repairing deep gouges in deardorff cameras.

sorry for another post guys,

 

i was wonderinbg what the best way is to fill up a gouge in my deardorff 8x10

camera? i guess the pervios owner dropped or nicked the camera really hard and

its missing some of the original wood. i am in the process of refinishing and

restoring the camera.

 

thanks.

It depends. Can you post a picture of the damage?

Also, are you looking for a purely-structural or cosmetic repair?

If the dent isn't that deep, sometimes you can use dampen the wood and use carefully

applied heat to cause steam to expand the wood. But this technique can't repair torn

wood, only dents. You should read more about this method and practice on scrap wood

before trying it on a camera. If the gouge is deep, as stated in the title, and you want the

camera to be repaired to look nearly new, maybe you need to remove wood to create a

neat hole with a level bottom, then glue in piece of new wood of the same species to fill

the hole. Then you plane down the new wood to level of the surrounding wood, and

refinish to match. From the questions you have been asking

(http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00Kfbk), this may be too

ambitious. Maybe you should show the camera to a furniture / antique restorer in your

area for advice or to have them do some of the work.

its just cosmetic damage. they have this stuff called wood filler. testing it out right now. thanks for your help guys.

 

whats the nbest way to clean the metal parts of the camera. some of the nickle is missing off of the front standards. could i spray paint it?

DON'T PAINT IT. If you hate it the way it is, refinish it or have an expert like Ken Hough do it. Or sell it and get a good one.

I have tried both Dap Plastic Wood Filler and Dap Latex Wood Filler and prefer the Latex Wood Filler as it is easier to work and takes finish better than the plastic wood filler. They are available in many wood shades so get the one that matches the bare wood best.<br>For cleaning the metal parts <a href=http://www.mothers.com/products/>Mothers Mag and Aluminum Polish</a> works wonders on all metals but chrome with little effort but the Billet Metal Polish may be more to your liking, both are under the Tire and Wheel Care heading of the product link. <br>Consider replacing or replating parts that are worn to the base material.<br>Charles

A furnature restore/repair person melts wax into the damaged areas. Various colors are available to match any wood.

 

Properly done you can`t see it.

Best advice came from Mr. Briggs. Steam it out if you can, but even that is also best left to the experienced furniture repairer. Otherwise, best off leaving it alone. Your new finish coats will hide some of the problem, and with enough coats perhaps all of it, and do so without creating more harm that good. Unless there is a structural problem, do no more harm!

Please do not use wood filler. No matter what the advertising says, it will NEVER blend in or take stain properly. Using wood filler is a good way of devaluing a nice camera; it looks like a cheap repair.

 

Post a picture so we can offer a more informed answer.

I second Franks comments on wood filler -- I've never had good results from wood filler,

except under paint. For the metal, there is no reaonable DIY way to restore the parts to

original condition. Polish and possibly finish with lacquer to prevent tarnishing. Or send

out to get replated.

 

I suggest trying to make the camera look better, and to have a finish that will protect it,

and not to try to make it look new. As suggested by Bruce, if the camera looks too bad

for you too like it without extensive restoration, consider having someone experienced do

the work, or selling it and getting a different camera.

"A furniture restore/repair person melts wax into the damaged areas."<p>

This method mentioned by Ronald works quite well. Good varnish stores sell these wax sticks ( I believe they are made of shellac and wax) in all shades of wood colors. The wax easily drops into the dents when melting is done with a soldering iron. And there is no problem to remove excess wax, and to polish and varnish it.