Where to Have lens board hole mistake fixed?

[Andre Noble]

I bought a rare, new old stock deep recessed (deeper than standard 12.5mm recessed) Toyo field lens boad, undrilled, for my new grandagon 45mmm - against my better judgement I let a local camera repair guy drill a copal 0 for it. I got it back today and the hole was off center and not circular, like it was taken to by a hand file.

Basically it looked like it had been done by a monkey on day one of metal shop class.

Can a regular machine shop make this right? SK Grimes?

As far as local repair guy, it was through same guy who hooked me up with a new 45 Grandagon and new 65 Grandagon for about $300 apiece and save me about $100 on a set of toyo 45 holders, so am not going to request they "make me whole".

I'm just pissed because these deep recessed toyo field boards are rare!!

[IanG]

Holes are often drilled deliberately off-center, more importantly is does it take the lens properly ?

Ian

[Andre Noble]

no, this was a hack job. And no the lens is off centered left when mounted. To open the hole so that lens can be centered will mean i have to crank on the retining rijg to try the keep the lens from swimming around in the big hole, increasing risk to damage lens

.It took me years to find this lens board too.

The 45 Apo Grandagon is a precision ultra wide lens for roll film it's kind of annoying. I can't stand sloppy work like this, it pisses me off to no end.if this camera repair guy inside camera chain were a standalone operator, he would be out of business very soon.

[Ari]

When these things happen, best to file it away and move on. Next time, find a local machine shop and have them do the work.

KEH has one of those lens boards at the moment, though I'm not sure if it's recessed as much as the banged-up board you have.
Still, it might prove to be a $50 solution.
https://www.keh.com/300146/large-format-toyo-field-45a-33-hole-recessed-25mm-110mm-sq

[N Dhananjay]

If it has indeed been botched, a good machine shop can come up with some kind of a Rube Goldberg solution. The typical solution will be to cut a small square plate and screw it to the existing board covering the hole and then redrill the hole properly - not ideal since each additional interface needs to be light tight. Best to do it right the first time... DJ

[vinny]

What dj said but you could epoxy the two together to avoid screw holes.
I've made my own recessed boards out of 1/4" abs by making a box and gluing that to the back of the board, then milling out the front.

Otherwise, someone is making recessed toyo field boards on ebay:http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Recessed-Lens-Board-110x110mm-For-Toyo-Field-4x5-45A-II-45AX-camera-/271794669268?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3f483986d4
they may make one for you

[Jac@stafford.net]

It took me years to find this lens board too.

You are a more patient man than I. The responses from others with experience, and those who surfed for solutions for you impressed me. What a great group.

Vinny's approach appeals to me for fabrication (perhaps because it is a DIY). Grimes is expensive, but they have never failed me. I hope you know exactly how much recess you need and whether the lens can be operated in that recession. It sometimes gets quite tricky working within the tight space.

Aside: Engineers - thinking of an extensible recessed board?

Good luck, Andre!

[Henry Ambrose]

I might be able to help you. Please post a picture of the board.

[jp]

You could have a shop drill a hole in the right place.

Assuming this is a cast lensboard not a stamped speed graphic styles one, you could then fill in the missing metal with either a tig welder or jb weld and spray paint that area again.

[Old-N-Feeble]

If the hole is close enough to center such that a #1 hole can be cleanly drilled then you could have that done and buy a Copal 1 hole to Copal 0 shutter adapter from eBay. Alternatively, you could have a significantly larger hole drilled and a flat metal plate added then a new #0 hole drilled in that.

[seabee1999]

You could have a shop drill a hole in the right place.

Assuming this is a cast lensboard not a stamped speed graphic styles one, you could then fill in the missing metal with either a tig welder or jb weld and spray paint that area again.

I was going to suggest this as well. Perhaps even welding a piece of aluminum sheet metal to the back, filling the hole with new metal, grinding down the excess and drilling a new hole; all of this provided that the metal of the lens board will accept the new metal being placed.

R/
Dave

[Old-N-Feeble]

I wouldn't weld or even solder. That could warp the board. Not to mention that's more complicated than other options.

[Kirk Gittings]

I would cut out all but a "lip" out of the back of the lens board. Then take a cheapo lens board with the correct hole> pop rivet and glue it on (black silicone) with hole in proper place>trim to fit edges that are sticking out.

[Tracy Storer]

Bore the back of the recess out, and have a "flanged plug" made, that attaches from the back to re-establish the correct depth of the recess. Local machine shop.

[Andre Noble]

133262

ok guys, here is said Toyo 25mm deep recessed field board after hack job, don't laugh too hard. But they actually charged me for this "work".

[Andre Noble]

One more photo of same board:133263

[Old-N-Feeble]

That's not that bad but if it bothers you (it probably would me) then...

Just have a precise #1 hole cut and buy one of THESE (http://www.ebay.com/itm/Copal-0-shutter-to-Copal-1-lensboard-adapter-for-large-format-cameras-/221734450620?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_205&hash=item33a06735bc)

You'll also need a #1 retaining ring which costs about US$7 delivered.

Or you could just use it as-is and replace it when another recessed board shows up. After using it awhile you may decide it's just fine the way it is... save some money. If you're not shooting precise architecture I doubt you'll even notice it. Knowing myself... I'm pretty sure that's what I'd end up doing.:)

[Jac@stafford.net]

One more photo of same board

"Over the top fussy" comes to mind.
.

[Ginette]

133262

ok guys, here is said Toyo 25mm deep recessed field board after hack job, don't laugh too hard. But they actually charged me for this "work".

:) Not so bad!
Maybe the easier solution is to ask to a machine shop to cut a clean and centered Copal 1 hole and to use a Copal 1 to Copal 0 adapter. This way, you will also have the choice of Copal 1 and Copal 0 on that recessed board.

[Andre Noble]

"Over the top fussy" comes to mind.
. Some people do not care about a lens curvilinear distortion characteristics. Others notice chromatic aberration. To each his own.


But thanks to everyone for suggestions. I have enough info to get a solution that will work for me. Thanks again.

[Old-N-Feeble]

What did you decide to do?

[ic-racer]

I'm just pissed because these deep recessed toyo field boards are rare!!
This one? B&H has one in stock.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/112206-REG/Toyo_View_180_640_Recessed_Lensboard_for_0.html

[Andre Noble]

133265
I ended up being able to center the lens on the board after-all! by reversing the rear retaining ring so that the copal 0 size lip of retaining ring facing out. This allowed retaining ring and lens no longer obligated to situate in center of the (off centered hole).

The Matt surfaces of Toyo board seem to keep the retaining from swimming around after I centered lens on board visually.

All is good.

@ ic-racer, that recessed board is the standard 12.5mm deep. This board here is twice as deep, 25mm recessed.

[ic-racer]

@ ic-racer, that recessed board is the standard 12.5mm deep. This board here is twice as deep, 25mm recessed.

Oh, that is quit a big difference. Good so see you found a solution.
I once had to rectify a similar problem with these common "Copal - 0" sized washers from the hardware store:

133288

[Jody_S]

Oh, that is quit a big difference. Good so see you found a solution.
I once had to rectify a similar problem with these common "Copal - 0" sized washers from the hardware store:

133288

These are actually electrical fittings, made to use a 1" connector in a 1-1/4" hole (trade sizes, not actual). Look in the electrical wares aisle, or go to an electrical mat'ls distributor.