'Journey' in trying to build a 1850 sliding box camera

[Paul Ron]

very impressive!

[Sean Mac]

That's beautiful.

[Jonas Linge]

Inspiring - such a beautiful and well crafted camera!

[Steven Tribe]

Wood finish > almost all vintage camera's had shellac finish on their wood. I bought a bottle of 500ml 'Fernand Freres' transparent shellac. Although it said 'transparent' it has kind of light orange / red tint; not really bothersome since it provides a nice shine and 'enhances' the natural wood colours. I've put on 4 layers with intermediate light sanding. As a last finish - after the shellac was fully cured - I put on and rubbed in some bees wax.

genuine shellac - dissolved, or as dry flakes - does have a light straw to orange colour. I think the “transparent” means translucent rather than colourless!

Lots of “grey finish” teak garden furniture gets thrown out every Spring around here - the original finish is just a few millimeters under the surface. I think most of the original sliding boxes were made of fruit hard wood - mostly walnut.

[Ron (Netherlands)]

genuine shellac - dissolved, or as dry flakes - does have a light straw to orange colour. I think the “transparent” means translucent rather than colourless!

Lots of “grey finish” teak garden furniture gets thrown out every Spring around here - the original finish is just a few millimeters under the surface. I think most of the original sliding boxes were made of fruit hard wood - mostly walnut.

Most French Chambres à tiroir seemed to have been made in oak, some in walnut - the British sliding boxes in mahogany or cherry. I've seen only one continental camera that was probably made from teak; although generally the type of wood in finished state is not easy to determine.
Since the aim was to build something out of waste wood, it had to be teak this time since that was only available; its a nice wood to work with and quite durable. Mahogany is very hard to find here. Next one could be made in oak if I'll find some.

[Steven Tribe]

The main problem is that there are more “new production” sliding box cameras around than there are originals! So, the range of woods may represent quite a few of cameras added since the mid-1800’s. I would have added Elm to your list - but I have never seen Teak in a period item.

White oak is full of all sorts of anomalies, red oak is best for finer sections and joinery.

Your craftsmanship is in advance of what was used in the original production of these.

[Havoc]

Very nice woodworking here. And doing it from recycled wood as well is an extra challenge.

Teak was used but more for "tropical" camera's from what I remember visiting the Ernemann museum.

[Sean Mac]

Teak was used but more for "tropical" camera's from what I remember visiting the Ernemann museum.

Teak is apparently very resistant/poisonous to termites

[Ron (Netherlands)]

In the meantime, acquired this little Petzval which seems to match the dimensions of the camera also because of it short focus.



...and the view provided by this Petzval...

[Ron (Netherlands)]

genuine shellac - dissolved, or as dry flakes - does have a light straw to orange colour. I think the “transparent” means translucent rather than colourless!
.

Your right Steven, I have edited the text since I forgot to type the word 'blond', so it was sold as blond transparent shellac. I guess the blond shellac has always a little orange colour...