fun with a laser cutter...

[Dan Daniel]

Having access to a laser cutter at work, I decided to try cutting some camera coverings. The first camera I have worked on is Rolleicord Va (1). The leather is a thin white leather. Some prep work- a white glue backing/stiffener/sealer, some shellac on both the leather back and the camera body. Water-based wax conditioner on the outside to protect it a bit. White shoe polish in this case to kill the burn marks from the laser.

The patterning isn't perfect but I learned a bit on making things work. I have another Va on the way, and it might get the red, shown in the last shot.

Well, just thought it'd be of interest to people here.

 

[jwicaksana]

Cool! Sounds like this is your first attempt. If it is, you did one fine job, mate.

 

[astro8]

Looks good! So did you scan the old coverings and make vector files from them?

 

[heed]

Beautiful! A fellow "camera modder"! Any other projects you've done?

Also, what glue did you use? I'm thinking of lizard skinning some of my cameras...

 

[Dan Daniel]

Greg, the leather came off in chunks and pieces. Trying to use alcohol led to the leather curling heavily along the edges. Next camera I'll try some other approaches for removal. Especially on the lens board, which drove me crazy trying to draw. I used Illustrator to draw it up, not my ideal but no Autocad installed at work.

Heed, I've scabbed Haselblad prisms onto TLRs, and put a pre-WWII Tessar on a Minolta Autocord body. No previous 'decorating' projects. For attachment, I put 'Mod Podge,' a water-based white glue-type material on the back of the leather- two thin coats. Then a coat of shellac on top of this. On the camera body I used shellac.

My first tests involved a sheet material, acrylic adhesive. BUt this was a bad mistake. The adhesive added no stiffness so the leather, which is soft, would shift around in handling. And on removal, the adhesive was almost impossible to remove from the camera body.

I am still exploring ways of attaching the leather. I would love something like what comes on materials from cameraleather.com- tenacious, stays on material, etc.

 

[graywolf]

Well, Dan, I am an old fashioned "black is best" type of fellow. However that sure looks good. Especially for a first try.

 

[Dan Daniel]

Tom, this isn't a camera that I am using. I have a couple of Rolleiflexes with black Griptac on one, and waiting for the Griptac set on the other (and waiting, and waiting... waiting- that guy has serious customer relations problems, can't even respond after he has your money for 6 weeks, but that's another thread).

Living in San Francisco, TLRs have a following among certain crowds. I figured I'd try this. Made a rough sample and took it by a local film store. Asked the owner to just let it sit on the counter, see if people react, whatever. Turns out lots of people loved it. This one is now for sale at the store, see what happens (sorry- Facebook link coming up, only web presence for this place unfortunately)- scroll down a bit-
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Glass-Key-Photo/119199231470385

Personally I don't think I could shoot with this camera- too loud. But I'll see, maybe for someone it will be fine. In the meantime I am trying to source some nice thin black leather, and other more conservative colors.

 

[TXForester]

Looks good. With the white covering I think you should wear black leather shoes with white spats to match the camera. 😀

How did you get the measurements to get such a good fit around the knobs etc.?

 

[Dan Daniel]

How did you get the measurements to get such a good fit around the knobs etc.?

I think the fancy term designers like to use is 'iteration.' 😱 Meaning draw/cut/measure/draw/cut measure... until templates fit. :bang: I used copy paper for the quick test patterns. I'll try something else, I think, a bit heavier, as I found the paper and leather didn't cut the same way- paper shifting on the bed?

 

[graywolf]

Personally I don't think I could shoot with this camera- too loud. But I'll see, maybe for someone it will be fine. In the meantime I am trying to source some nice thin black leather, and other more conservative colors.

I have some black pigskin I sourced for another project that I never got around to. It may be a little too thick, but could be thinned down with a sander. I don't suppose a piece big enough to test it out would cost too much to ship. How big a piece would you need to do one camera?

 

[paradoxbox]

One method you might try for pattern making is to take a photograph of the camera from a position directly above the camera, then trace the outline of the leather areas over the photograph in illustrator before sending it to your laser cutter (or printing out then tracing on to leather if you do it the old fashioned way).

You did a great job with that, and the white leather looks very classy! I releathered my Rolleiflex 3.5 and my ancient 1932(I think?) Rolleicord with black leather that closely resembles the original leather.

 

[Vics]

Great for shooting weddings in a white tux! Beautiful look for the very art deco styling of the Rollei!