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Correct lensboard

 
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steve@toprinting.com



Joined: 27 Sep 2001
Posts: 33
Location: Los Angeles, CA

PostPosted: Mon Oct 01, 2001 3:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've just bought a Graflex Optar 90mm F:6.8
for my Crown Graphic.
Can someone tell me the correct opening size of the lensboard hole. Will this lens need a recessed board?
Thanx, -Steve

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[ This Message was edited by: steve@toprinting.com on 2001-10-01 08:31 ]
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bertsaunders



Joined: 20 May 2001
Posts: 577
Location: Bakersfield California

PostPosted: Mon Oct 01, 2001 9:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Steve--1 7/32" diam (30.956mm)just clears the locking ring on mine-did you get a locking ring with yours?
The holes are usually fairly close to the lock ring diam if it is the type that has a collar on it--if it's the flat type then fit to the theaded barrel of the lens! 1 3/16 (30.163mm)
As for the recessed lensboard on a Crown--
>>probably<< but will leave that to someone that has used it on that camera!!


[ This Message was edited by: bertsaunders on 2001-10-02 13:11 ]
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Les



Joined: 09 May 2001
Posts: 2682
Location: Detroit, MI

PostPosted: Mon Oct 01, 2001 9:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

No recessed board for the 90. In fact the size of the front standard pretty much makes a recessed board useless.

The 90 will focus at the edge of the rear rails. Since I ground glass focus, I don't use infinity stops. I open the camera and drop the bed, then pull the front standard out until it hits the dropped rails. That will usually focus it at about 50 feet. A tweak here or there and you're done!

Les
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steve@toprinting.com



Joined: 27 Sep 2001
Posts: 33
Location: Los Angeles, CA

PostPosted: Mon Oct 01, 2001 10:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.

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daleraby



Joined: 24 Nov 2001
Posts: 60
Location: Green Bay, Wisconsin

PostPosted: Sun Dec 02, 2001 1:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

It seems that I will be making a new lens board for my Speed Graphic. As I measure the opening, the board will be 4" x 4" x 1/8". Mine will require a 1 3/8" hole for my Rodenstock Ysarex 127mm lens.

It occurred to me that it would be very little extra work to manufacture several more while I am doing this. I will be making them from mahoghany boards.

My proposal is to make any number up to ten, leaving the hole undrilled.

Would any of you other folks want one of these lens boards? Price will be one dollar plus shipping for the first batch.


Dale
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Les



Joined: 09 May 2001
Posts: 2682
Location: Detroit, MI

PostPosted: Sun Dec 02, 2001 4:04 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Mahogany, even centuries old cuban, can exhibit warping at this thickness (thiness?) Original lensboards were made up of three pieces. The field, plus boards on the endgrain of the field
with grain oriented perpendicular to the grain of the field. The field had a tongue, the endboards were grooved. This kept the field from warping. (called breadboard ends)

Burke & James did theirs a little differently. They rand a 3/8" deep groove in the endgrain of the field and inserted a thin piece with grain perpendicular to the field and sanded it flush (called a feather). These have a one piece look, but almost the strenght of a three piece board.

Good luck.


Les
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daleraby



Joined: 24 Nov 2001
Posts: 60
Location: Green Bay, Wisconsin

PostPosted: Sun Dec 02, 2001 12:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hmmm... I'm beginning to understand why these are made in aluminum... evidently it's back to the drawing board for me. I never considered warping to be a possible problem as Mahogany is usually dimensionally stable.... but I never made anything that thin before. Dovetails and tounge & groove joints would be very difficult to fashion in such small material... perhaps brass or aluminum bolsters epoxied in or concentric square frames to fit the recesses in the camera.... thanks Les, you gave me some thinking to do.

Dale A. Raby
Editor/Publisher
The Green Bay Web
http://www.thegreenbayweb.com
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Les



Joined: 09 May 2001
Posts: 2682
Location: Detroit, MI

PostPosted: Sun Dec 02, 2001 2:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I make two kinds of lens boards. Very nice ones, and very quick ones.

When I buy a lens the first thing I want to do is use it, so I get baltic birch plywood. This material has no voids, is much stronger than fir plywood and nicer looking too. It will usually have 5-7 plys in the 1/4" range. I can cobble a lensboard for my 5x7 2D or my deardorff in about 6-8 minutes, put some MATTE black photo tape on the back and I'm off shooting.

Then when I get time (stop snickering!) I put on a flannel shirt, safety glasses and grab some nice mahogany make of a dozen or so lens boards, use what I need and sell the rest on ebay.

I'm not sure which graphic you have, I assumed you had an anniversary since you were working in mahogany. If so this might me an econimical alternative since you have to paint the black anyway.

A wood board for a Pacemaker would be difficult to make. You'll have to mill grooves in the back as a light trap (with radiused corners!) and if the wood is thick enough to withstand the gooves and still hold up, it will be too thick for the slide to hold it in.

You could make it much thicker so the slide falls in a top slot, but then you'll be counter boring around the lens hole.

For real quick lens tests, I"ve gotten away with 4 ply black matte board. No grooves, it just slides under the slider. Probably wouldn't use it for a paying job, but it still works.
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daleraby



Joined: 24 Nov 2001
Posts: 60
Location: Green Bay, Wisconsin

PostPosted: Sun Dec 02, 2001 6:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

As you surmised, mine is an Anniversary model, a military model from the description given on this site. I was using mahogany because I happen to have a couple of nice boards in the garage... I may opt for a quick and dirty one in the near future and wait for summer before I venture into the garage where my tools are. I would seem to have a bit of time as my film hasn't arrived yet.

Thanks for the suggestions. They were most useful.

Dale
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45PSS



Joined: 28 Sep 2001
Posts: 4081
Location: Mid Peninsula, Ca.

PostPosted: Mon Dec 03, 2001 4:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The two materials that I am using are black abs and acrylic. They both come in several thicknesses, and are inexpensive. ABS is easy to work with, glued layers are rigid. Acrylic is more brittle, must be cut slowly, and sanded on film side, but makes nice boards. Making a pacemaker board would be a challange.
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