All of the flat brass fitments will be brass, whilst axles, springs will be steel. Finish on those I have seen is between mirror and a worked brass finish - and lacquered, of course. The price of brass was not particularly high and there were plenty of copper/brasssmiths around.
It is such "a whole expensive can of worms" that it is probably best to find the lens(es) before getting a studio set and deciding the format you are going to start with!Originally Posted by mikl
The brass on most of my Anthony, Century, Folmer, Rochester, and Scovill cameras is originally fairly shiny. Definitely more so than your stripped examples. What did you use to strip them, or did you use rough grit polishing?
On lenses, you can start out with a 12 or 14 inch Tessar which would be period, and take very nice photos. Probably get one for under $250 if you look.
Garrett
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That's what I would have thought but some of the brass is pretty rough. No grit, just a chem strip and water. It isn't a reaction kinda thing I am sure.
The bigger plates in the front of the pic are the swivel points for the rear tilt so are fairly prominent and definitely not a finish that could have been a high polish originally I will try and get a better pic today.
Steven I currently use a Sinar 4x5 and a Toyo 8x10 so please don't stress re me making the wrong choice.
Michael
Your post is like my experience in rewind. Good for you!
Just two things that worked for me. I hope I am not repeating myself. Once the wood is stripped of paint (and it is), then a straight-edge wood refinishing tool does wonders. It removes irregularities, straightens the surface. I got this set a long time ago and it's invaluable.
Again, hoping not to repeat but a vibratory polisher is good for small metal parts. (Google vibratory polisher) Some are priced on the moon for aliens. I've been using a small, economical one for thirty years. Good stuff! I drop the parts in before bed, pick them out after morning coffee and if not bright enough (rare), repeat.
Best of luck to you. I anticipate your success!
Jac
Don't know about your camera but my Eastman Kodak 2D has a fine sandblasted finish on the brass. Perhaps your brass has the same type of finish.
Roger
Brass finish on 2D's varied by the years they were produced, later one's like my 1945 one have a matte finish on the brass, I have a 1901 vintage one
where the brass was mirror polished.
Roger and Jim are right I think, this does look sand blasted, well some of it anyway. Mine may be a later one then if it was a more common practice in those years.
Michael
Def. some of it is plated Steven as you can see by the wear of the plating back to bare metal in some spots
These are brass as you say
Hi Jac
Did you do a thread on your restoration? Would love to see it or some photo's.
Cabinet scrapers are a fantastic tool but lost in the midst of time I think sadly, anyone that has used one will attest to that. we used to make them out of saw blades by snapping the end off about 4 or 5 inches long, filing the teeth down to flat and burring it with a rod, I still have mine from when I was an apprentice. The agitator is a great idea but I find it mindless therapy just polishing with a rag, I use a product called "autosol" which is a toothpastey sort of thing and then "briteshine" a wadding impegnated with god knows what but it works wonderfully I have a passion for Italian motorcycles and have always used these 2 on the alloy engine covers and just the briteshine on the cast aluminium bits, great on chrome too!
Michael
Should have mentions my 2D dates to 1942.
Roger
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