[Ian Grant]

After restoring a couple British folding cameras 1/4 & 1/2 plate, plus a couple of Speed Graphics and many Thornton Pickard roller-blind shutters I've taken the plunge into Reflex cameras.

On the way is the first of 2 Thorton Pickard Ruby reflex cameras, described as the shutter having finished it's life, no focus screen, no silver on the mirror, and no lens, there's corrosion of the back, basically a real challenge. The plus side was the price at under £20 ($31).

new-tp.jpg
Hopefully this restoration will be more time and effort than further monetary outlay. I've a 7ft lenght of shutter cloth to make a new shutter blind and glass for the screen & possibly the mirror. It would be nice to find a sunken mount lens but that's not imperative at this stage. At the moment the biggest challenge will be the new reflex mirror although I do have an old article on making one !!!

I see this one as a learning curve as a local museum would like to have one in use at special open days, I don't want to experiment with theirs, I need to be confident I can fix it

The second if I get it will provide addional lenses etc and is in much better condition.

My fingures are crossed based on the premise that usually things look far worse than they really are. The 1/4 plate Victo looked like this
LFcamera0_sm.jpg and is now restored, athough awaiting a new carrying handle.

And my pre-Anniversary Speed Graphic looked like this
IMG_1701.JPG

IMG_1692.jpg
but is now fine, and the shutter's smooth,although the body's naked

Will document this restoration

Ian