Making Lensboards

[jdaivpmed]

I have a couple of questions on the subject of making your own lensboards...

1. Does anyone know of a list or database of lensboard dimensions by camera make and model, (ie. overall thickness, plateau height, size, bevels, etc)?

2. From an engineering standpoint is it better to make the lens board out of plywood or a solid piece of stock hardwood? For example, my Zone VI is made of Black Walnut... am I better off cutting and milling my lensboard out of a piece of walnut plywood or an actual solid piece of walnut? I can get either locally, and while the solid wood is a bit more expensive it's really only adds about two bucks to the cost of a piece big enough to make five lensboards.

Thanks,

John

[jb7]

Plywood would be better structurally-
less inclined to move- warp or twist.

Unless you can pick a very well seasoned piece of Black Walnut,
you're not entirely certain how it will react to being machined.

That said, I don't know your camera, or the design of its boards...

And it's only my opinion-

[Walter Calahan]

I make my lens boards using modeling plywood. They function perfectly, but aren't as pretty as black walnut.

[Mark Sawyer]

For my 6" square and smaller lensboards, I like Pergo or a similar material. For dimensions, I'd recommend using an existing board as a template, or measuring directly off the camera.

[Jim Michael]

I found thin mahogany that was 1/8" thick, cut one piece for the inner and one for outer section and glued them together for my 2D. If the wood is too narrow you can use 2 pieces for each section and layer them orthogonally.

[Vaughn]

Original solid hardwood lensboards always seem to be made out of several pieces of wood to prevent warping -- so they are more complex to make.

That said, I have made several for my Zone VI 8x10 out of a piece of solid black 4 ply mountboard drymounted to a piece of 8 ply matboard. After several years, still 100% functional.

Vaughn

[Archphoto]

It depends a bit on your local availability.
If you can get a beautifull aged non-warped piece of solid wood: by all means get it and make a lensboard from it.
But be prepaired to replace it when it warps.

As it has been said before, plywood is stronger, looks less beautifull at times, and warps less.
And you have the option of making a lensboard from a sandwich of aluminium with a thin covering of wood vernier. In that way you would have strengh, non-warp and beauty together.
It all depends on your skils......

Peter

[eli]

Woodcraft stores usually carry a good selection of hardwoods and quality thin plywood's. If you buy some 1/16th thick solid mahogany, for example, and glue it up at cross sections... TA-DA... Plywood!

African Blackwood, Bubinga, some of the Maples and Ebony are also good choices. I suggest you use Titebond III for the glue-up.

Eli

[tom north]

John,
Lens boards can be made out of anything, almost. I've made them out of mahogany and fir plywood, solid oak, aluminum and cardboard. They all work and I have solid oak and mahogany lensboards that are over 70 years old that have not warped. All had to be made from scratch. Solid wood however may warp as you plane it down to your required thickness, that is why some of the older lens boards are made from 3 pieces glued togather. Your only limitation on lens boards is your imagination and woodworking/metalworking skills.

Best

Tom

[mandoman7]

http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products...ProdID=MID5326