where to find a 5.25 lens board

[Percy]

Hi.
Just got hold of an old B & J 5x7. I have no tools to speak of (just a knife and screw driver), and the board I have
has a hole too small for this huge 300mm lens (#3 opening). Is this a common lens board size? Made a makeshift one (our of matt board, believe it or not), but I am wary of its stability, especially in the field. Any suggestions?

Thanks.

[robert_4927]

5 1/4 x 5 1/4 lens boards are Wisner size boards. Contact Bruce at Bruce's Cameras in New York. He has them on hand. But if the hole is too small then the board you have can be milled or drilled to fit your shutter. You'll have to do this with a new lens board anyway.

[Vick Vickery]

Most owners of old B&J view cameras make their own from plywood, etc. Very easy to cut out a 5 1/4" square and then rabit the back edges with a router on a router table or even cut the rabit out with a table saw; doing it all with just hand tools is harder, but it can be done. Use the old board as a guide and note that the top inside back edge is beveled if I am remembering correctly. Easiest way to cut the lens hole is with a hole cutter on a drill, either a fixed-size hole cutter of the proper size or an adjustable one.

[Percy]

Thanks, but, once again, I have not the tools for this.

[Christopher Perez]

Percy, I called Jim at MidWest photo. He had a bunch of 4.25inch boards with pre-cut holes in them. Just tell Jim what you have and he'll probably be able to fix you up for relatively cheap.

[Christopher Perez]

Sorry. Meant to say 5.25inch boards.

[Percy]

Thank you Christopher. I called Jim at Midwest. Through an intermediary, I was informed that he only has 5 1/8 inch boards...go figure.