Stephen
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Still collecting.......
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Post by Stephen on Oct 1, 2014 1:42:29 GMT -5
The restoration requires a couple of changes, the viewfinder has to be stripped down to re-paint, but Ilford have riveted the front viewfinder bezel and the back lens mount on to the cast aluminium body.
This entails accurately drilling out the rivets, with a guide jig, and then replacing them with screws, tapped into the cast metal aluminium body top.
If rivets were used again, the holes would be oversized, and exactly matching rivets difficult to source.
So custom made stainless steel bolts, with a slightly domed undersized slot head can be substituted.
By the size of the rivet head, the remaining hole should tap at 8ba, a standard size. The other threads used in the Kennedy body are British Association or Whitworth, as well, no metric screws.
As there are only four to replace, they can be custom made in my lathe.
The rest of the camera came apart quite easily, the focus of the lens was checked before removal, and can be re-set if needed after it is put back.
No rust internally, surprising if the paint failed due to damp. This is a very early version, under No 700, as it has the chromed film back plate fitted.
I have run off a full colour test film, being processed now, on Fuji/Agfa colour negative, I hope the chrome plate works with modern film.
Stephen.
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Stephen
Lifetime Member
Still collecting.......
Posts: 2,718
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Post by Stephen on Oct 1, 2014 13:12:12 GMT -5
It seems there were more versions of the Advocate than just the two, Mk1 and Mk2, Kennedy added a slide in flash or rangefinder shoe to the top of the viewfinder casting, at the same time they changed the rivets on the front and back to screws, not rivets.
With the lens variants and small internal changes like the film plate and the film plane, there must be a dozen versions on the theme. The front plates around the lens also varied in finish and style, as did the flash contacts. I have seen them with a PC socket, not just the socket or pins.
It was in the 1970's I saw a black version, with War Dept WD markings.
Also I saw the motor driven version with canisters for movie sized reels. The release was on the film canister back, which drove a cable release to the front body release. They were made by Kennedy according to the brass plate, but looked like Williamson or Shackman in style, along the lines of an aerial reconnaissance camera unit. Finished in the Ivory finish in that case.
Used for time lapse photography in a laboratory in Kent. I have seen other versions, but they were custom jobs by specialists like Williamson, made in the 1950's onwards. Half frame is easy to arrange, the one to one film transport gears could be replaced with 2:1 and a new film frame mask. They were made by Williamson, who later supplied half frame Practice LTL cameras to the UK Police.
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Stephen
Lifetime Member
Still collecting.......
Posts: 2,718
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Post by Stephen on Oct 3, 2014 7:24:48 GMT -5
Very nearly bought a second non-working Advocate on Ebay, but it went over my limit, it did have more complete paintwork, but the camera had been taken apart as the control rods were outside the camera!...mysteriously the seller said the shutter worked, I would have though odd, as the rods drive the shutter cocking and release. Often in restoration a second camera is a good buy, not only possible parts, but a lesson in the construction, and missing parts are easier to make when two samples are there.
The original Kennedy paint according to a friend who working in scientific equipment manufacture, was a Crown product, a simple high pigment filler stoved gloss synthetic enamel, and probably multiple dipped rather than sprayed. The Aluminium was cleaned with an acid wash, directly before a hot dry, and immediate painting. The equivalent paint is still made, but in industrial sized cans, far too costly to bother.
I tested the Humbrol gloss paint, and four coats worked, and has baked very hard on a test piece. it needs some adjustment to get the shade of ivory to look right, also I may try adding extra varnish to the mix, to get a slight transparency to the finish. The other varnish finish would be Rustins, but it is cellulose and would react with the enamel.
I will also try some heavy duty Yacht Varnish over the Humbrol and give it a further bake.
Stephen.
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Post by philbirch on Oct 3, 2014 14:28:42 GMT -5
I'm really looking forward to seeing the end result.
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Stephen
Lifetime Member
Still collecting.......
Posts: 2,718
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Post by Stephen on Oct 3, 2014 17:10:38 GMT -5
Looking at lot's of pictures and from memory, I don't think the exact shade of paint is required, as they all seem to vary a bit! So just matching to the old paint on the body.
Serviced the shutter tonight, and cleaned the lens elements etc., iris all working ok, no rust anywhere inside. I think the ivory paint goes on first, then mask it all for the internal matt black parts. It will need a new Ilford film advert, this can be done on the computer in high definition, and printed on matt finish transfer making film in the printer, and added to the back above the pressure plate.
Despite the claim the camera was un-lubricated I have used Nano oil on vital pivots and shaft bearings and will add a tiny dash to the gears on re-assembly. It must be better to have a small amount of lube. The shutter will be left un-lubricated, as the rotor plate has to move freely, oil might damp it's operation. Stephen.
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