Posting has been a little slow lately. Things have been busy, not the least of which is actual paying work so I can't complain. But the links keep piling up. And my projects multiply. The Speed Graphic project is moving along. When last seen it looked like this...

But Ive been busy and now it looks like this...

I've been stripping off all the ugly old leather to free the mahagony, brass, and aluminum underneath. Here is what a real focal plane shutter looks like...

The rangefinder will be refurbished and will go back on. When the leather is ripped off there is a residue of leather and glue left. It is somewhat water soluble but sanding seems to work the best. The aluminum, unfortunately, is corroded. I may paint it or I may look at it as "textured" aluminum. Here is a little of the sanded but unfinished wood that is showing through.

Here is the back of the camera before...

And after cleaning, sanding, and some tung oil on the wood. It's ready to go back on the camera...when the rest of it is done.

I'm not doing this to have a shelf camera. Check out what this guy did with a Speed Graphic back in the 40s and 50s. I don't think there is a camera today that can duplicate these pictures.

A Selection of Photographs by: RAY ATKESON

I found the Atkeson link at Press Cameras and you find much more about these cameras at Graflex.Org.