disassembly of a fidelity holder ... any ideas ..

[scrichton]

Hi guys,

Long time since I posted anything here, but with about 500 sheets of film in a drawer a jobo reel and 7 fidelity holders I thought it about time I started back into the LF game for a while, so set a wee project up.

So in delivery is a 110a polaroid, sticky shutter (about a nights work :D ) and I have a good whack of GG's etc ..

So cheapo razzle/littman/et al.. conversion a brewing here.

So Looking about I see MDF holder is the way to go with a simple threaded sprung system.

For the ground glass I'm thinking easiest way to make tolerances etc work is to place the GG into a fidelity for swapping when required ... however how on earth do I open a fidelity holder up?

I can see the inner part can be separated, and the top section with the locating rails can be popped off, just can't get it do it though.


Any help in this will be apprecied.


Oh also anyone ever tried ERA 100 in diafine? Interested to know what to rate it at.

Regards

Steve

[Bruce Watson]

An interesting question. I suspect that there's a fair amount of glue involved.

Please let me know what you find out -- I've been thinking of taking one of my film holders apart for a while now. Just never got moved to actually do it.

[Oren Grad]

For the ground glass I'm thinking easiest way to make tolerances etc work is to place the GG into a fidelity for swapping when required ...

If I recall correctly, this is exactly what Dean Jones was (is still?) supplying with his Razzles. You might ask him.

[ic-racer]

A Toyo might be the way to go. Mine look like they are held together with 4 small rivets that could be easily removed. All the other brands look like they were glued together.

[Steve Wadlington]

An alternate approach is to pick up an old 4x5 film pack holder (free to 50cents) install a groundglass in it. You have a dark slide to protect the ground glass and a folding back cover (it does get in the way a little and I've thought of pulling it off).

[seawolf66]

Steve I have a 4x5 film holder , I have put off repairing ,since the bottom came off, Have not gotten to it to fix it yet : Pay for the shipping and its yours: Email me at sqjaw at verizon dot net:

[Ash]

Contact Dean Jones direct... I believe what you're asking for is exactly what he does.

He guts a holder, then places the GG inside the holder at the correct depth that the film would sit in lieu.

I'm sure he'd be happy to give you some pointers, or else buy yourself his Polaroid conversion disc with all the pics and info he had for sale.



A quick note. Any holder that you pull apart, the GG will need to sit where the film-retainers are. So pull a DDS apart and sit a GG on those rails. That's gonna be your best bet.

[Gene McCluney]

All the plastic film holders are glued together..the older wood holders are glued and nailed, and would be easier to take apart..but..you don't need to take one apart, all you need to do is cut out the middle, and glue in the ground glass. Just drill a hole, then use a jig-saw with the blade affixed thru the hole, and cut-out the middle.

[Ash]

Here are some images that may help you. This is the slide-in GG for the Razzle.

Since you can see a lot on Dean's page, I've left out the holder actually under the back.

The DDS/GG
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y43/second-belated/lfpf/IMG_0867.jpg

Difficult to see, there is a gap between the GG and the external part of the DDS
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y43/second-belated/lfpf/IMG_0877.jpg

The film guides with the GG resting on them
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y43/second-belated/lfpf/IMG_0870.jpg


http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y43/second-belated/lfpf/IMG_0871.jpg

You can see where the bottom part (where the holder usually has flaps) has been glued back together.

[scrichton]

Well I'm halfway through the dismantling now.. An as I can see from your pics and what I have found is the GG will sit perfectly into the rail areas. Just I hate cutting metal so I might have to keep going with the prying and twisting method that appears to be slowly but surely freeing up the glue.

Having a look at deans cameras I'm going to try and borrow as much as I can, as over some other ways I've seen the holder etc is by far the most elegant. Just wish I hadn't spunked so much money on a leica and a contax recently or otherwise I'd have me a razzle dog and no hassles :D

Or if your listening dean I'd happily trade you a bronica system for one ... he he.

[scrichton]

btw ash ... is that GG in upside down there? seems like ground side is outwards.

[scrichton]

just read this one "An alternate approach is to pick up an old 4x5 film pack holder (free to 50cents)"

Anyone have a free pack holder going begging?

Or more to the point with the recent discontinuation .. A big old stack of 545 Polaroid backs !

[Ash]

You can see the ground side of the glass because I turned the holder over to show you how it sits on the rails.