Cleaning up old plate holders and camera

Hi all
The postie chick bought me a big cardboard box today, with an old WERTH & Co FRANKFURT 24 x 30 cm, with 3 x plate holders. Everything looks to be there just needs a clean up.
1. Two of the plate holders have ply wood inserts, I assume they are for placing film in the frame and then you place the ply over the top? and they are removed when using plates? They arent painted, should they be?
1. (d) almost forgot, best way to clean the white gunk off the middle black plates? I think I will take them out and clean and repaint.
2.The other one has 2 x very sticky glass plates, I assume they are just left over collodium plates?
3.The slides dont slide all the way out, I take it that thats normal, is there something i can use in the way of a dry lube to get them running smooth?
3. (b) the dark slides seem flimsy on the bottom, but looking at the way they are constructed looks to be on purpose, should I try to stiffen them up or is there a reason?
4. The camera movements could do with lubing as well, same deal with dry lube?
5. The leather handle seems to be missing and would like to replace, is someone can link me to a way to make one would be great.
6. I would like to make a lens board holder to take a 15cm (6") board if some one can link me to a picture of something similar I can make, that also will be great. Would like something I can mount ontop of the existing with out too much trouble.
Im not interested in doing a full referb just a tidy up to make functional. Ugly camera make the best pictures. I have plenty of skills and tools.

I will be using it for field work with xray film for the time being and eventually plate photography when I learns me how.

Thanks appreciate any help.

Well since I started cleaning I managed to find most of my questions myself. What a great camera, I was expecting something more agricultural, but is very cleverly made. Like how the dark slide fold over, Im always misplacing mine. One dark slide has a nasty crack, but the rest looks fine. The knob that locks the track extension is missing, should be able to rig something up. Just need to make a lens board carrier and a new handle and she should be ready to roll....once it gets dark I can check for light leaks, fingers crossed.

Awesome!

The drying out cracks used to be solved by strips of blackened paper stuck on the outside. You may find more cracks if you flex the dark slide a little - as it would be when in use. I have used black construction silicon which allows the wood to expand and contract under changing humidity.

Another thing to check is the condition of the backing tape behind the hinging slats. The slats interlock when flat, but may show weakness when the dark slide is "bent". It is best to replace the tape, rather than attempt repair!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Steven Tribe

The drying out cracks used to be solved by strips of blackened paper stuck on the outside. You may find more cracks if you flex the dark slide a little - as it would be when in use. I have used black construction silicon which allows the wood to expand and contract under changing humidity.

Another thing to check is the condition of the backing tape behind the hinging slats. The slats interlock when flat, but may show weakness when the dark slide is "bent". It is best to replace the tape, rather than attempt repair!

---

You are right with that, the tape on the slats have cracked in places. I used a bit of liquid tape on one, looks to be successful. Will need to make sure. If not as you say I can replace the tape. I have some thin water tight and light tight material if needed. Had to glue a piece onto a small crack in the edge of the bellows, rest of the bellows seems ok. The sliding rise and fall on the front standard also leaks like, so will need to make and insert with some felt to fix. Over all its in pretty good shape, for something built 130 years ago.

Fixed all the light leaks I could find.
The liquid electrical tape on the dark board slats seams to be holding up for now.
Made a lens board holder to take 140mm lens boards.
Fixed the rise and fall board light leak with some felt.
Found a wing nut bolt to stop the track from moving.
Cleaned and matt black painted everything that needed it.
Just need to load some film and field test.