Restoring an E&HT Anthony Studio Portrait camera

[Scott Davis]

I just got this beauty of a beast on feePay - http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290054582422

I'm going to build a base for it, and I was wondering if anyone has any good close-up photos or diagrams of how the cammed fine-focus mechanism on beasts like this was assembled. This will be the studio monster for me to put my big brass cannon on, and any other monster lenses that need a big packard shutter. Also, how long should I make the base rails? I was thinking of 24" but if I want to use a longer lens, I'd need to go out to 36". Any suggestions? What were these originally?

[Amund BLix Aaeng]

Nice. Your link isn`t working, try here (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290054582422&ru=http://search.ebay.com:80/290054582422_W0QQfromZR40_W0QQfviZ1)

[Scott Davis]

Fixed the URL... sorry...

[snuck]

That looks luverly. You might want to look here

http://www.fiberq.com/cam/anth.htm

this looks like your camera
http://www.fiberq.com/cam/anthony/vbox20.htm

Also look at the bottom of the pages for textual refs.
Cheers!

[Tim Deming]

I have one of these, nearly identical, except mine has a sliding back. the base is approx. 3 feet long. The bellows on mine was shot so I made one that is about 30" full extension. It has a ground glass frame that opens like a door to allow the insertion of original style film/plate holders, but since I dont have any holders I'm going to try and make an adaptor to allow the connection of an 8x10 spring back from my Eastman 2D. If you find any good tricks for doing this, please post.

On mine, the fine focus was broken so I removed it. The base has 2 tracks with raised semicircular rails that the rear standard slides on, with the weight of the standard providing the only friction. It is also held in place by a wood bracked that grabs the underside of one rail, but the whole standard slides freely.

have fun

Tim

[Scott Davis]

I'm thinking of using brass tubing for the focusing rails, to give a smoother slide. I might also be able to reduce the weight a bit going with the tubing instead of solid wood. Do you know what wood these are made of?

[Tim Deming]

I'm thinking of using brass tubing for the focusing rails, to give a smoother slide. I might also be able to reduce the weight a bit going with the tubing instead of solid wood. Do you know what wood these are made of?

likely cherry or mahogany

[Pete Watkins]

Scott,
Untreated brass will go "gungey" pretty quickley (verdigrease, discolouring and other problems). You might want to consider some other alloy for the focusing rails. Any laquer or sealent used on brass would probably wear with use.
Best wishes,
Pete.

[Jim Galli]

Chrome strips from a '67 Volkswagen.