I just got a Super D, and I'm loving it.

I can't get the lensboard out, though. I read the online manual, which says I should be able to lift it up against a spring, but I can't get it to move.

Any ideas?

My recollection of the "Super D" lensboard is that it's kind of inaccessible. It is, indeed, held down into a groove by a spring at the top. My guess is that yours is suffering from humidity, either causing the board material to swell or the paint to become tacky, or both (like a door or a window in the summertime). The only thing I can think of is to remove the lens -- if it's an auto diaphragm "Ektar," I believe it's held in place with five screws through a flange on the barrel -- so you can get a couple of fingers through the hole. This ought to allow you to exert a good amount of upward force without putting stress on the focusing racks. It's also possible that a very small amount of something like "WD-40" or a "Teflon" lubricant applied carefully along the interface between the front and the board might help, but you'd want to do that very judiciously.

Remove the metal retaining bar on the bottom, if the board is oversized or swollen in place....access thru back so you can push/pull the bottom of the board out! Sand paper will relieve the oversized board once you get it out! >Have seen them glued in place<, so if it is still hard to remove, use a razor blade around the edges, that may free it up! Bert

MAX......did you get the board out??????
Bert

I took the lens out but still couldn'r get it to move. There seemed to be two layers to the board - is this normal?

I haven't had a chance to try taking out the retaining bar on the bottom yet...

The factory boards are one piece, w/a milled recess in the front side for the lens flange!...usually there is a centering flange on the backside of the lens that is a bit larger than the rear element, so there is a hole through the board on center! Your board may be home made if it is made in 2 pieces???.........Bert

Got it out. I think it's just a little swollen - I'll hit it with some (very light) sandpaper.

What would you use to make another one for another lens?

There has been a good deal of discussion concerning material to use for making lensboards. The simplest approach probably is to use two sheets of thin hardwood or plywood, one for the front part and the other, of smaller dimensions, for the back. Your existing lensboard will give you the dimensions.

Some places to look for suitable materials, beyond local hobby shops and lumberyards, include:

http://www.micromark.com/
(see under "Resin, Wood, Metal, Plastic")
http://www.northeasternscalelumber.com/catalog/wood.html
http://www.rockler.com/ecom7/search_results.cfm?filter=lumber&objectgroup_id=173

If I were doing it, I'd cut the two pieces from the same stock, rotate one at 90° to the other, glue them together, then run four tiny woodscrews through the rear piece into the front one. (Tiny woodscrews also are available from Micro-Mark.)

Yeah - sorry. I saw that the topic had been discussed quite a bit right after I asked.

Thanks for the responding despite my lack of research!