Century 10A 8X10 back - Help Please

[Scott Schroeder]

I bought a Century 10A awhile back and it came with a sliding carriage and 5X7 back.
The seller looked around for me and found an 8X10 back and was gracious enough to send it to me gratis. I was expecting it fit on like the 5X7 back but it doesn't. I found this (http://www.photica.net/Photica/images/Century%2010A%20and%208A%20web.jpg) picture of the 10 and it looks like the 'box' is half way into the back.
However, I can't find a way to attach this thing.....
I tried attaching it to the carriage, not pins, I tried putting it straight on the back, it fits but there is nothing there to attach.
So I would like some help if anyone knows how these things work.
Below are two pictures of the back I received.
Muchas Gracias
http://www.schroederworks.com/Pics/10A_back_1.JPG
http://www.schroederworks.com/Pics/10A_back_2.JPG

[Captain_joe6]

I just finished restoring a 10A and from the looks of your back assembly, it seems like yours is a bit of a custom job. I may be wrong, but from your pictures my guess would be that somebody built an extension back for some other camera using an existing 10A 8x10 back, pulled the pins out of the sides of the original back and set it in the frame of the extension. There's just something about yours that doesn't look right to me.

My advice would be to look at the frame of the back itself and see if you can find any evidence of the mounting pins being removed.

My other guess, now that I've just gone and looked at my own 10A is that it fits in place of the sliding carriage assembly, but, like you said, there's nothing there to hold it. Maybe it is missing some sort of catch for the brass latch at the top of the rear standard?

OTOH, looking at the pictures again and seeing that red line on the glass, I really think that my first idea is right and that the box part is a later addition. Look for signs of those pins and see if you can't get it to mate to the sliding carriage.

Best of luck!

[Scott Schroeder]

Thanks for the comments. I looked real hard at the box itself and the back. I can't see how this was modified if it was once used on the carriage. The only possibility I can see is that it was screwed to something. If you look at the second photo, the 'under lip' where there is a green 'B' there are two tiny holes. All I can think is that it was screwed from an underside to something...
It seems to be for the 10A as I don't think he had another comparable camera. The only other thought was there is a piece missing, like a wider square or something that this thing would have attached to.
I can't find much about the 10A on the internet. Was the carriage always part of the system? If not, was the 8X10 back similar to this in an 'extension' box style?

Thanks again

[RichardRitter]

Try removing the back from the box. The box is not a standard item.

[Scott Schroeder]

Thanks Richard,
I brought the box and and the sliding carriage to work with me. I was able to remove the back from the box. However, it doesn't fit the carriage. The outer dimensions are the same but the inner square to nest it is larger than the carriage. There are also no pins to affix it to the carriage.
I don't have the camera with me, but if I flip the carriage over, the 8X10 inner dimensions fit that side (the side that mates with the camera). There are no markings on the back so I'm not sure what it is. It has brass on the corners and then all along one side (the one opposite where you would load the holder). I'll see if it will mate directly to the 10A when I get home but I don't it will affix in any way.

[tim o'brien]

What is a "sliding carriage"? A slide the 5x7 holder fits on? If so, you probably don't use it for an 8x10 back.

That box does look like an add on. An 8x10 is just a very dark box. You are probably missing the HW that attaches it to the original back standard.

tim in san jose