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Slamarca
Tinkerer
Username: Slamarca
Post Number: 2
Registered: 02-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, February 18, 2007 - 05:03 am: | 
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Hi all, I bought a 40s KW Pilot 6x6 reflex camera and when it arrived home I found the mirror was almost completely de-silverized. This camera has never been a performer even in its days but I would like to put it in shape for fun. I read that re-silver the mirror isn't a viable approach, so I was wondering if I could replace the mirror with some other type of reflective surface, say a thin blade of some polished metal or the like. Has someone any advice to give?
Bye
Sergio La Marca
Italy |
Rick_oleson
Tinkerer
Username: Rick_oleson
Post Number: 186
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, February 18, 2007 - 06:27 pm: |
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A glass mirror will be better. If you can find an old Polaroid camera of the type with a motor inside that ejects the picture out the front, these have a suitable mirror material inside. I don't know if you find these in Italy or not... in the United States they are all over, very cheap. |
Slamarca
Tinkerer
Username: Slamarca
Post Number: 3
Registered: 02-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, February 19, 2007 - 02:41 am: |
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Many thanks, Rick, I've got your TehNotes CD!! Can you specify the model of the Polaroid you're referring to? Do you think that overall the restoration would be worth the time?
Regards
Sergio |
Rick_oleson
Tinkerer
Username: Rick_oleson
Post Number: 187
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, February 19, 2007 - 04:28 pm: |
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Look for any Polaroid "One Step" model, or anything that accepts "600" film. Many of these sell around here for a dollar or two.
Yes, I think it would be worth it. Not in money terms, possibly, but to save a camera that cannot be replaced. |
Slamarca
Tinkerer
Username: Slamarca
Post Number: 5
Registered: 02-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, February 22, 2007 - 04:51 am: |
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Hi Rick, thanks for the info! I'll manage to open the camera and, doh!, inside it *HAS* a plate of some sort of metal instead of a real mirror, like the ones you can find in a box camera (in my Agfa SynchroBox, for example). So I could try to polish that plate and see what happens. I'll let you know.
Bye |
Rick_oleson
Tinkerer
Username: Rick_oleson
Post Number: 189
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, February 22, 2007 - 09:00 pm: |
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I had no idea! It should polish up pretty well, certainly easier than cutting a new mirror if it works!
I use "Simichrome" metal polish. I think it's made in Germany but I don't know what it is called over there. It's sold in small tubes for polishing silverware, and in large cans for polishing molds and machine parts... There is another brand called Maas which is also good (very similar), but I think that was an American brand. |
Paul_ron
Tinkerer
Username: Paul_ron
Post Number: 17
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, March 01, 2007 - 08:48 am: |
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What size mirror do you need? I still have a couple sheets of first surface mirror and can cut you any size you want. E-mail me? |
Slamarca
Tinkerer
Username: Slamarca
Post Number: 8
Registered: 02-2007
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, May 23, 2007 - 09:00 am: |
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Whoa!! Apologies to you two guys for having read syour kind replies so late!! Rick, I was wrong again! When I tried to remove the 'metallic' plate I discovered it actually WAS a glass mirror, and managed to break it too (grrrr!!!!). I can only say it was so full of oxidation that looked like metal...
Paul, if you still can, I'll mail you the exact dimension of the mirror. It actually is a trapezoid and very thin! Thank you, anyway!!
Greetings |
