Courtesy of http://www.slecuk.com/balsa-wood/Wood.html a quantity of mahogany - sapele, apparently - has landed on my doorstep.
A 5x4 is now in progress. I'll start a separate thread to document it, so as not to clutter this one unnecessarily. Let's see how it goes. Someone will probably decide to give me a job halfway through, so it'll stall for months...
Neil
More racks available in the UK, even cheaper than motionco. http://www.technobotsonline.com/gear-racks.html http://www.technobotsonline.com/gear-racks.html
There are many many interesting things on that site; I have an idea or two for using the various beams as a base for a camera. Hmm.
Neil
UPDATE: B.S Kumar in Japan just informed me that he has a machinist that might be able to make metal parts kits for view cameras, but needs drawings. I have two camera builds in process, a 4x5 and an 8x10, and both are based on the Ikeda Anba design, since I have one. I have drawn the wooden parts, but not the metal, and sent my camera with my shipment to the US last week. I can do the drawings when I get to the US and get unloaded, but that may not be before August. If anyone wants to undertake drawing, speak up.
Any news on this project?
Ive been hovering - making bits and pieces.
This last week I've made a 6x7 roll film field camera to use in Canada next week. I bought Mahogany from SlecUk the company Neil (barnacle) posted a link to. I used the track and guides from a Quarter plate Speed Graphic but a 5x4 Pacemaker front standard. I have another Quarter plate trackbed etc and plan to use it for a 5x4 camera but with a slightly wider body to accept a 6x17 back, with capability to use a 75mm Super Angulon. I'm using parts of a Super Graphic front standard but modified to use Linhof/Wista lens boards as that gives a lot more movements.
Building the 6x7 field camera has been interesting but also logical and easy. Graflex Pacemakers and Super Graphics need the drop-bed for front tilt, I reversed the front standard but needed to place the back slightly higher to allow fall to compensate the tilt. That's a lesson that will progress to the final 5x4 camera.
Ian
I'm moved now, but still settling in, so haven't started back on mine yet. I'm still looking for the holy grail of a complete set of metal parts that can be easily sourced. At this point, I'm not sure this can be done off the shelf, and the best bet is a machinist willing to sell parts kits. I think the English style (like the Ikeda) is the best for a generic design, as the wood parts are relatively simple to make and assemble, and the finished camera is a lightweight field camera.
McMaster Carr in the US sell almost everything needed but won't export outside the US, their reasons are quite irrational.
Ian
I will have to look more at field camera designs. I'd love an 8x10 adaptation to the Sinar rig I have (I don't have 2 kilobux to buy one). And, I'd also like a good field 8x10. I'm loathe to buy stuff I could make. But sometimes existing products are so well thought out that I'd never get to that level. But affordable 8x10's are often rickety and lack what seem like important movements. But fewer movements equals more rigidity and simpler construction. Why Ikeda type and not lead screw focus like chamonix? Why front focus at all?
Send me a set of drawings for all the metal and wooden parts, and I'll get a couple of prototypes made.
Kumar
Any ideas where I can download this pdf?
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