New Camera Covering - not so easy!

[jesse1dog]

I've just recovered my Olympus 35 ECR.
It could have been any camera that I attempted.

Having done some measuring up I came to the conclusion that if I had 2 kits for the Olympus Trip I could use the backs from each to cover the ECR.
After all 2 kits from Aki Asahi wasn't going to break the bank!

This afternoon I have been cutting the 2 embossed pieces of red snake skin leather. There was no problem with the basic shape - I just used the peeled off old covering as a template. With the backing paper still on you can get quite a good fit. Quite good!!

There were 3 issues.

The ECR has a front mounted lever and a circular hole has to be cut/punched in the leather for the leather to fit round the mounting. I used a paper punch which was just slightly too small - it would have been easier if it had been slightly oversize.

I made a mistake by keeping on a small rectangular embellishment that was stuck to the camera body and for which the original covering had a hole. Trying to cut a hole in the leather to fit was difficult and I am unhappy with the result. The leather is fibrous and doesn't cut particularly cleanly. Next time, if there is one, I will remove the 'label' and discard it.

The major disappointment is with the edge of the leather. I had to cut it to fit. The cutting reveals an uncoloured edge. I should have tried to stain the edge with a marker pen. Looking at the 'kit' pieces that were supplied all the edges are colour varnished - or something.

So there is a bit more preparation needed than I thought.

Incidentally there was no difficulty with the stickyness of the leather pieces - a good bit of saliva prevented them from sticking before I got them in the right place.

I hope this note will be useful to others who want to 'pimp' their cameras.

 

[cmogi10]

I am not handy enough to do it myself.
I'm going to send it to camera leather when I get mine done.

 

[FallisPhoto]

I've just recovered my Olympus 35 ECR.
It could have been any camera that I attempted.

Having done some measuring up I came to the conclusion that if I had 2 kits for the Olympus Trip I could use the backs from each to cover the ECR.
After all 2 kits from Aki Asahi wasn't going to break the bank!

This afternoon I have been cutting the 2 embossed pieces of red snake skin leather. There was no problem with the basic shape - I just used the peeled off old covering as a template. With the backing paper still on you can get quite a good fit. Quite good!!

There were 3 issues.

The ECR has a front mounted lever and a circular hole has to be cut/punched in the leather for the leather to fit round the mounting. I used a paper punch which was just slightly too small - it would have been easier if it had been slightly oversize.

I made a mistake by keeping on a small rectangular embellishment that was stuck to the camera body and for which the original covering had a hole. Trying to cut a hole in the leather to fit was difficult and I am unhappy with the result. The leather is fibrous and doesn't cut particularly cleanly. Next time, if there is one, I will remove the 'label' and discard it.

The major disappointment is with the edge of the leather. I had to cut it to fit. The cutting reveals an uncoloured edge. I should have tried to stain the edge with a marker pen. Looking at the 'kit' pieces that were supplied all the edges are colour varnished - or something.

So there is a bit more preparation needed than I thought.

Incidentally there was no difficulty with the stickyness of the leather pieces - a good bit of saliva prevented them from sticking before I got them in the right place.

I hope this note will be useful to others who want to 'pimp' their cameras.

I don't do snakeskin and I get all my leather here: http://stores.ebay.com/Fashion-Leather-International_Special-Price-Skins_W0QQcolZ4QQdirZ1QQfsubZ10QQftidZ2QQpZ2QQtZkm Click on "specials" and scan down until you see a color and texture of goatskin that you like. For example, this is nearly an exact match for what you would find on a Kodak Retina: http://cgi.ebay.com/ITALIAN-Goat-skin-Leather-Hide-BLACK-1-Sq_W0QQitemZ270204866179QQihZ017QQcategoryZ83936QQcmdZViewItem The Retinas in my gallery are covered with it. What you want is the stuff that is .3mm thick (some of it is in .5mm to .7mm, which is too thick). It is analine dyed and is the same color all the way through, and goat leather is about the most durable you can get. You do not want the sheep leather (it has pretty much the texture of a sponge and I doubt it would stand up to even a month of heavy use). I got a set of hole punches at a local hobby store (I bet Michaels would have them too). Those work well for cutting small holes, such as the one you describe. I also have a set of circle templates, purchased at the same hobby store. I use those for cutting larger holes. For cutting straight lines, I use X-acto knives with fresh blades and a thin steel rule. For measuring, I use a vernier caliper and the aforementioned steel rule. Yeah, all those tools cost money, but if you are going to cover several cameras you make it back fast, since the Camera Leather goatskin kits are pretty expensive and the guy on ebay is selling the same leather for 89 cents a square foot.

 

[jesse1dog]

Hi FallisPhoto

The link looked interesting until I looked at the P&P and Handling charges. That put the price of the piece I was considering to be over the $33 mark.
My piece from Aki Asahi cost $8 including p&p!

I appreciated your tool list and description of 'how you done it'. I think I wasn't careful enough with the sharp X-acto knife I had, or just 'too clever by half' because I was trying to cut at an angle to reduce the edge thickness. I think its a case of 'practice makes perfect'. Hadn't thought of using Vernier callipers though.

I've found a marker pen about the right colour and managed to tint in the cut edges - the camera certainly looks better.

Thanks for the post.

j

 

[FallisPhoto]

Hi FallisPhoto

The link looked interesting until I looked at the P&P and Handling charges. That put the price of the piece I was considering to be over the $33 mark.
My piece from Aki Asahi cost $8 including p&p!

I appreciated your tool list and description of 'how you done it'. I think I wasn't careful enough with the sharp X-acto knife I had, or just 'too clever by half' because I was trying to cut at an angle to reduce the edge thickness. I think its a case of 'practice makes perfect'. Hadn't thought of using Vernier callipers though.

I've found a marker pen about the right colour and managed to tint in the cut edges - the camera certainly looks better.

Thanks for the post.

j

For $33 I take it you were looking at a whole skin? About 2 feet by 4 feet? That is enough to do nearly 30 35mm cameras. The one square foot pieces, listed under "specials" are about $1 each, plus postage (and they are almost always bigger than a square foot -- closer to two, and I can usually manage to get at least four cameras covered from one piece). $1 plus $5 shipping comes to $6 -- for enough to do four cameras. That's $1.50 each.

 

[Nando]

Wow. You can get leather with hair on it from that ebay seller. I got an instant craving to recover my Arax-88 with some fur. 😀

 

[jesse1dog]

Hi FallisPhoto

The problem with Fashion-Leather-Internation is that for whatever item they will charge me $1.18 Insurance and $19.99 postage and packing - and that is just for a small piece!

I shouldn't live in a small European country should I?

j

 

[Kim Coxon]

If you need some leather, drop me a line. I had some done both undyed and dyed from a bookbinding tanners in Scotland. There are also several embossings. I also have some good adhesive from Jon Goodman.

Kim

 

[FallisPhoto]

Hi FallisPhoto

The problem with Fashion-Leather-Internation is that for whatever item they will charge me $1.18 Insurance and $19.99 postage and packing - and that is just for a small piece!

I shouldn't live in a small European country should I?

j

Oh. I see. You need to find a bookbinder or someone local then. Just be sure any leather you get is under .4mm thick. I think that even some of the stuff sold as camera covers is too thick. If the edge sticks up higher than the metal, it will catch and start to look bad or peel.

 

[FallisPhoto]

Wow. You can get leather with hair on it from that ebay seller. I got an instant craving to recover my Arax-88 with some fur. 😀

Leopard or plaid?