Thanks to a generous neighbor, I have a Kodak Autographic 3A Special on my desk!

I am curious to know what folks have done with theirs, adapting 120, make film gates, or eve try dry plates?

Also hoods, s the lens is out there in the open.

I have used mine:

• with paper negatives ( cut 5x7 paper so that it's a bit long, and it's easy to load and stays very flat! )
• to make small calotypes
• I tried some cut 4x5 film ( efke cms 50 ) and I liked the results a lot but it did not fit in my enlarger. I wished I'd bought 5x7 to cut longer and make contact prints.

I've made contact prints with the paper negatives and it is a nice size to hold in your hand. The "postcard" format is my favorite aspect ratio... something about it is pleasing.

I made some film gates out of some thin brass I got from a model shop, sort of like a mask that I could just drop in. I painted these matt black and taped these top and bottom. I then got a reel adapter for the take up spool and a couple of spacers for the supply side so I could use 120 film. I recently came across "Camerhack" who sell a variety of spool adapters.

I made a "pressure plate" out of some black card stock.

On the back I covered the existing red window, and made a new red window out of red plastic and black card stock to sit in the autographic window. The new red window lines up with the 6x6 track. It's been a while since I shot with it, but if I recall correctly, I wind to 1,3,5,7,9,11 (I'm not sure if I get a "full frame" from shot 11).

Ran out of edit time....

The above is for a Kodak 2C, but should give you some ideas!

@NedL lots of ideas, many new to me, thanks

@P C Headland I hve a little bit of familiarity with your system, have a similar one as test for an Ansco 116 folder.

I read that this film "panorama"mode produces spectacular wide scenes!

Great ideas here. I've got one of these, I have yet to use it. With it's 83 x140mm negative, it makes those post card size contact prints. I've got some 70mm film, which is still not wide enough. I will have to use the 3D printer to make the spool adapters and a film mask. And like Mr. Headland said, some type of cardboard pressure plate. The lens on this beast is a triplet, so it should yield a fairly sharp corner to corner image.