maybe one day someone will find it again, full of cobwebs and looking like it needs the bin only to restore it. I feel that its a lucky camera somehow. Daft I know but there you go. Thank you for the warm welcome to the forum.

John Kasaian
2-Aug-2013, 12:16
She's a beauty!:D

marcaeon
2-Aug-2013, 12:33
And folded up as requested. I've put it next to the Wista 4x5 and the Toyo CF so you can see that she isn't, that small but then, not that big. Quite heavy but worth it. Still a bit to do on it but one day at a time, but for now, its time to load some film.99605

jb7
2-Aug-2013, 14:00
Well done, wonderful job...

I can think of a few things you're not including in that 10 hours though...

Bill Burk
2-Aug-2013, 14:57
Beautiful job! You must be very good friends with the local wood chap, for him to chop some Castro-era furniture for you. Some people just know what's the right honor to bestow.

Morten
2-Aug-2013, 16:29
Well Done!

Jim Cole
2-Aug-2013, 18:11
Beautifully done. What a treasure!

Jim C.
2-Aug-2013, 18:23
Nicely restored !

Not sure what you meant by " She's 4x5 now " ?

Robert Hall
2-Aug-2013, 20:43
Lovely work.

Peter_Jones
3-Aug-2013, 13:43
Fantastic ! Time to run some film through it :)

Pete Watkins
3-Aug-2013, 14:21
I'm so upset. I thought that I owned the only "proper" Ansco in the UK.
I went to Brum for my bellows (red), what a great company, and I have 4x5 & 5x7 backs. Mine is not restored but retains a wonderful patina which I only give a coat of wax polish every now and again.
I use mine from time to time although I regard it as an early (1926 / 27) small town portrait studio camera, I do photograph other things with it.
I opened the front of mine up to take B&J sized lens boards so any value as an antique has probably been wiped out!
Welcome to the forum anyway.
Best wishes,
Pete

fecaleagle
3-Aug-2013, 18:10
My girlfriend laughed when I said 10 hours. Ok maybe it was a bit more. The last part of the camera to be "really" complete are the lens boards.

Haha. I spent 25+ hours on a 5x7 Ansco restoration. Cleaning all of the brass, shimming the rails, fixing two splits in the wood, etc. I thought 10 hours sounded like an optimistic estimate.

You can buy new ansco lens boards from a seller on eBay.

Enjoy it and beautiful work!!!

-William