Seneca Competitor rehab (kinda) finished!

[Scott --]

Ok, it's not officially finished, as the bellows I ordered from Mark Kapono are still MIA [grumble grumble], but, through the generosity of someone here, I have a replacement bellows on loan. The replacement's off a Conley, I think, and fit the Seneca perfectly.

Before pictures here (http://flickr.com/photos/scott--/sets/72157600202201845/).

After:
http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j185/bliorg/IMG_1955.jpg

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j185/bliorg/th_IMG_1957.jpg (http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j185/bliorg/IMG_1957.jpg) http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j185/bliorg/th_IMG_1956.jpg (http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j185/bliorg/IMG_1956.jpg) http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j185/bliorg/th_IMG_1954.jpg (http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j185/bliorg/IMG_1954.jpg)

Lots of joints needed to be repaired, some wood replaced. All the nickel cleaned up nicely with baths in Tarn-X (it looks tarnished in some of the pictures, but is actually reflecting the yellow house across the street). The old lacquer was stripped and new sprayed. The camera's back in good shape now, and I'm gonna be burning film with it tomorrow!

Woo hoo!
Scott

[Ash]

That looks soooo nice now. Congrats!

[BradS]

Nice!

Good job Scott.

[Mark Woods]

Sweeeeeeet!

Now the hard part. ;-)

[Rob_5419]

It just looks so superb Scott.

But what is the ugly modern lens protruding from the front of the camera? It's like a shell-suit track top over a dinner suit jacket...

[David Karp]

But what is the ugly modern lens protruding from the front of the camera? It's like a shell-suit track top over a dinner suit jacket...

Hey, my old Improved Seneca whole plate only sees lenses of this vintage and newer these days. Four of my 4x5 lenses work just fine with the WP format, which was one of the attractions for me. :)

[Bob Gentile]

David,

It looks like you did a beautiful job. Enjoy it!

[Rob_5419]

Hey, my old Improved Seneca whole plate only sees lenses of this vintage and newer these days. Four of my 4x5 lenses work just fine with the WP format, which was one of the attractions for me. :)

I figured as much ;)

Apart from a Nikkor-W 180mm (whose rear element I can actually get inside a Gandolfi bellows), nothing I use is much recent than the 1920's.....guess I'm one of those grouchy purists :cool:

[Randy H]

...guess I'm one of those grouchy purists :cool:

Alright! I like that. Nice to think I am just a "purist". And all this time I thought I was just too stinkin cheap to spend half my retirement for one damn lens.

Lookin' good Scott. Can she dance?

[Rob_5419]

Alright! I like that. Nice to think I am just a "purist". And all this time I thought I was just too stinkin cheap to spend half my retirement for one damn lens.

Yup - you're definitely a purist too ;)

I find the coloured lens barrels (you know -the yellowy brass ones) tend to match the warm wood stains the best!

[kmack]

Beautiful job Scott...
Now I have to take mine apart and clean it up. I'll remember the Tarn-X, I never would have thought of that on the nickel.

[David Karp]

I figured as much ;)

Apart from a Nikkor-W 180mm (whose rear element I can actually get inside a Gandolfi bellows), nothing I use is much recent than the 1920's.....guess I'm one of those grouchy purists :cool:

My oldest lens is a single coated 180mm Fujinon W, from the 1970s I think. Nice focal length on WP, don't you think? I might get around to grabbing some old lenses some day, but for now, what I have will do.

And Scott, that camera looks great. I thought about fixing mine up, and then just got lazy. It has a nice new bellows, but the rest is original (until my Satin Snow GG arrives). I just lubed it up and built a couple of lensboard adapters for it. Looking at your photos has me thinking about a project again!

[Scott --]

Ok, is this a little more acceptable to the purists? ;)
http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j185/bliorg/th_IMG_1958.jpg (http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j185/bliorg/IMG_1958.jpg)

Thanks for all the comments, everyone. I appreciate it. The camera's been fun to work on, and work with. It's got its quirks (the new bellows are a bit longer than the originals, so it doesn't fold as compact, and movements with the 121/8 are tough), but it's a camera again!

Pictures from the beast forthcoming...

Thanks again,
Scott