Thornton Pickard Junior Special Ruby Reflex

[IanG]

I've just bought a Junior Special Ruby Reflex 1/4 plate camera, knowing full well it didn't work, had a crack in the body, no focus screen, shot front silvered mirror and no lens board/lens

OK and the seller said the shutter had reached the end of its life.

 

[IanG]

The camera a day later.

I had no choice and had to srip pf the leatherette, no big deal as I have similar to recover it. However there's cracks in the woodwork that need repairing.

 

[IanG]

The shutter is now out as a complete module. I just have to figure out how it works.

I'm used to restoring Graflex shutter but they are quite simple, despite it's age this like most other British (and European) focal plane shutters this is two shutter curtains and you adjust the slit width via the shutter speed dial.

The front silvered mirror is shot but I guess I'll re-silver it myself as I have the chemicals.

I should have said this was a very cheap camera £19 / $32 so I bought it to learn how to restore similar.

Ian

 

[dxqcanada]

Hmm, keep on updating this with your progress. :thumbup:

What process did you use to remove the outer leather ?

 

[IanG]

The camera had been stored badly and some of the covering, essentially a paper based imitation leather, was starting to flake off. Just dampening it with a sponge was enough to allow me to scrape it all off easily. I then used a scouring pad to remove what was left and then rinsed the outside of the body with warm running water.

Now I'm going to glue up the cracked woodwork, I found two other issues which might cause problems later if not repaired now. The new material for re-covering the body should be here in a couple of days. I will also be able to make and cover some lens boards to match the rest of the camera.

The shutter will need a new set of curtains which will be quite easy to make, I've plenty of materials here already and will be making three sets, one is for another collector/restorer and I'll keep a spare set as well. Hopefully I'll get these made today.

Ian

 

[IanG]

It's turned out there was severe damage to the mirror box, this is repairable but indicates that the camera was probably dropped ending its previous life

So the mirror box is in the process of being gued back together.

Ian

 

[petrochemist]

Ian did you ever progress this further? Last post was over 10 years ago & having just brought a similar model I'd love an update!

 

[IanG]

This particular one has languished in a cabinet, although I did rebuild the mirror box, and recover the body, add a new front silvered mirror. Family circumstances curtailed my efforts at the time, and then I had to move house.

I turned my attention to restorations for other people, and then the issue was I'd left it too long between stripping this camera down and re-assembly. I have quite a few TP reflex cameras to restore 4 or 5, as well as 2 5x4 Soho reflex cameras, a Dallmeyer Press reflex (ensign), and a few others. That's on top of regular restorations of TP roller blind shutters, I have around 40 to restore, and then there's the wood and brass cameras.

So I've had to prioritise, the most usable or saleable first, that would be the 5x4 Soho reflexes, they have movements, 2 10x8 Agfa Ansco cameras, plus other wood & brass field cameras.

Hopefully I'll get around to the camera here this coming Summer.

Ian

 

[petrochemist]

Thanks for the update Ian. Even without moving house I've had enough projects end up on the backburner (nothing as elaborate as yours).

I hope my junior special has much less attention required - I don't have much info on it's condition just 'all moving parts operable' and a mention of a tear in the viewfinder. It could easily prove beyond my abilities, limiting it to a period in a display case.

I also have a couple of TP shutters to restore, but I think it's only replacing the string one one & a bit of basic woodwork. If it turns out to be much more they may go back on e-bay - I've got to accept my limits!