View Full Version : Restoring my "new" Agfa Ansco 8x10.
I just received an Agfa Ansco 8x10 I got from Ebay for a couple hundred bucks, that I want to restore to a user standard. The good news is that the camera is largely complete (only one missing knob), has a bellows that smells musty but appears to be in generally good shape and light-tight, has a perfectly decent 8x10 back and ground glass, and as a bonus has a built-in working packard shutter. The bad news is it requires a complete breakdown and rebuild, largely due to several loose joints in the rails and and a hacked rear standard focus lock knob. Oh, yes, it's also painfully ugly, and so I'll be bringing the finish up to at least a non-crumbly condition - right now I'm thinking of stripping all finishes and just applying an oil afterwards.
So here is the "before":
203241203243203244203247
Any pre-emptive input would be appreciated. I have two specific questions - since these were Agfa branded cameras, should I expect to look at metric replacements for missing screws? Also, can anyone tell me which model of camera this is. I know not all early A-As had front tilt, but from what I've read, both the Unversal and the Commercial had front focusing, and this one doesn't - only rise and shift. It's definitely not a Commercial, judging by the rail extension. Is it just a very early Universal?
Finally, as this is my first post here, I'd like to introduce myself. My name is Simon, and I'm an architect, but I studied photography at Columbia College Chicago in the 1990s. I have been an on-off large and medium-format user, including quite a bit of pinhole photography and other experiments, not all of which have been analog. I have quite a stash of cameras, including a working 5x7 post-war Ansco field camera, a Cambo Cadet and a Speed Graphic. Recently I've started doing things with the Ansco, and I have to say I have enjoyed the larger format. That was mostly what induced me to take the plunge into 8x10, but since my family budget can't justify the purchase of a more modern and expensive option, I decided to go for a fixer-upper.
A few more "before" images:
203262203263203261203264
With a 2D I recently put back into shape, I decided not to keep all the fixtures and screws original and old-timey.
The old screws could be pulled out quite easily, so I filled the screw holes with wood plugs and glue, then re-drilled each hole for modern screws that were roughly the same size as the originals.
There was a lot of other work to do on the camera in order to make it functional, not true to its original look, but the camera works very well now.
It looks like you'll probably have to strip the paint at least, as I'm sure some of it is likely to interfere with the camera's functions.
Good luck, keep us posted.
That looks like quite a fun project!
Please take lots of photos so we can see how it progresses!
Ron (Netherlands)
1-May-2020, 01:11
Since the bellows look fine, the camera will greatly survive; indeed a lovely project to do.
Because you're only missing one screw/bolt I would keep the camera as original as possible and fellowmembers might have for you the missing parts (guess the parts are not metric since the nameplate says "manufactured in USA" - we didn't have this type of AFGA cams in Europe).
Started disassembly. Turns out, as usual with these types of projects, that things are worse than I had imagined. The bed frame glue joints essentially came apart on their own, and what didn't seems to be held together by fasteners under or in the gear racks, which I see no way of removing safely at this point. If anyone knows how the racks are held down on these cameras, I'd love to hear your input. It would be far better to re-glue these joints properly than to resort to mechanical fasteners, as one person seems to have already done once.
203284
choiliefan
1-May-2020, 04:33
Any chance your racks are pinned on with small nails?
You'll have to look closely.
Is that the typical method? I can see tiny heads, but they're a bit buried and can't tell whether they're nails or screws. Would it be safe to just pry them up then?
The gear tracks on my Eastman 2D were held down with about 5 or 6 tiny nails. Hard to see the heads, but try to gently pry up the track at one end, then the other, and you may see the nails start to pull up. Once they come out a few mm you may be able to pull them out with needlenose pliers.
I had to slightly reposition one of the tracks on the rear extension, as it was not contacting with the track on the center bed.
On another front, the nice brass knobs on the camera seem to have been press-fitted with through-axle pins, which also seem press-fitted. That means I won't be able to remove them non-destructively, unless someone has an idea how to do it. Right now it looks like I won't be able to take all the hardware off, and will have to refinish the camera with some of it still attached. And here I thought in the old days they used to make stuff to be fixed.
William Whitaker
1-May-2020, 11:04
Refinishing the camera with the knobs in place should be OK since the metal knobs should be resistant to the finish applied.
But another thought.
Are the cross-axles (focusing shafts) affixed to the camera with pressed metal clips which are then screwed into the wood? Or do the axles actually thread through the wood?
If the former, then they conceivably could be removed non-destructively....
Just thinking out loud....
The focusing shaft is held in place with clips, so no problem. The difficulty is with the rise shaft on the front standard, which sits in a slot through the standard itself. And the difficulty is with more than just the finish, since the glue joints there seem a bit loose too.
203298
EDIT: On the FB Hand-Made Camera Forum I was just informed that the pins can be punched out. Off to try it I go.
Disassembly of the camera is almost complete: all I still need to do is to take apart the ground glass frame.
It looks like I'm not going to be taking a few bits of hardware off after all: the rear standard arms are riveted into the frame, and I don't want to mess with them.
203328
Also on the rear standard, the swing lock knob shafts are flared out at the end, and I'd have to trim the flared bits to get them off - again, not worth it.
203329
As I suspected, pretty much all of the glue joints came apart with very little prodding. Since I'm going for usability, I will be regluing everything properly once I have the finishes stripped. This is what the front standard looks like now:
203330
The thing that gave me the most trouble was the bellows - it was screwed into the standard using little steel screws, and since the camera was stored in a damp place, pretty much all of them were rusty. I did my best, but stripped the slots on about half of them, especially on the front standard. I finally resorted to the most hair-raising method - prying everything apart, praying I don't rip the bellows or break its frames in the process. I finally managed to get it out without doing any damage, but I'm guessing I got a few extra gray hairs in the process.
I actually started to take off the paint and the original finish from the bed rail, but my heat gun quit on me and the local hardware store was closed already, so it'll have to wait for tomorrow. Anyway, it's been a pretty productive afternoon.
Done stripping all finishes. It probably would have been easier to buy a kit camera. If you count my time, probably cheaper, too ;). But would it have been as much fun?
203399
Progress is being made. After reading up on wood glue and regluing old joints, I decided to clean all the joints with hot water to get rid of any hide glue remnants.
As I've had to repair splits in the various parts of the camera, which has required a fair amount of sanding and resulted in uneven patches of wood color, I've decided to give everything a red mahogany stain after I'm done. It's not really what the original finish looked like, but I wasn't in love with the greenish tinge it had anyway.
After considering some options I've decided for a minimal cleaning of the brass hardware, to retain as much of the patina on it as possible. There's not much I find more off-putting than shiny brass. I know lots of people love it, but I just can't stand the stuff. Still considering painting it flat black, but I'm worried it'll just start coming off after a few times in the field. Before the virus I had access to a powder-coating station, but I don't want to wait until the all-clear.
I'm also not impressed by shiny brass or polished wood, and whats more, I love the drab gray of my 8x10 Universal. I vote for restoring the gray to its former glory. Did you figure out if that's what yours is? This page says they are rear-focus but clearly that's not true for all of them.
http://camera-wiki.org/wiki/Ansco_View_Cameras
I figure it's an early Universal. The original finish was definitely not gray: there was plenty of the original stuff left under the gray house paint. Also, my understanding is that the gray ones all had nickel-plated hardware, as is the case with my 5x7.
Once I stain the wood, I'll apply a nice, low-key oil finish, so no danger of things going shiny.
Starting to put things back together again.
203503
Peter De Smidt
7-May-2020, 12:11
Great progress. What worked best for removing the focusing racks?
Thanks! It seems slow going while I'm doing it, but when I look back, it's not so bad.
As for the racks, they were held in with little finishing nails - a little prying and they came out. A few of the nails were salvageable, but most weren't, so I'll be replacing all of them. My measurements of the old ones match 1/2" #18s, 1/2" long. All I could get without ordering online were 5/8", but there's enough wood to accommodate that and I can use the extra holding power. The modern nails seem to have slightly bigger heads, so I'll have to be careful.
I figure it's an early Universal. The original finish was definitely not gray: there was plenty of the original stuff left under the gray house paint. Also, my understanding is that the gray ones all had nickel-plated hardware, as is the case with my 5x7.
Once I stain the wood, I'll apply a nice, low-key oil finish, so no danger of things going shiny.
I must have missed where it was house paint. I saw gray and assumed it was the original gray. Is it cherry wood ya think?
Front standard clamped up using supplementary pieces of wood:
203530
I must have missed where it was house paint. I saw gray and assumed it was the original gray. Is it cherry wood ya think?
I can't tell exactly what kind of paint it was, but it was super-crumbly and was sloppily applied to the original varnish - in fact there's still stuff I won't be able to get off on the bellows. Ugly thing to do to any camera. And yes, I think all Anscos were cherry, regardless of the finish.
So there was one thing I needed to fix that went beyond stripping and regluing - the front standard had a crack in the bottom, where it locked into the base rail. You can see that in the third picture in the second post in this thread.
Since the crack was very long and there was evidence of previous attempts to fix it (a nail driven through it, which I can only assume didn't do a whole lot of good), I decided to do it right. First I removed the loose piece:
203557
Then I rabbeted out the damaged area:
203559
And finally glued in a strip of oak (the camera is cherry, but I don't have any and happen to have a large-ish stash of salvaged oak, which should be more resilient than the original wood to boot):
203560
Anyhow, that's the end of the big surgery. Now on to sanding, staining and oiling the wood, and then reattaching the hardware. I may not be very realistic here, but I'd love to be able to take this box out for a spin by Sunday.
Congratulations on more great progress!
Thanks! It seems slow going while I'm doing it, but when I look back, it's not so bad.
As for the racks, they were held in with little finishing nails - a little prying and they came out. A few of the nails were salvageable, but most weren't, so I'll be replacing all of them. My measurements of the old ones match 1/2" #18s, 1/2" long. All I could get without ordering online were 5/8", but there's enough wood to accommodate that and I can use the extra holding power. The modern nails seem to have slightly bigger heads, so I'll have to be careful.
I found that inserting the nails as far as possible was essential to smooth function of the focusing gear along the track. Even one nail that was protruding would jam the gear. A small chisel and hammer helped to drive them down into the track as far as possible.
Here's my 8x10 2D that I refurbished last year. I also like the brass to have some patina, and I want the wood to show it's age. Treatment of the wood was just for purposes of repair and preservation. The Packard shutter is too big to fit behind the lens board, so a front-mount was necessary for the 15.5 inch Wollensak lens. The shutter definitely needed a repaint as it was rusted inside and out, but the shutter blades and pistons were good.
There's something satisfying about returning one of these old beasts to working condition. Be prepared to get lots of curious glances and questions when you take yours out to shoot.
203569
At the last moment I chickened out and decided against a pure oil finish, and opted for a satin wipe-on poly - couldn't find good info on how oil would interact with the MinWax stain I used.
Anyway, in my enthusiasm totally forgot tomorrow's Mother's Day, and there's still yard work waiting for me. No chance of finishing the project this weekend, I'm afraid.
Roger Thoms
9-May-2020, 19:38
Your project is coming along nicely, seems you’re the right person to bring this baby back to life. Yeh, Mothers Day is definitely more important than your camera project. Plus every time I try and rush a finishing project I mess it up. I'm also a big fan of Satin finishes, much classier in my book, plus I find them more forgiving.
I've been enjoying your project
Roger
If the finish is the "Wipe-on Poly Oil", it holds up very well to time... Oils tend to "sink" differently into the hardness of woods, getting potentially unevenly over time, and will look a lot different even within weeks... And even re-oiling can eventually penetrate to glue joints making them weaker... But Poly oil tens to stay put...
Over 40 years ago, I obtained a wood field camera that had been in a photographer's shop window as a prop... It was painted with white latex paint, and had been in the window for decades... Upon stripping it, turned out to be an early French camera that was the basis for the direct copy for the Japanese Anba... Wood was cherry, and all the brass turned dark black... Took it apart to clean the brass, fixed some cracking, and refinished with Poly Oil... 40 years later, still looks the same... (I never finished the camera due to not getting bellows for it, but still have the spare parts purchased back then to finish project... Found other cameras soon after to shoot with...)
One issue that comes up with re-finishing woods natural is often even the same woods will come up different shades when finished, so don't panic when that happens, it's just the nature of the woods... Wood cameras were painted or heavily stained to even this out, so consider it's part of its "character"...
Nice work!!!
Steve K
I wouldn’t blame everyone if you thought the project has been abandoned, but it hasn’t. I have the individual parts reglued and refinished, and the brass parts cleaned up from years of built-up gunk and bits of gray paint. I’m pretty pleased with the combination of Watco wipe-on poly and Minwax Mahogany Red stain – it’s not as in-your-face as I thought it might be, and does bring out some interesting variation in the wood without being overly dramatic. Anyway, this was always going to be a user camera, wasn’t it?
203836
One of the reasons things have slowed down a bit is that once I had the camera down to prime elements, I realized I would never have quite the same opportunity to improve its functionality again. The thing that bothers me most about it is the lack of front swing and tilt – especially the tilt. I thought about building a whole new front standard, but in the end I decided to take a slightly different tack that’s a little more reversible: to build the tilt into the lens board. The camera body is built for 7 ˝” square lens boards, and since I’m not likely to use any lenses large enough to absolutely require such monstrosities and already have a couple lenses in 5.2” square boards for my 5x7 Ansco, I thought this would leave just enough room around to build an adapter with swing incorporated similarly to the way it’s done on the 5x7. This is what I was thinking, more or less:
203837
Another improvement I wanted to make is to have the ability to change to a bag bellows in the future. During removal, it became clear that the bellows that came with the camera was not original to it – the front frame is significantly smaller than the standard, and in fact it obscures part of the lens board opening when installed. I want to standardize the frame to a 7 ˝” square size, and to create a sliding retainer bar system similar to the lensboard’s to allow exchanging the bellows at the front.
203838
The rear frame of the bellows is the right width and height, but will need additional depth to make it work with the standard-depth back without resorting to the weird tape and nailed-on fabric light seals the camera came with.
So that's why I’ve decided to not race to the finish, but to carefully get to a point where I can have a functioning camera with some not-so-minor improvements to the original design.
Word of advice from the voice of experience: If you ever find yourself restoring a wooden camera that's been stored in damp conditions (you'll know by the smell if nothing else), don't expect simple reassembly. Wood warps. I've already identified two places where shimming will be necessary to bring things back to true.
mdarnton
18-May-2020, 05:43
I think the color and surface you have there is pretty nice. It looks more like walnut than the fake mahogany stain one usually sees, and I like the satin surface. I would have suggested something completely different, for a more original look, but I'm glad I kept my mouth shut.
I am remembering, but my Google is too weak this morning to find, that Kodak made a tilting lens board accessory for the 2D that's similar to what you are trying to make. As I remember, it has its own bellows, mounts with the large board and takes lenses on a smaller one. Maybe someone else can come up with the photo I can't. Anyway, you'd be surprised how little you need a tilting front when you adjust your expectations. You can get a lot of the same effect with bed tilt and back movement. I think that was their original intent because for that strategy you don't need lenses with large covering power, which they didn't have. For that reason, I usually start there, anyway.
[...]you'd be surprised how little you need a tilting front when you adjust your expectations. You can get a lot of the same effect with bed tilt and back movement. I think that was their original intent because for that strategy you don't need lenses with large covering power, which they didn't have. For that reason, I usually start there, anyway.
Absolutely - that's why I kind of gave up on retrofitting front swing capability, which I would use even less. I just thought it would be more convenient in the long run to do something like the system I showed. Thanks for the info on the 2D adapter - I'll try to find some info on it. I don't think it would be directly compatible with this camera (I don't think there was any standardization between camera manufacturers?), but any ideas are welcome at this stage.
Tin Can
18-May-2020, 06:13
Perhaps make the smaller tilting lensboard fully rotatable in all 4 possible orientations for all options
A member here sent me a fixed tilt lensboard for 7X17 to convert from Standard to Banquet, and made the camera more appropriate for my usage
Perhaps make the smaller tilting lensboard fully rotatable in all 4 possible orientations for all options
A member here sent me a fixed tilt lensboard for 7X17 to convert from Standard to Banquet, and made the camera more appropriate for my usage
Could you share any photos? I can't really picture what you're describing.
Word of advice from the voice of experience: If you ever find yourself restoring a wooden camera that's been stored in damp conditions (you'll know by the smell if nothing else), don't expect simple reassembly. Wood warps. I've already identified two places where shimming will be necessary to bring things back to true.
A craftsman gave me advice about warped hardwood years ago saying that before it is refinished, one can clamp the warped piece to a metal form and apply heat carefully a few times and letting it sit still jigged up for days before releasing... Heat can be from indirect blasts from heat gun, quartz lamp, or even leaving in the hot summer sun for a few days... Beware to not burn wood finishes (best done raw wood), and glued joints will come apart, but the heating will soften the resin in the woods and allow them to straighten when jigged and long reset...
I was given an old early Ries small model C tripod with a deformed leg, so clamped this to a heavy aluminum form and applied heat from a moving quartz photo light for about 20 minutes... Strange how you can feel the heat bounce around in the wood, but the next day released it from the form, and it was nearly perfect!!!
YMMV
Steve K
Tin Can
18-May-2020, 10:40
This what I got for free and glad of it, as it gave me a design start to my version, which is in deep storage.
Thank you forum member, I forget your name.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49910027447_02e61ce14f_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2j3nWjB)Tilt Lensboard (https://flic.kr/p/2j3nWjB) by TIN CAN COLLEGE (https://www.flickr.com/photos/tincancollege/), on Flickr
Could you share any photos? I can't really picture what you're describing.
mdarnton
18-May-2020, 10:48
Yeah! Make a whole set of boards in 2 degree increments!
Yeah! Make a whole set of boards in 2 degree increments!
For outdoor photography, after a day in the field using these, build a bonfire and toss them in with giggling glee... ;-)
There's a saying it amateur telescope making; "If in doubt, put a knob on it", meaning instead of it being fixed, allow for adjustments, and a locking knob to hold it in place... This can just be a hinged lensboard that can tilt, a locking knob to control that tilt, and a way to light proof the open area (if needed)... And there's simple or fancy, you choose...
Steve K
This what I got for free and glad of it, as it gave me a design start to my version, which is in deep storage.
Ok, thanks. Seems like a rigid version of a piece I'd seen elsewhere, with a pivot and a teensy little bellows. Something similar was apparently originally sold with the Kodak 2D. I think my design can do this without the protrusion, if I can make it work properly.
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae37/peterdesmidt/2d2.jpg
(I just noticed this is Peter De Smidt's photobucket!)
Yeah! Make a whole set of boards in 2 degree increments! Thanks, but no thanks. :)
A craftsman gave me advice about warped hardwood years ago saying that before it is refinished, one can clamp the warped piece to a metal form and apply heat carefully a few times and letting it sit still jigged up for days before releasing...
Wish I had thought about this before I applied the finishes. I don't really want to do that again, so I'll just have to use shims in a couple of strategic places. One place I might be able to get away with bending a tab on a brass piece. All in all shouldn't be too visible.
mdarnton
18-May-2020, 11:27
That's the device I couldn't find online! Yes.
I PM'd Peter. He told me he rarely used the tilt adapter, as the landscapes he shot with the camera didn't really require more than the front shifts and rear tilts and swings it already had. In that light I think I'll put this part of the project on hold and see how much I miss having the front movements in practice. I can always fabricate the adapter at a later stage, and now have a functioning camera earlier rather than later. Since the bellows adaptation won't take any more work than getting it fitted to the front standard anyway, I'll still go ahead with that.
Tin Can
18-May-2020, 14:45
The forward tilt was made for shooting groups of people, which I do
I would prefer to have a 7X17 Banquet camera over the normal 7X17 Korona I bought
Live and learn
Forward tilt was also used for "sitting" portraits to get crossed hands on lap also in focus, or women in dresses in good focus...
Steve K
Tin Can
19-May-2020, 04:16
Going to try this on a warped 11X14 plate holder. I already tried damp warm towels with over correcting clamps
A craftsman gave me advice about warped hardwood years ago saying that before it is refinished, one can clamp the warped piece to a metal form and apply heat carefully a few times and letting it sit still jigged up for days before releasing... Heat can be from indirect blasts from heat gun, quartz lamp, or even leaving in the hot summer sun for a few days... Beware to not burn wood finishes (best done raw wood), and glued joints will come apart, but the heating will soften the resin in the woods and allow them to straighten when jigged and long reset...
I was given an old early Ries small model C tripod with a deformed leg, so clamped this to a heavy aluminum form and applied heat from a moving quartz photo light for about 20 minutes... Strange how you can feel the heat bounce around in the wood, but the next day released it from the form, and it was nearly perfect!!!
YMMV
Steve K
ic-racer
19-May-2020, 06:13
If the back has swing and tilt, no reason to have it on the front standard. What is the reason?
If the back has swing and tilt, no reason to have it on the front standard. What is the reason?
Convenience, that's all. But as I said, after my exchange with Peter I've decided to put that part of it on hold.
ic-racer
19-May-2020, 08:06
This is a great project, I like seeing these old cameras come back to life.
Going to try this on a warped 11X14 plate holder. I already tried damp warm towels with over correcting clamps
Also search for "neck oven" for luthier/guitar repair... Is used to straighten guitar necks that are over tweaked... Maybe Michael Darnton can comment about this???
I've done this for guitar repair, but note this will melt hide glue normally used to bond joints and lamination...
Steve K
mdarnton
19-May-2020, 17:52
Heat works wonders for melting wood, but I've never tried something complex like a film holder. If the wood is dry, the hide glue should mostly survive. If I were going to experiment, I'd put a holder in the oven at 375 for 20 minutes then pull it out, wrestle it flat, then put it on something really flat and pile weight on it for an hour. Wood starts brown like cookies just over 375 and start to char. I doubt the paint would survive, but you never know.
But the other thing I should warn about wood heating is the hardwood becomes like heated plastic that can be bent easily, so you have to think through jigging the piece carefully so some other part gets bent and sets that way (even clamps on the wood can leave a permanent impression)... I've done it at lower temps (under 150°) where the wood holds its shape better...
It can get like "wack-a-mole" trying to fix something else that happens, and there is a chance of expansion, so practice on much junk first...
Steve K
I tested this on an old, beat up, but mostly light-tight 8x10 holder today. Works like a charm - held the warped light trap over a pot of boiling water for about 10 minutes, clamped it up and after a couple of hours it came out almost perfect. We'll see if it's going to hold its shape through the morning.
I still don't think I'm going to use it on the camera - I'm too far along to go back to square one. I want to get this thing put together and take it out for a spin relatively soon. The warps aren't bad enough to risk screwing things up after all the work I've done on it already.
For what it's worth, the film holder has mostly held its shape overnight, which probably means it'll be OK for at least a while. I can always re-steam it if need be.
RedGreenBlue
20-May-2020, 12:09
After considering some options I've decided for a minimal cleaning of the brass hardware, to retain as much of the patina on it as possible. There's not much I find more off-putting than shiny brass. I know lots of people love it, but I just can't stand the stuff. Still considering painting it flat black, but I'm worried it'll just start coming off after a few times in the field. Before the virus I had access to a powder-coating station, but I don't want to wait until the all-clear.
I love seeing a basket case brought back to life. Well done. I can recommend an alternative to painting or powder coating metal parts and it holds up to handling better than paint. Apply Birchwood Casey Brass Black by rubbing it on the part and stop when you see the depth and color that appeals to you. On cleaned brass the color will vary from yellow, gold, bronze, brown and eventually a deep black. You can spray on a clear coat afterward but I haven't bothered doing that with my projects.
I look forward to seeing your completed project.
Scott
I can recommend an alternative to painting or powder coating metal parts and it holds up to handling better than paint. Apply Birchwood Casey Brass Black by rubbing it on the part and stop when you see the depth and color that appeals to you. On cleaned brass the color will vary from yellow, gold, bronze, brown and eventually a deep black. You can spray on a clear coat afterward but I haven't bothered doing that with my projects.
Scott
Thanks, Scott. Funny, you're already the second person to suggest a gunsmithing finish (the first was TruOil gun stock finish for the wood). I guess it makes sense - you want your guns to look good and handle well. Unfortunately I'm already too far along, with much of the hardware reinstalled, so maybe I'll save it for another project. Certainly looks like a useful product.
Thanks, Scott. Funny, you're already the second person to suggest a gunsmithing finish (the first was TruOil gun stock finish for the wood). I guess it makes sense - you want your guns to look good and handle well. Unfortunately I'm already too far along, with much of the hardware reinstalled, so maybe I'll save it for another project. Certainly looks like a useful product.
That's calling the camera a real "son-of-a-gun"... ;-)
Steve K
That's calling the camera a real "son-of-a-gun"... ;-)
It's for real high-caliber finishes.
Simon: As I started searching the forum for restoring 8x10 Agfa Ansco cameras, I came across your restoration project. I am thoroughly in awe of what you took on. Anyway, I have just sourced an Agfa Ansco Commerial (battleship grey, nickel plate hardware), and am about to start the restoration. The camera has been worked hard and taken a few lumps on the way, but I look forward to getting it to new "user" shape. I think I'll be going back over this thread for inspiration and advice.
Iain
The first thing to do is to "triage" the camera to find out what's right and wrong with it, then take fone or camera snaps of everything including fine details of how all parts stack everywhere, and then possible damage issue areas (this will be useful when reassembling)...
The next good investment is an adjustable square (from your hardware store) and any straight edges you might have so you can open camera to operating positions and check all planes of wood, bed etc for proper flatness, then use adjustable square to place on bed to make sure standards are not at some off angle... Then operate all controls and movements to check they are not binding or stuck... Go through it all, check bellows for leaks, holder inserts correctly, lens boards flat & fits etc... Once camera is re-assembled, use a small flashlight inside to see if all wood joins are properly sealing from leaks...
Resist the temptation to go compulsive to make all like new during restoration, rather "listen" to the patient carefully to "hear" it's needs-to-do and do those mostly... Over-restoration won't work/look right and worked a long time like it is...
Also consider that refinishing is a two-edge sword that can also hurt the wood by oversanding, and chemical stripping can harm the wood joints bonding... Try to restore original finish to moderately attractive, as a strip/new finish job is long and difficult to get right... And you want to shoot a working camera soon... ;)
Good luck/ask questions...
Steve K
Thanks, Steve. All this is sage advice -- especially about the adjustable square and the need to ensure all straight edges are in fact straight. And I will be mindful about overdoing it. Simon's restoration resulted in a completely rebuilt camera -- not something I'm capable of. Better to use it than have it on the shelf as an unfinished project...
Another useful item for the project is a piece of plate glass or a stone kitchen counter for a bench to put flat items (like the back) to check if they sit evenly on it or do they rock a little... Plan B would be to deal with that as another step, but good hardwood cameras are often still flat/straight if they were stored in a reasonable environment... You will check for flatness and evenness... And solutions will be applied as needed...
Steve K
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.2.5 Copyright © 2025 vBulletin Solutions Inc. All rights reserved.