spring steel for camera back?

[Curtis Nelson]

I'm building an 8x10, and I'm a little stuck on what thickness spring steel to use for the spring back? Is 0.025 too thin? 1/16 too thick? I've never handled an 8x10, so I don't really have a feel for how more force is required to hold do the GG frame and film holder.
Any suggestions on where to find spring steel already cut into strips? I looked at an old hacksaw blade, but it didn't seem stiff enough for me.
Thanks

[Jac@stafford.net]

I took advise for the springs from our member Rafa who cut down hacksaw blades. Think of it - they are flexible, and do not lose their temper. The idea worked just fine for him. Maybe Rafa can show us what he did.
.

[mdarnton]

Someone the other day (Vinny, maybe) suggested feeler gauge stock from mcmaster.com . It's 1/2" wide in any thickness you want. Someone else can measure for you, since I'm not near my camera now. If you have a belt sander, you can taper those parallel strips down in nice ways into sculpted ends while leaving the middle fat for the screws.

[vinny]

.031 stainless feeler gauges that come in 12" lengths. One spring does it. No reason to do all that work for crappy hacksaw blades which are not rustproof. Pics on my website.

[LabRat]

I found the .031 X 3/4" X 12" S/S strips at a hobby store that specialized in RC model cars for about $1.29 each (K&S brand)... Worked well (easy to form/cut/drill)!!! Thanks, Vinny for that tip!!!!

Steve K

[Jim Fitzgerald]

Vinny, I got a roll! Future builds?

[Curtis Nelson]

.031 stainless feeler gauges that come in 12" lengths. One spring does it. No reason to do all that work for crappy hacksaw blades which are not rustproof. Pics on my website.

All I can find on Amazon is the 0.029 - is there much difference between that and the 0.031?

[vinny]

All I can find on Amazon is the 0.029 - is there much difference between that and the 0.031?

About .002
Mcmastercarr.com as mdarton said. 1/2" x 12.

[mdarnton]

You need to know about them, anyway. Best place in the universe for people who like to fix and build things.

[Pali K]

I went through this whole process with my build recently and after many failures I learned that I should have listened to vinny at the get go. I eventually got .034 feeler stock roll from mcmaster which I used on a 11x14 back and it works great. The rolls are 20 feet and should last a long time.