B&J Rembrandt 5X7 & 8X10

[Tin Can]

This winter I bought both. The 5X7 came with 3 backs ready to go

The 8X10 may be from a member, but IDK, both cameras and parts came from eBay

I have taken the 8X10 as far apart as I need to finish the bare wood

What do you think, do I stain the bare wood or go back to the grey, basically the camera parts are in middle, some bare some grey

The 5X7 is common, I have only found one 8X10 sold sometime ago,

I will use these only in studio with very heavy lenses, a better match than I have now

IMG-0105 by TIN CAN COLLEGE, on Flickr

IMG-0106 by TIN CAN COLLEGE, on Flickr

IMG-0107 by TIN CAN COLLEGE, on Flickr

IMG-0108 by TIN CAN COLLEGE, on Flickr

[Mark Sawyer]

The medium-dark wood stain was the standard factory finish on the many Rembrandt 5x7s I've seen, and it looks good on them, so I'd go with that. The battleship-grey was a semi-popular fad after WWII, mostly, I suspect, because there was so much of the paint available cheap as war surplus. It's full of lead, so be careful while refinishing!

[Willie]

Per some former folks in management the Gray was because the wood was often not matched in grain and the gray paint covered it well.
At times more than on wood species was used in a camera - something covered by paint.

Strip all the paint and re finish to show the woods beauty.

[Greg]

Per some former folks in management the Gray was because the wood was often not matched in grain and the gray paint covered it well.
At times more than on wood species was used in a camera - something covered by paint.

Had to be to hide the wood and grain. Have restored 3 B&J Rembrandt cameras over the years. On two of them the same wood was used and the grain very much matched. On the 3rd, not only did the grain not match the previous two but two different species of wood used. Gray paint had to be to hide the wood and its grain. On all three after stripping the paint off I stained them with almost clear stain. To be honest the one with the 2 different species of wood actually looked great after staining it.

[Tin Can]

All good info guys, thanks!

The bare wood stripped by somebody prior, is dense, fine straight grain but hard to drill, screws don't hold well second use

for now I will stain the bare wood, not strip anything more, and get all new screws

Interesting that both cameras use the same gears and rack on identical dimensions, mix and match

Anything from B&J Chicago seems very efficiently made, post World War II

The monorail B&J also used the same metal parts

Does anybody know if OE 8X10 Rembrandt had rear swing like the 5X7 does? This 8X10 is locked down with screws

Conversion will be easy with Grover parts, or using a Mill to cut slots, it does have rear rise and tilts

[Greg]

Does anybody know if OE 8X10 Rembrandt had rear swing like the 5X7 does? This 8X10 is locked down with screws

Per my 1962 B&J catalogue, the 8x10 Rembrandt back adjustments included rise, fall, swing, and tilt. (catalogue actually says "swing or tilt" which I think is a typo. Over the years have found many typos in my collection of B&J catalogues). As I remember my 8x10 Rembrandt had the exact same back as my first 8x10 - B&J Commercial View.

[Tin Can]

Thanks Greg, I suspected the swing was disabled, the camera seemed a Bitza, the price was right, only 2 bidders, I beat the other guy by $5, and got a great value

I will fix it

Per my 1962 B&J catalogue, the 8x10 Rembrandt back adjustments included rise, fall, swing, and tilt. (catalogue actually says "swing or tilt" which I think is a typo. Over the years have found many typos in my collection of B&J catalogues). As I remember my 8x10 Rembrandt had the exact same back as my first 8x10 - B&J Commercial View.