Kodak Pocket Series II

[Doug T.]

Here's the other camera that I picked up at the flea market.



It needs a lot of work, but uses A120, so I should be able to use it once it's been restored.
Is it possible to find leather with a similar grain pattern? I don't recall ever having seen any.

It seems that I have a lot of projects for these cold winter nights ;D

Doug

[Stephen]

The leather to use is bookbinding grades, they are on Ebay UK, use thin (under .7 mm if possible). Leatherette is also done this is the modern cloth backed material, check thickness. Some suppliers offer clearance offcuts and mixed packs in one colour.

The original would be a form of artificial leather on a card base, or bonded card under pressure, with a resin surface.

Getting a match would be difficult with any leather, as even real leather has the surface moulded on under heated rollers. However a decent bookbinder stocks a range, and you should be able to get close, and budget to replace the lot.

Real leather can be thinned at the edges by scraping with scalpels to give the over lapped joints sometimes used, slow process I am afraid. It may need thinning down on corners etc.

Leatherette usually cannot be thinned down, the cloth interferes with the scraping, so try to get leatherette as thin as possible.

To get raised panels, a card insert under the leather can be added to raise the centre area, the edges may need scraping thin.

Water based PVA contact adhesive is good to use for both leather and leatherette, unlike spirit glues it will wash off before setting, making easier clean up.

Lines can be added with heated rollers, these are commercially made for bookbinders or you can make them, they are heated gently on a sand box to about twice boiling point, and then rolled along the line, it will leave a track on the leather.

Stephen.

[Deleted]

The BEST stuff for gluing camera covering that I have found is something called GC Bond adhesive. It's similiar to Pliobond. I got it at an electronic supply house. Not cheap. A 2 ounce bottle was nearly $14.
It's like rubber cement on steroids. If you put it one one surface its relatively easy to remove. If you put it on the camera body AND the leatherette and wait a couple of minutes before putting them together, you don't have to worry about the covering coming loose. I have used it on more than a dozen cameras and never had a covering come loose. Make sure you have a well ventilated place to apply it and don't leave the lid off the boodle for long periods of time or the contents will thicken it. Just reglued the back covering of a Perfex using it.

[Stephen]

Jan 2, 2013 14:24:13 GMT -5 @wayne said:

The BEST stuff for gluing camera covering that I have found is something called GC Bond adhesive. It's similiar to Pliobond. I got it at an electronic supply house. Not cheap. A 2 ounce bottle was nearly $14.
It's like rubber cement on steroids. If you put it one one surface its relatively easy to remove. If you put it on the camera body AND the leatherette and wait a couple of minutes before putting them together, you don't have to worry about the covering coming loose. I have used it on more than a dozen cameras and never had a covering come loose. Make sure you have a well ventilated place to apply it and don't leave the lid off the boodle for long periods of time or the contents will thicken it. Just reglued the back covering of a Perfex using it.

I fully agree if it is a repair, but if the whole thing is done from scratch it could be a bit too powerful a glue, generally full panels or leather or leatherette hold down well, it is old curled peeling leather that is sometimes very difficult to get it to adhere. If a powerful spirit solvent based glue gets on the front surface it is difficult to remove, whereas the water based contact will clean off without a mark, (before it is fully set).

Super glue is OK, but it needs care not to drip it, and it can leave white marks at the edges, although these are cured completely with boot polish.

Gorilla glue is good, but does need care not to get it everywhere, as it expands on setting, and must be wiped away before it sets. It can discolour coloured leather as well. The glue is put on the body, and the leather is applied after damping a tiny bit, the damp makes the glue set.

Another alternative is very slow superglue, most makers offer types that take about 2/3 minutes to set, this allows clean up and adjustment.

I can vouch for the contact water based glues being able to last, they are the preferred bookbinders glue these days.

Stephen.

[mickeyobe]

Stephen,

I am awed.

Thank you for all this information.

Mickey

[Deleted]

I've used the GC Bond for complete re-skins with leather and synthetics and never had a problem with adhereing or discoloration. If you don't wait too long to make contact you can move the covering around to get it perfectly aligned. If the glue gets on outside surfaces you can just roll it off with your fingers. It doesn't stain or discolor. I tried a number of different glues and none held the covering as tight. I think it's a lot like the original glue used for coverings.

Back on the old FSU camera forums Pliobond was the recommended glue but it was difficult to find in this area . Pliobond is almost identical to GC Bond.

W.

[Stephen]

Sounds as if it is only available in the States, Evo-stik is the equivalent in the UK, along with Thixofix, which is repositional contact adhesive. On staining, only Gorilla does it on leather, it is never used with bookbinders for this reason. In the UK the main older glue originally widely used for cameras was Durabond, and Evode rubber adhesive, basically partially vulcanise latex glue, rubber adhesive.
GC and modern rubber adhesive adds urethane to the brew, making it far stronger. Gorilla is urethane, cures with damp in the air.

A strange but sometimes useful combination is PVA and super glue, the idea case from aeromodellers, for quick joints on broken models, put the super glue on one half and the pva on the other, the PVA acts as the catalyst for the superglue, and the PVA reacts and sets quickly in the superglue.

It is superb for wood joints, the PVA acts as filler, and also on leather on metal, as with cameras, the leather is given a coat of the PVA, and the body a coat of superglue, and they are brought together, takes about a minute to set.

It is very good for wood framed cameras and glass plate holders, quick and firm repairs.

I am only advising on glue, the best is the one that works for you, or is available where you live. Anybody else got favourites???

Stephen

[Doug T.]

Those are some very good tips, thank you all!

I worked for 20 + years making custom countertops ( I still do on occasion ), and have used many, many different kinds of contact cements during that time.
They all give off nasty fumes, even the environmentally friendly ones.
That has nothing to do with what we're discussing here, however.

I often use Scotch super 77 spray adhesive. It can be applied in different ways, depending on the surface and tack range. Aside from having to take the time to mask everything off properly, it's really easy to use and gives great results.
Doesn't cost a lot either

Doug

[mickeyobe]

This is a very sticky topic.

When I do a repair I usually use ordinary rubber cement on the leather/ette covering for the simple reason that I can not be sure that some repairs might not be necessary in the future. Rubber cement can be removed without too much fuss and muss without destroying the cover material.

Perhaps I use it because I do not have enough confidence in my work.

Granted, it is not the best adhesive but when used as per instructions it is usually adequate.

Mickey

[Deleted]

I've used GC Bond for attaching shutter curtains and ribbons, too, when rehabing FEDs and Zorkis. The Soviets used shellac for attaching curtains. I'm amazed it held up as well as it did on their cameras.

W.