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CJ
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, June 20, 2005 - 01:45 am: | 
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Hi All,
Weeks ago I came across a couple of good websites which discuss painting older camera, both chrome and black-finish types. Unfortunately, I didn't bookmark 'em...
I'd like to redo the black letters on my Fjica ST605 (chrome top, black letteering).
I'm curious about 1.) how to prep the metal and 2.)what type/brand of paint to use. And finally, 3.) the actual process--which type of paint will flow into the letters, and yet can be wiped off while still wet?
Should you prime the surface of the sunken letters first? Do you need to take all of the old paint out? (hope not--the only letters I need to redo are F, u, and j along with part of the horizontal lines...
Could anybody direct me to some good resources on doing this type of thing? Ugh! I feel like a dope not bookmarking those sites...
-CJ |
Don
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, June 20, 2005 - 06:01 am: |
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Try silkscreen inks. Brush in a small amt. & wipe off the excess w/a Qtip or Kleenex. let dry & seal w/clear lac. from a spray can. Protect parts that should'nt be sprayed w/masking tape.
Don |
Jon Goodman
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, June 20, 2005 - 07:41 am: |
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You can also use fingernail polish. Once it dries, you can easily wipe off the excess with fingernail polish remover.
Jon |
Glenn Middleton
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, June 20, 2005 - 12:00 pm: |
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Micro-Tools sell Lacquer Stick Sets. Come in various colours.Just rub into indentation and then wipe off excess.Work well and permanent.
However I use Humbrol matt enamels for model kits.Fill indentations using small brush or wooden cocktail stick and leave to dry.Take a small piece of card cut from cereal packet.Soak with Ronsonol/Naptha and use to rub off excess.The card ensures that the infill is left flush with top of engraving/stamping.I have done this many times on my FED and Zorki type 1 specials.You do not need to prepare the 'metal'before hand.
As Jon says for the quick instant repair, nail polish takes some beating.Just keep the polish and remover off any plastic parts. |
CJ
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, June 21, 2005 - 12:47 pm: |
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Thank you all for the advice.
On a somewhat related note, and to clarify:
1.) 'brassing' refers to the 'chrome' look wearing off over time, revealing the brass underneath. Is that correct? Also--
2.) 'Chrome', as a term used to describe cameras which have a metal look, (as opposed to all-black) it does not mean 'chome' as one would find on an early 50s Buick, but merely a matte metal look. Correct? |
Jan Dvorak
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, June 21, 2005 - 02:22 pm: |
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CJ,
1) Correct
2) Correct
Jan |
rick oleson
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, June 22, 2005 - 03:34 pm: |
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Just a little detail to your last question:
Up to the late 1970s, the "brassing" really IS brass, and the "chrome", while not mirror polished like a car bumper, really IS chrome.
More recently it gets more complicated - most top covers are plastic; some have actually been copper and chrome plated (Canon A series for example) over the plastic and almost behave like plated brass, but many are just painted. Black bodies used to be painted brass (or even black chrome plated), now they are more often just molded black plastic. I think the Canon A1 may have been black paint over plastic, its finish looked awfully nice compared to most plastic covers...... |
Glenn Middleton
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, June 22, 2005 - 04:28 pm: |
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Rick,
As you say all the Canon A series black tops were painted.The enamel used has an exceptionally fine milled pigment and is a high build product also.It is very hard to match this product with present day paints.The best product I have found is good old fashioned cellulose,which of course is not high build.The interesting thing is that the enamel is applied over a copper plate base layer.Because of this I have heard it said that the finish is black chrome.No black chrome finish that I have seen comes near to the depth and lustre of the black A series' top.
From personal experience of using electroless nickel on plastic injection moldings,you can get superb surface finishes.I think this is why Canon used the copper plate base rather than a much cheaper primer paint base.
Glenn |
