condit registration equipment

[Drew Wiley]

What you can do with rivet bases if you're steady-handed is to very slightly grind down the glass using a carbide or diamond cylinder (depending on the type of glass),
using a die grinder, precision drill press, or even Dremel tool. If I was starting from scratch I'd buy one of those Jet miniature "hobby" milling machines (about $800 + cutters). But since my original Condit equipment is in very good shape, I don't need to actually manufacture much more gear. The difficult thing to find is a thick kind of
anti-newton glass which can be drilled. According to Warren Condit himself, when he
was still alive, it is no longer made. Focal Point glass can't be drilled, but I have
sucessfully bonded pins to strips and slightly recessed the tabs in the manner noted
above to make precision neg carriers. If you don't need anti-newton, you can use
conventional thick float glass, provided it's not tempered. I have some diamond bits
in transit to see how they'll work with tempered. Any change in flatness plane will
affect registration. I wouldn't want anything but the 1/16" micro-pin projecting above
the surface.

[jeroldharter]

What are you trying to do with them?

I suggest that you contact Lynn Radeka. He sells registration pins, punches, and registration negative carriers. His pins are good for DIY projects on a budget.

Another alternative is Alistair Inglis.

[Drew Wiley]

The Condit system is preferable for sheer versatility, for working with film larger than
4X5, or for a high degree of accuracy. Durst also made their own system, but it's hard
to get all the parts in decent condition; they used an offset pin which could be adjusted using a screwdriver, but you need their own punch. What one does to cement
a micropin is to put them in the film, coat the film itself with a little vaseline or butter
to prevent the epoxy from sticking (but don't get any on the pin bases), insert and
adjust the pin bases with a good overnite 2-ton glass epoxy (not the quickie stuff).
You also need a flat weight or platen so the film is pressed completely even, just like
it will be when the masking frame is closed.