11x14 camera build attempt - Questions

[Pali K]

very cool Pali good luck with your project please post pictures as you are putting it together

Thank you! All items have shipped as of this afternoon and they are all scheduled to arrive before Saturday. I will be taking many pictures and potentially videos to share with everyone here.

I just think a frame (sturdier) and not pillars for the front standard...
Do you intend to make it fold up into the rear?

Yes, I am hopeful that if done right - this should fold into 18x18 square about 4-5 inches high. I thought about the frame similar to my Deardorff V8 but I would think 3/8" aluminum pillars should be sturdy enough. They will most likely need corner support that is not pictured in the draft design.

I'm interested in how you're going to deal with the back
the back is the only critical part of the camera
I could make a camera with a cardboard box if I had a back with proper dimensions for film plane/gg plane

Agreed and I feel the same way. I ordered a film holder so the back can be built around it. I know the basics of what needs to be done but the key challenge will be springs and ground glass placement. I am hoping that having the film holder in hand while building will help. I also plan to mimic the Deardorff 8x10 back and scale to 11x14 as reference.

I agree. For many years I used a B&J flatbed with a front standard much like the ones the OP proposed. That camera incorporated slides and swings in the front standard, and tilts on the lens board frame. It could have been sturdier. If no slides and swings are intended, securing the front standard to the baseboard with a wider base as shown below would be much stronger. Slides can be eliminated if both front and rear standards have swings. In this case, rather than swing and clamp the front standard about a central screw, consider a clamping screw in a slot hear each edge of the front standard. This more directly clamps the front standard to the baseboard rather than relying on minimum torque of the base of the front standard.

As for the focusing screw, for readily available material and items, I'd use a standard hardware store V-threaded brass rod running in a threaded hardwood split nut. Lignum Vitae might be a first choice if available, but I grow an excess of Osage Orange at home. The split nut can be tightened as necessary to minimize backlash.

The support for the rear standard may be versatile, but looks awfully flimsy.

Jim, these are all great pointers - thank you! I have been studying various camera designs and the svedovsky camera uses the double locks as you suggested. For me it's hard to compromise on movements just yet because I have no idea how things will come around and feel once the camera starts taking shape. I have plenty of wiggle room to learn from experience on the project. Also the general design is modular enough to build/learn/enhance as I go along and that is why I am being ambitious to start with a design that has all movements except rear swing. That one is easy to let go for me because I have never used it on my 8x10.

Regarding the focusing screw, I bought 5 Start ACME Rod and Nut that Randy posted in this thread earlier. I am hopeful the set will do the job just fine. Regarding rear standard support, I will be adding L shape support which is common to pretty much all camera designs along with heavy duty hinges. Haven't found ideal hinges yet so they may be custom machined from steel for this project.

I appreciate everyone interest and help on this project. Not everything is finalized in the design yet but that is by choice because I want to adapt as I learn more from the process. Really hoping that all of you will stick around to see the progress and help me make the decisions as things go along.

I will follow the following basic plan once the birch plywood gets shipped:

1. Camera base will be built first. Seems straightforward and should provide the platform to get things rolling. The base will have an aluminum plate very similar to my Deardorff V8 for mounting on the tripod.
2. I will then add the focus rail with all movements including focus screw and guided rails.
3. The front standard will go next. I haven't fully settled on if it should be a 8" square with 6" lens boards (to match my Deardorff) or 10" square with 6-7" lens boards. Waiting for the bellows maker to get back on what is the "typical" bellows size for 11x14 camera to help make the decision.
4. Next will be the rear standard and rotating back with springs. The hope is that by this point, there will be many opportunities to learn on what works and what doesn't giving the best chance to get the back right.

Pali