Work Continues on the Crown Graphic Refurbishment

While it has been intentionally slow going the refurbishment of the Crown Graphic continues. I did not want to set any deadlines for this project as I have plenty of other things to do and to be stressed over. This has allowed me to do one or two small things a night and allow plenty of time in between for things to dry. The leather is all stripped and the wood has been, cleaned, sanded and refinished. Considering everything this camera has been through the wood that makes up the main box was in great shape. All the joints were tight and sturdy. No re-gluing required. The last week has included the patching of the bellows. The leaking bellows was what started this whole process in the first place. Bellows repair has actually gone better than I originally expected. If it holds I will be quite glad that I did not pay for a new bellows. If it doesn't that always remains an option and iI now know what would be required to remove the bellows from the rear box/standard. I have placed black fabric sports tape on the inside at the bellows points where light could be seen coming through. It seems to adhear well, is flexible, flat black so it should not cause light bounce and seems to work fine when the bellows is openned and closed. The pleats still seem to fold properly. Then I used high flex black silicone caulking to seal the rubberized coating on the bellows exterior. The result seems to be a good seal, light tight and first impressions are that it should be pretty durable. The caulking seem to be appropriately pliable. The rest of the rubber on the bellows seems to be in pretty good shape.

The more I work with the camera the more I am convinced it was underwater for a time. I have been reluctant to take it completely apart. Instead I have chosen to stay focused on fixing the parts to get them functional with a little less emphisis on appearance. I decided last night to reinstall the range finder. It does not fully function as far as I can tell but since I have the parts it went back on. It is brighter now that it was cleaned inside. Should I decide that this camera is for carting out to the field and that I want it to be as light as possible it might get taken back off.

I am now in the process of putting it all back together. After I put the front standard back together i will start testing how well it opens closes. One of my next big steps will be to craft a replacement leather strap for the handle. I am also thinking about ideas for a button/cap for the case opening mechanism. Right now it is just a wire coming through the hole. I assume there must have been a metal part that is missing. Time to get creative.

Photos to follow shortly.  

Graflex Crown Graphic Rehabilitation Project Starts

New Years day project starts

It is really silly that someone who takes as many photos as I do started a project without photos of the original condition. I can't believe that I did not take pictures before I started, I thought I had but cannot find them now. Oh well! Back in September of 2013, in a quest to find a light camera to replace my Sinar F for shooting 4x5 film outdoors, I purchased an old Graflex Crown Graphic, early 50's from the serial number list on Graflex.org. It was in really quite rugged shape but did not cost much $123 plus $12 in shipping at auction on Ebay. The lens has fungus and many cleaning scratches, the shutter sticks on slow speeds, the bellows leaks, looks like 5 holes in all at the corners and the leather the leather covering was shot. From what I can tell this camera was likely in a flood. As it came from down south it might have been a hurricane. Regardless this camera has been badly abused. The leather and paint was cracked and pealing especially on the front bed but really on the wood parts as well. But she is complete with all her parts and the working mechanisms seem to function fine. When I realized she was going to take a fair amount of work to make into a working camera again I decided to put her aside and I purchased a bargain price Graflex Super Graphic which is now all set up as a working camera with my glass from the Sinar.

So over the New Years holiday I started the job of figuring out what to do with her. I had come to the conclusion that I was not going to try to restore her. I just wasn't in the mood to buy leather and do the whole recovering thing and have seen some nice looking Graflex cameras with the leather removed. Since the leather on mine was in such bad shape I have decided to go that direction. Hard decision but I plan on exposing and refinishing her mahogany wood box. I plan on stripping the old paint off of the painted graphlock back and other metal parts and repainting them. Still not determined if I am going to paint or leave bare the drop bed. I have seen them both ways.  I may put the view finder that mounts on top back on but may leave the rangefinder off for weight savings. Since I would likely use her as a handheld so I might be looking for a replacement lens and shutter that works. Plenty seem to exist and if I am patient I hope to not pay too much for. I can always use the 135mm I have on my Super Graphic Lens board. I think they are interchangeable.

The leather seems to be glued on with some kind of water soluble glue. so I have been soaking it and gently removing it with a sharp paint scraper being careful not to dig into the wood.  It is coming off fairly easily. The glue on the metal parts is a bit tougher. More photos to follow.



Side view with leather coming off. Bellows has 5 holes at pointed corners, very common!  




Front View

Side view - Leather handle brackets have been removed. Missing bed drop "button".

View of Front Standard, Bellows on this side seems free of holes.