Missing Aperture scales, or, More fun with the Laser cutter...

[Tracy Storer]

Making Waterhouse stops has proven to work pretty well, and once you get the hang of a tool, you start looking for more things to do with it. I recently sold a 240 G-Claron in mis-matched shutter, and decided to make a new shutter and aperture scale for it. My results for the moment are shown here. The Delrin plastic I used is thicker than the original scale, so the tiny original screws are too short, I have ordered new material to match the original thickness and will recut in a couple days. This scale is for a Polaroid/Prontor Press shutter, a little tricky because both speeds and apertures are on the same scale, and more tricky since the aperture scale is non-linear, unlike later Copal shutters.

[Tin Can]

Looking good!

What's next, shutter blades...:)

[Tracy Storer]

OK, I re-did the scale on thinner material and installed it just now.....Time to ship this one to the Netherlands.

[William Whitaker]

Looks awesome, T!

[DKirk]

Looking good!

What's next, shutter blades...:)

That would kick ass - got a perfectly working in all other respects compur 2 except one of the blades is broken, and missing the little pin. . .

[Jim Fitzgerald]

Tracy, beautiful work. I'd love to see a laser cutter. Going to have to research that one. What kind of things can you make with it? Crazy question I know but I had to ask. Is it useful for other camera parts?

Thanks,

[Tracy Storer]

So far, just waterhouse stops, aperture scales, and acrylic ground glass-cutting-to-size.

[Lachlan 717]

Any chance you'll be taking orders for the scales, Tracy?

[Tracy Storer]

Sure, I prefer email for what amounts to custom orders, but absolutely, it's why I posted. These and the waterhouse stops seem like something that will really help people.

[Old-N-Feeble]

What file format(s) do you need?

May I suggest you begin archiving everything you collect? Eventually, you'll have quite a collection to choose from. Also, if one only has a photo or hand drawing, may I suggest you also offer making the digital template for them at additional cost?

[Tracy Storer]

I use a combination of CAD and Adobe Illustrator.
I do intend to keep what data I collect / assemble. There are so many different types of shutters, I have so far 3 different types of Copal #1 sized shutters, which each have unique scale size, mounting hole locations, etc. so, there are a lot of details to keep track of. (I have only made scales so far for Prontor Press #1, but need to make scales for myself for recent Copal #1, which are completely different, and an earlier Copal #1, which is different still.)


What file format(s) do you need?

May I suggest you begin archiving everything you collect? Eventually, you'll have quite a collection to choose from. Also, if one only has a photo or hand drawing, may I suggest you also offer making the digital template for them at additional cost?

[Lachlan 717]

Sure, I prefer email for what amounts to custom orders, but absolutely, it's why I posted. These and the waterhouse stops seem like something that will really help people.

Thanks, Tracy.

I have a scan of a set of Copal 0 scales for a 90mm f6.8 Schneider. Is this the sort of thing you'd need? Do you need measurements of the existing [f8] scale?

[Tracy Storer]

A 100% scan would be very helpful, assuming the scanned scale was from the same type of shutter you intend to use, I would still be recreating a new CAD and AI file from the scan to get the best results from the laser etching.
I don't own anything in a Copal #0 myself, so I wouldn't be able to do any comparisons.


Thanks, Tracy.

I have a scan of a set of Copal 0 scales for a 90mm f6.8 Schneider. Is this the sort of thing you'd need? Do you need measurements of the existing [f8] scale?

[Corran]

I need a scale made for an old Compur shutter. Been on my to-do list for a while.

There's a hand-written scale on it that is accurate enough. So if I scan the piece of paper that it is drawn on, and take off the older aperture scale and scan that, I could send that to you and that's all you need?

[Tracy Storer]

Assuming the hand written and factory (overall size shape mounting holes etc) stay "indexed" to one another, and the thickness is something I can put my hands on in Delrin that will lay flat as needed on your shutter, that should do it.
I also like "real world" referents when available, so mounting holes can be double checked with drill bits as a gauge to find the nearest (or exact) size.

DON'T FORGET ABOUT THICKNESS !!! On the Prontor and Copal shutters I've worked on so far, the mounting screws for the scales are very very short, so if my scale material is too thick, the screws won't go in to secure the scale.

This is a fairly new enterprise for me, and results so far have been good. The questions have been helpful for me, as well as any of you who may want to order scales. I'll want actual business conducted via personal email, the PM box fills up waaaay too fast to use as serious correspondence.


I need a scale made for an old Compur shutter. Been on my to-do list for a while.

There's a hand-written scale on it that is accurate enough. So if I scan the piece of paper that it is drawn on, and take off the older aperture scale and scan that, I could send that to you and that's all you need?

[Corran]

Cool. I'll throw them on my scanner this week and see what I can get. The hand-written scale is in poor shape so I might have to toy with it a bit to get something usable.