Using and Modifying the Travelwide 4x5 camera

[Tim Meisburger]

Drew, its not printing. For aluminium they use CNC machines, which are computer-controlled milling machines. So you load your drawing, and the machines cuts a block of aluminium to shape.

The 3d printers print plastic.

[Kuzano]

Drew, its not printing. For aluminium they use CNC machines, which are computer-controlled milling machines. So you load your drawing, and the machines cuts a block of aluminium to shape.

The 3d printers print plastic.

Actually, I think they have "weaponized" the material used in 3D printing, by adding metallics to plastic. There's a guy in Texas who is selling the 3D printing files to build parts, including the receiver section of AR15, which are proven to work.. The advantage... no serial numbers. It may be that 3D printing will soon catch up with CNC.

In fact, there is already for sale a unit that does CNC AND 3d Printing, and I think one other function. I want one.

[B.S.Kumar]

Metals can be 3D printed. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Direct...aser_sintering

Kumar

[Drew Bedo]

Lets keep this thread focused on photography (pun definatly intended).


A quick search for 3D printing with metal turned up these.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zApmGFDA6ow
http://3dprintingaluminum.com/


I'm not good at this so there will probably be more. Looks like there are some outfits that will take your CAD file and 3D print out a complex (or simple) shape in several metals, from aluminum, brrass, steel or even titainium. Now I can barely type, and I use a cell phone that only makes phone calls, but there must be a couple of members of this community who can , or know someone who can, doodle up accessory parts for the TravelWide and other bodies such as the various Polaroids, then get them printed out.

Ben et al: I know that you guys are up to your, shall we say, armpits, in assembly and delivery of the current incarnation of the TravelWide, but when things slow down and you lives smooth out, 3D printed metallic parts could be another profitable outlet for your creative energy.

When the Polaroid conversion fever was at its height, Angelene Jolie famously bought a customized Littman 45 Single for Brad Pitt—for thousands of dollars. There will be some celebrity out there that will spend big money for a one-off TravelWide made out of titaniumm— with their name custom molded in place as the serial number.

Alternativly, I can imagine a business model where you guys have a relationship with one of the 3D printing companies such as Shapways or Solid Concepts (Stratasys) where you upload a product to them and consumers (us here on LFP) order it from them. You would get a license fee or royalty from the manufacturing company. There is probably a more sophisticated way to do this.

The point is that you guys would put in the designe time and move on.Tthe other company would take the orders, make the parts on demand and ship them out. You would get what song writers call"Mail-Box Money".

Cheers

[Ben Syverson]

Drew, great thoughts! All of these options are on our radar. Right now, 3D printing is just a terrible process. It might become viable as a production mechanism sometime in the next 5-10 years, but we're definitely not there yet. And at-home FDM is particularly awful.

I could see us offering CNC'd accessories (or even cameras) down the line, but we'd need to explore the process a bit more. I personally like the idea of using wood as a material… Metal is just going to weigh me down and scratch other cameras in my bag.

[plywood]

Drew, great thoughts! All of these options are on our radar. Right now, 3D printing is just a terrible process. It might become viable as a production mechanism sometime in the next 5-10 years, but we're definitely not there yet. And at-home FDM is particularly awful.

I could see us offering CNC'd accessories (or even cameras) down the line, but we'd need to explore the process a bit more. I personally like the idea of using wood as a material… Metal is just going to weigh me down and scratch other cameras in my bag.

The team that made the Intrepid 4X5 has made extensive use of CNC on plywood. From what I've read the software that runs these machines varies a lot and can run into quite an expense for good efficient programs. If that is nailed down and a reliable supplier is located for the plywood then cameras could be turned out for a reasonable price. Perhaps even a u-build kit.

[OeT]

I have now completed the left hand grip for 3d printing with and without holder for a shutter cable.


I'm just going to make a test print and se so everything fits together before uploading it.
The right side grip can be downloaded from here:

http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1103382

[Drew Bedo]

I have now completed the left hand grip for 3d printing with and without holder for a shutter cable.


I'm just going to make a test print and se so everything fits together before uploading it.
The right side grip can be downloaded from here:

http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1103382

Now that's what I'm talking about.

[rjschell]

I crazy glued a cable tie to the spring back to make it easier to insert film holders.

[David Karp]

I am interested to see what folks are doing with respect to a neck or other type of strap for their Travelwide.

Same for bags. What bags have you found work well with the Travelwide? I am thinking of some sort of sling bag or messenger bag, but have to check some out to see how easy they are to work out of.