I have an old 6½x6½ Packard shutter with a broken blade. I'm assuming I can find a thin plastic material on the McMaster-Carr site, but thought I'd see if anyone has advice first.
Has anyone done this, and can you recommend a material and source?
I have an old 6½x6½ Packard shutter with a broken blade. I'm assuming I can find a thin plastic material on the McMaster-Carr site, but thought I'd see if anyone has advice first.
Has anyone done this, and can you recommend a material and source?
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Check out the New55 Project: http://new55project.blogspot.com
Like Polaroid 55, but uses ordinary fixer.
http://www.packardshutter.com/ They might have a replacement.
“You often feel tired, not because you've done too much, but because you've done too little of what sparks a light in you.”
― Alexander Den Heijer, Nothing You Don't Already Know
"Metal and .035 Plastic Blades available upon request"
Packard Shutter
The only trouble with doin' nothing is you can't tell when you get caught up
Thanks for the link Peter, I'll check it out - but I'm actually looking forward to a DIY method.Originally Posted by Peter J. De Smidt
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Check out the New55 Project: http://new55project.blogspot.com
Like Polaroid 55, but uses ordinary fixer.
Well, that gives me a bit more info go on, thanks. I'm curious about some black Teflon sheet from McMaster-Carr, I may have to check that out.
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Check out the New55 Project: http://new55project.blogspot.com
Like Polaroid 55, but uses ordinary fixer.
I have bought a several new Packards over the last few years, and the plastic shutter blades appear to be made of a black thermoplastic, probably polypropylene.
The vintage shutters that I have (at least one of which resembles, but is not, an authentic Packard) all have what look to be paper-phenolic blades. One of the newer ones failed at an interior corner and was repaired under warranty, and from the looks of the crack it is something that would not have occurred with the laminate material.
I've thought about copying a Packard, just for the experience, and would probably use what McMaster-Carr sells as 1/32" "Hard and Strong Garolite", a paper-based laminate that works extremely well for 4x5 dark slides and should be good for shutter blades.
One bit of advice would be to master the rivet swaging technique first, since anything stiff, flat and strong enough for a shutter blade is likely to be on the brittle side. Epoxying in the pivots instead of the traditional swaging might be easier.
Teflon, in addition to being rather dense, is likely to be too flexible to stay flat in a thickness that would fit into a Packard shutter.
That's golden information. Thank you. For the rest, here is a link to the material. Note how inexpensive it is.
Question, if it can be answered, is what would we use to cut the material properly?
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Note that McMaster-Carr says to use carbide tools. I am not an expert, but this is what I'd do: Make a version of your piece from something rigid and easy to cut and machine. If there's curves, use a band saw or jig saw, and then sand/grind the rough cut up to the desired size. Make sure this material is 1/8th" thick or more. Place the Garolite between two scraps of plywood (or similar), and place the template on top. Secure it all together, and then use a pattern bit on a router. The bearing will follow the template.
“You often feel tired, not because you've done too much, but because you've done too little of what sparks a light in you.”
― Alexander Den Heijer, Nothing You Don't Already Know
Probably not relevant, but still ... The Williamson/AGI F 135 aerial camera uses a pair of 35/4.5 Biogons (not LF lenses) in proprietary shutters whose blades seem to be metallized mylar.
Peter is suggesting precisely the method I would have followed.
The material of choice for the template is likely to be medium-density fiberboard (sold as MDF in home improvement stores). Note that this is not "particle board", which has coarse sawdust-like particles. MDF is extremely uniform and easy to cut and sand, although dusty because of the short wood fibers. If you make a slight undercut, you can build it up again with plastic wood or epoxy and trim until you get it just right. The next best material is probably tempered Masonite, if you can find the kind that is smooth on both sides. It is a bit fibrous, but will serve if you lacquer or varnish the edges before the final finishing.
One issue that I haven't settled in my mind is how to put in metal bushings for the pivots. The best thing that I have come up with which doesn't require a swaging press and tooling is to buy some small captive nuts, drill out the threads, and epoxy them into place. Tiny brass eyelets are also an option, and might allow smaller pivot pins.
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