My intro into LF was with an Anniversary Speed Graphic, bought for $80 with parts missing from the rangefinder and viewer, a dead focal plane shutter and stripped tripod threads, but darn it, it got me hooked on Large Format. I now shoot mainly 8x10 and though I have a 4x5 reduceing back I don't use it---why shoot 4x5 if I'm lugging around an 8x10? I recently obtained a 4x5 Pacemaker Crown sans lens. My first thought is to take the lens off the old Anniversary---a 162mm Wollensak Velostigmat Series II in a Rapax and mount it on a Pacemaker board, but that brings up a few questions: 1) Is this uncoated lens worth messing with? I haven't really read or heard anything about it to commend it. 2) How do I mount it? The thick wood "C" board its on is a lot thicker than the thin Pacemaker boards, and finally 3) What size hole would I need? The Pacemaker boards I've seen come drilled for Copal shutters and I'll need a hole approx. 1 5/8ths" in diameter. Is there an equivalent size Copal or will I need a machinist to drill a new hole? Thanks!

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On 2002-10-25 21:16, Springback wrote: My intro into LF was with an Anniversary Speed Graphic, bought for $80 with parts missing from the rangefinder and viewer, a dead focal plane shutter and stripped tripod threads, but darn it, it got me hooked on Large Format. I now shoot mainly 8x10

Oh you do have an addiction don't you !!!

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I recently obtained a 4x5 Pacemaker Crown sans lens. My first thought is to take the lens off the old Anniversary---a 162mm Wollensak Velostigmat Series II in a Rapax and mount it on a Pacemaker board, but that brings up a few questions: 1) Is this uncoated lens worth messing with?

this is an uncoated tessar. As long as someone hasn't cleaned it with brillo it will make sharp pictures. Just use a good long shade and keep the sun at your back. Remember Ansel used uncoated lenses because it cut down on his need to pre-flash the film. But he also new how to use them.

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2) How do I mount it? The thick wood "C" board its on is a lot thicker than the thin Pacemaker boards, and finally

You'll need to beg, borrow or buy a pacemaker board. ebay has them. So does Midwest camera. Do a Google search, there are other making new ones. For the time being I found 4 ply black matte board works well. Careful cutting of the hole and you won't need duct tape.

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3) What size hole would I need? The Pacemaker boards I've seen come drilled for Copal shutters and I'll need a hole approx. 1 5/8ths" in diameter. Is there an equivalent size Copal or will I need a machinist to drill a new hole? Thanks!

I say try the cardboard lensboard to test the lens. This way you are out very little money if you don't like the lens. If it does work out for you then you'll need to get a metal board with the right hole. i don't have reference to copal shutter diameters so I don't know if a "copal 2" is the same as yours or not.
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1 5/8 hole would be a copal 1 (41.6mm)
I just drilled a board to use a linhof 135 f3.8 on my century graphic. mounted the lens yesterday. now leaving the house to give it a test.

here are some pics of my century graphic with the linhof schneider press-xenar135 on it.I don't have a focus scale for it so it has a marked tape scale I made this morning.

http://www.maplenet.net/~kamiller/graflex/

Thanks for all the great tips! What a great resource it is to tap the collective experience of so many knowledgeble people! Thanks again!