A modular LF setup?

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Bruce Pickering
Posts: 15
Joined: Wed Jul 27, 2011 5:40 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

A modular LF setup?

Post by Bruce Pickering » Wed Aug 28, 2013 6:55 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

Last April I decided to try a larger format than 5x4 and bought a 10x8 advertised as "spares or repair", and in June I got carried away and puchased a 5x7 that also required a total rebuild to get it working. I always intended to use these cameras and therefore my priority was to get them working rather than restoring them to museum quality.

During the restores I decided that being able to swap lenses between the different cameras without swapping lens boards was a high priority.

These are the cameras that I purchased in their original state:
Ansco 10x8
1.jpg
1.jpg (206.06 KiB) Viewed 13674 times
Kodak 2d 5x7
Kodak 2D.jpg
Kodak 2D.jpg (13.93 KiB) Viewed 13674 times
For those that are interested, I will show some of the parts that I've made and notes on construction.

Bruce Pickering
Posts: 15
Joined: Wed Jul 27, 2011 5:40 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

Re: A modular LF setup?

Post by Bruce Pickering » Wed Aug 28, 2013 7:07 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

Most of my Lenses are on Wista Linhof style boards so the first idea was to make a board for the Ansco 10x8 that would allow me to use them. I have an old Toyo monorail that had a lens board that allowed it to take the Wista boards which I had bought of a well known auction site. The lensboard was just large enough to allow it to be cut down to the 6" square that I needed for the Ansco.

The back of the board had a square of MDF glued on, and as the metal plate was a bit thin, I glued some veneer around the rear edge just to make the edge thickness correct for mounting.

Blackboard paint (which actually states that it is for photographic use on the label) was used to paint the rear of the lensboard matt black
untitled-0759.jpg
untitled-0759.jpg (233.54 KiB) Viewed 13672 times

Bruce Pickering
Posts: 15
Joined: Wed Jul 27, 2011 5:40 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

Re: A modular LF setup?

Post by Bruce Pickering » Wed Aug 28, 2013 7:25 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

As you can see from the two previous posts, the original bakelite knobs have all been replaced with new Brass ones that I turned on the Lathe. When I say "I" turned It was actually my Father's Lathe, and he controlled it, but I told him what I wanted so that sort of makes me in control!

Unfortunately the Lathe is an Imperial version, and the 480mm Apo Ronar that I won of the same well known auction site with my watching bid of £1 didn't have a flange (but for £1 I can't really complain) and it needed a metric thread cutting. I had seen the thread that Susie Frith had posted on this Forum about turning some adapters, so I asked her if she could make one for me, and she very kindly agreed. We agreed to make the flange from some Aluminium she had rather than Brass as I was quite happy to paint it black to match the lens, and I have to say that I'm extremely happy with the Result.

Whether it reains on this lensboard remains to be seen, but for know it looks the part when the camera is on display (without the Rubber lens hood).
Flange on Homemade lensboard
Flange on Homemade lensboard
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Apo Ronar 480mm
Apo Ronar 480mm
untitled-0755.jpg (203.6 KiB) Viewed 13671 times

Bruce Pickering
Posts: 15
Joined: Wed Jul 27, 2011 5:40 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

Re: A modular LF setup?

Post by Bruce Pickering » Wed Aug 28, 2013 7:42 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

The Lensboards for the 10x8 and 5x7 have been made from MDF for the recessed back and thin mahogany sheets that I purchased from a modelling shop (I used Gladstones).

If I wanted a board 1/8" thick then I glued 1/16" sheet material at right angles to the other sheet to give it strength. The board only came in 4" wide sheet so for the 6" boards I cut it down to 3" strips and glued 2 of these edge to edge to form each layer. With thhe layers of White PVA wood glue, these boards appear very strong.

The 10x8 had muliple tripod mounting points but the 5x7 Kodak 2D didn't and I wanted a second mount to enable me to clamp it up solid on a tripod using a manfrotto long lens support which really does make a dramatic difference at stopping the camera vibrating.

During the restoration I decided to add this extra piece of shaped mahogany on the front of the rail to allow me to drill a mounting hole for an extra tripod bush
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untitled-0763.jpg
untitled-0763.jpg (194.94 KiB) Viewed 13671 times
When the camera is being used rather than displayed this works like this:
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untitled-0766.jpg (165.01 KiB) Viewed 13671 times
In the next few days I'll post details on the Kodak 2D to Ansco Lens board adapter that is currently clamped up for the glue to dry, and the Roll film holder that I've made for the 5x7.

All the best
Bruce

Bruce Pickering
Posts: 15
Joined: Wed Jul 27, 2011 5:40 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

Re: A modular LF setup?

Post by Bruce Pickering » Tue Sep 24, 2013 7:06 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

So that lenses that cover 10x8 can be used on my 5x7 I've made an adapter lens board:
untitled-0781.jpg
untitled-0781.jpg (186.93 KiB) Viewed 13592 times

Bruce Pickering
Posts: 15
Joined: Wed Jul 27, 2011 5:40 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

Re: A modular LF setup?

Post by Bruce Pickering » Tue Sep 24, 2013 7:15 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

And finally for now, I've made a 5x4 reducing back for the 5x7 with a back that I bought off an auction site:
untitled-0776.jpg
untitled-0776.jpg (199.51 KiB) Viewed 13592 times
and with a 6x12 back attached:
untitled-0779.jpg
untitled-0779.jpg (237.97 KiB) Viewed 13592 times
At the moment, I have got as modular as I can and don't see the point of making a 10x8 to 5x4 back, but I would still like to make a 5x7 to wista lens board if I can figure out how. At the moment I'm thinking it would have to stand out from the camera and be stepped out to a larger board. If I get it to work then I'll post some images in case anyone else fancies making one.

dennis
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Re: A modular LF setup?

Post by dennis » Tue Dec 27, 2016 9:39 am Etc/GMT-1+01:00

Bruce,
I am awestruck at your work. Very impressive, congratulations. Happy New Year, Dennis.

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