Month: June 2010

WAX ON. . . WAX OFF

Well. . . that was a cheap shot, but maybe it got your attention. Care and maintenance of your photo equipment is something that is important. Take care of your equipment, and it will take care of you. We use a lot of gear that is made of wood. We spend a lot of time outside in harsh environments. But, all of our equipment needs protection from the elements. We wax everything. Wood, metal, plastic. . . they all get a generous application of wax.

Wax keeps moving parts moving smoothly and a well waxed surface is easier to keep clean. Dirt and contaminants do not stick to a waxed surface. A slick, waxed surface is easier to keep clean. Also moisture is not as much a problem. I can say that we wax most everything except the lenses.

So, what kind of wax should you use on your expensive equipment? We use only the highest quality Microcrystalline waxes on our gear. Microcrystalline waxes are far and away, the finest wax you can use.

They offer excellent resistance to moisture, food acids, alcohols, moderate temperatures and are pH neutral naturally. Another benefit is that they will not show fingerprints on treated surfaces. Microcrystalline waxes also dry crystal clear, never yellow, leave no chalky residue and resist dust as well!

What brand of Microcrystalline wax do we use? RENAISSANCE WAX-POLISH has been the #1 choice of museums, art galleries and institutions for the preservation of precious items for over forty years. Professional conservators, retailers, restorers and private individuals throughout the world depend on RENAISSANCE WAX to protect their collections and for in home use.

All I can say is, this stuff is great and highly recommended. It is SAFE to protect all of these Materials:

Wood; raw & finished. Leather, Parchment & Paper. Metal; Silver, Silver Plate, Gold, Copper & Copper Alloys (Bronze, Brass, Tin, Zinc, German Silver, Nickel), Lead & Pewter, Iron & Iron Alloys, Tin & Tin Alloys. Damascus; Stone, Marble, Onyx, Limestone, Granite, Brick, Tile, Terrazzo, Obsidian, Alabaster; Gems, Glass, Porcelain, Holloware, Bone, Ivory, Horn, Shell & Mother-of-Pearl, Gutta Percha. Dammars; Gilding & Gold Leaf, Patinas. Enamel, Lacquer, Japanning, Cloute, Pose d’Or, Pique Point, Varnish, Marbleizing, Stains & Artificial Graining. Plastics, Formicas, Paints, Polyvinyl Acetates, Esters of Polymethyacrylic, Polycyclohexanones, Fiberglas Epoxy Resins, and much more!

Guess you can say that we are sold on Microcrystalline RENAISSANCE WAX. You can find it at most woodworking supply stores and on line. A quick Google search will turn up a lot more information. Well worth the cost and time it takes to apply. A little “Wax On. . . Wax Off” and you are good to go most anywhere.

JB

Posted by JB Harlin in DIY, How-To, Photography

COVER YOUR BACK?

COVER YOUR BACKDo you cover the back of your view camera with the darkcloth before you pull the darkslide? I certainly do!

Have you ever experienced these pesky little light leaks along the edge of the film that seem to come from nowhere? Gremlins?CLIP Not really. They are caused by any number of things that can go wrong in LF. A holder that has a small leak only when the slide is out, one that does not fit tight in the camera back, a light trap that is worn, or maybe you stress the holder as you remove or replace the darkslide. Thing is, it always seems to show up on that one piece of film you really want to print. Light leaks were seldom a problem as long as we were shooting 4×5, but when we moved to larger film sizes it became more evident. I will say, without reservation, as the film size goes up, the problems multiply exponentially!

The good news. . . the solution is simple, and for us, solved 99% of the light leak problems. Leave the darkcloth on the back of the camera while exposing the film. This way, even if there is a problem with the holder seating or the light seal being broken when removing or replacing the slide, you greatly reduce the probability of a leak.

It has become a habit to clip the darkcloth to the camera back once it is setup, and it remains there till the exposure is finished and the darkslide is back in the holder. We both use small, inexpensive, plastic spring clamps available at the local hardware store, to clip the darkcloth to the camera back. Simple, quick, easy. . . and. . . it works!

JB

Posted by JB Harlin in Film, How-To, Photography