| Author |
Message |
    
Karl
Tinkerer
Username: Karl
Post Number: 69
Registered: 03-2008
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, February 03, 2011 - 11:23 am: | 
|
I am about to start restoring a Rollicord II type 1,which is in a very poor state but fully working.(please see post on swap zone,"Viewing mirror,Rollicord)The thing is as I will have to strip off and replace all the original leather and re-paint the body of the camera,do I.Restore to as close to the original as possible or replace with coloured leather panels and re-paint in colour rather than the original black.Has anyone done this and how does it look,or does it just "de-value" the camera in an aesthetic sense. |
Barnum
Tinkerer
Username: Barnum
Post Number: 194
Registered: 10-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, February 03, 2011 - 12:10 pm: |
|
I suppose it is down to the individual, but with classic cars & cameras my aim is to make it as original as possible. Certainly, originality is the key to obtaining the best possible price when the time comes to sell. Certainly, anything that is too far from being original, has no place in my collection. One general tip as far as coverings are concerned, is buying box/cheapies at boot sales, since the same covering was used on better cameras. This probably would not be thew case with a R'cord however. |
Karl
Tinkerer
Username: Karl
Post Number: 71
Registered: 03-2008
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, February 03, 2011 - 12:46 pm: |
|
The thing is I have some good quality book binding leather of just the right thickness and have been looking at cameraleather.com and am quite taken by whats on show.The colours I have are simular,grey,claret,green,blue,etc. Don't get me wrong I am not after "bling".Just a different but quality look and wondered if anyone had tried it and were happy/not happy with the results. |
Neuberger
Tinkerer
Username: Neuberger
Post Number: 24
Registered: 01-2010
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, February 04, 2011 - 03:41 am: |
|
Karl, I think I know what you are trying to find out. I have deliberately altered a camera's optical and technical appearance and when I use it I get a feeling of using the "real" thing, i.e. the camera I had in mind before I changed its style. But the flipside of this is that the camera is no longer "authentic", and, as Barnum says, has no place in a collection of vintage photo equipment. The only thing you can do is somehow anticipate what your end product will look like, and decide for yourself.
There are no cleary defined limits or definitions where restoration ends or a repair deserves to be called upgrading a gadget.
Signs of use and scratches will not affect an item's authenticity, on the contrary, but new paint will, for sure. |
Waynemel
Tinkerer
Username: Waynemel
Post Number: 20
Registered: 08-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, February 04, 2011 - 07:55 am: |
|
I currently have an order in at cameraleather, my first one. They seemed to be very obliging when I asked about a colour that was not on their "menu". After I paid, however, I have not heard from them, even after asking for a confirmation. To their defence, I think they are a small operation and keeping up with all of the emails is probably tough. I have heard from others that they are sometimes slow to respond, but the quality of the product is excellent. |
Glenn
Tinkerer
Username: Glenn
Post Number: 896
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, February 04, 2011 - 11:14 am: |
|
Have used Cameraleather.com many times and never had any worries or complaints - even when ordering 'specials'. Their Website has an October 2010 comment/plea about sending emails, that could be answered by reading their very comprehensive site, so I guess your specific confirmation request has been lost in a mountain of the mundane! |
Waynemel
Tinkerer
Username: Waynemel
Post Number: 22
Registered: 08-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, February 04, 2011 - 11:52 am: |
|
That's what I assume as well. I'm not concerned. I will just have to be patient. |
Karl
Tinkerer
Username: Karl
Post Number: 74
Registered: 03-2008
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, February 05, 2011 - 01:52 pm: |
|
Many thanks for all your thoughts,I think,in the clear light of day,to keep the Rollicord as close to the original look as possible.I think longterm this would be the best use of my efforts. |
Tom_thomas
Tinkerer
Username: Tom_thomas
Post Number: 1
Registered: 06-2010
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, February 05, 2011 - 03:33 pm: |
|
For painting, you may try a Testors Enamel Paint Marker. Like a felt tip pen. Gloss Black is #2547. Flat Black is #2549. Paint feeds through a spring loaded push tip.
I touched up a 1946 Graflex 23 Crown Graphic with the Flat Black and my finger tip. Graplex cameras have a crinkled matte black finish so I applied the flat black and blended it in with the tip of my finger. Looks nice, almost indistinguishable in fact.
The gloss offers a bit more challenge, expecially if you have large areas of corroded or bare metal on your Rolleiflex II. I have a Rolleicord of the same era but it's metal is in overall good and shiny condition. Some bare metal showing on rub lines along the rear film cover edges. I got inspired enough to try my advice to you. I'm waiting for it to dry right now.
I'll check out cameraleather.com as the leather is dry and peeling a bit. |
Tom_thomas
Tinkerer
Username: Tom_thomas
Post Number: 2
Registered: 06-2010
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, February 05, 2011 - 03:38 pm: |
|
Oops. I reread your post. You also have a Rolleicord. Mine dates to Feb 1938 to Jan 1939 by serial number. 16,000 made apparently. Called a Rolleicord IIb or Model 3.
Good luck. The paint has dried on mine and it looks new along the back edges. Nice and shiny. I hope it is durable though. I'm sure the original paint was baked on a bit. |
Karl
Tinkerer
Username: Karl
Post Number: 75
Registered: 03-2008
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, February 05, 2011 - 03:58 pm: |
|
I have just now had a look at "Testors Enamel Paint Marker" wedsite.I have never seen this product before but it looks realy good,wonder if it is available in th UK.
As for the Rollicord I will have to remove most of the paint otherwise I will never get a flat paint surface.I hope to use spray paint on larger surfaces and an enamel paint which I have found which dries very fast but is made not to leave brush marks.
As for the date of my camera,I guess the 1930's.However,on the very edge of the mirror glass when I removed it were numbers scratched into the glass 11 7 35.I wonder if this was the date of manufacture ? |
Denny
Tinkerer
Username: Denny
Post Number: 60
Registered: 08-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, February 10, 2011 - 11:05 pm: |
|
Karl there should be a serial number on the taking lens. That number will give the range of manufacturing dates.
http://www.rolleiclub.com/cameras/tlr/info/rolleicord.shtml
Good luck |
Karl
Tinkerer
Username: Karl
Post Number: 77
Registered: 03-2008
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, February 18, 2011 - 08:21 pm: |
|
Thanks,Denny.I have taken a look at rolleiclub.com,good info.I worked out my camera is (Rolleicord II Model 1 - Model K3) I think.So that gives it a date year of 1936/37. |
Denny
Tinkerer
Username: Denny
Post Number: 61
Registered: 08-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, February 19, 2011 - 08:36 am: |
|
Neat - we have the same model. |
Philacamera
Tinkerer
Username: Philacamera
Post Number: 12
Registered: 01-2010
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, March 08, 2011 - 11:54 am: |
|
Hi Karl,
I've been refining my camera painting skills since I had a wipe out with a rolleicord several years ago. Microtools sells a black enamel which is a very good match and with some effort, can be made perfectly smooth. I learned a lot about the fine points of a good paint job from Mr. Thomosy's book on antique camera restoration. Basically, the more you can split up the aspects of a finish (smoothness, gloss, etc) into discrete steps, the better the result will be. I've also found that a VERY THIN coat of Rustoleum self-etching primer, applied to a warmed part, and then sanded smooth, provides a great deal of added durability. Finish it up with your choice of car polishes, and your rolleicord should be looking like new. Hope that helps and best of luck! |
Karl
Tinkerer
Username: Karl
Post Number: 81
Registered: 03-2008
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, March 09, 2011 - 07:16 am: |
|
Thanks for the useful tips Philacamera.The problem of matching up paint is not really an issue on my camera as I will have to remove all the paint due to a white oxide which has built up on most surfaces,this may reveal another problem,that of pitting.I will be taking most of the camera apart to paint so an error will not be too much of a problem to put right again.I like the idea of using car polish to finish off,I would think that this would be good to use on other dulled camera surfaces. |
