Material for darkslides

[Vaughn]

Or use masks within the camera (such as the Deardorff splitters), and not modify the darkslides at all.

[Erik Larsen]

If all you are doing is making patterns for use while the film holder is inserted in the camera the material doesn't have to be much more than say the card board that is packed with sheet film. Paint it black and it should be good enough to shield the film while it is in the camera during a typical exposure but I would make sure to use a proper dark slide before removing it from the camera. It would be easy to cut as well. Cheap enough to try
Regards
Erik

Edit - I see I don't type fast enough as my idea has been mentioned

[Ron Stowell]

Black Styrene available from hobby shops and on e-bay about ·040 thick has worked well for me.

[Daniel Stone]

I'd use metal, or garolite sheet of appropriate thickness.

A good metal/plastics shop should be able to help you out with fabricating some if you don't have the tools/capability to do such.

Take an 8x10 slide as a reference, and a drawing with dimensions for cut-outs or dimensions needed

-Dan

[Tristan Joyce]

Great input - thanks! I´m going to give this a go with cardboard first - I hadn´t thought of that - to see if I get the effect I´m looking for. If it works well, then I may try some more robust material.

[Paul Fitzgerald]

Tristan, be careful, depending on the shape of your pattern the darkslide can trap & tear the light trap material and ruin the holder, been there done that.

[Tristan Joyce]

Thanks Paul. Good advice again.

[imagedowser]

If you use cardboard or other easily bent (weak) material, be sure to wax the edges that slide in the holder.... Butchers or "carpenters wax" works well. Wax helps on any slide/holder interface. Be sure to buff it when dry...