homebuilding a lensboard

[John Schneider]

I've had very good luck in machining Technika boards from 6061 aluminum sheet. I've made boards with odd shutter sizes, thicknesses, etc. to fit old or oddball lenses. If anyone decides to go this route, do yourself a favor and buy a boring head off eBay to bore the holes.

Going the epoxy/fiberglass route, especially vacuum-bagged, is way too much work and mess. If you have the inclination and tools, make the lensboard from aluminum. Otherwise, made it from plywood, MDF, basswood, or something similar as suggested in the other replies.

[Brian Schall]

I've use the bottom of an old kitchen draw to make lens boards. It's a composite board that's hard, doesn't flex and is easy to work with. Spray paint it flat black inside and out and I'm good to go.

[Kevin Klazek]

I agree with John, your fabrication sounds way too complicated. I have made several lens boards for my Dorff from 1/8 in baltic plywood and mahogany veneer availible from hobby or craft shops. All you need is a saw, some sandpaper and glue. For precision holes a small drill press with an adjustible hole saw works great but you could just use a jig saw. I cut the actual lens board, then cut a second smaller board that is glued to the back to act as a light trap. I then finish it with flat black paint on the inside and varnish on the mahogany veneer on the face side.
Pretty simple fabricaton overall.

[fred arnold]

A related question: has anyone made a recessed lensboard for a B&J 5x7 wooden tailboard? Lots of room to maneuver (relatively), but out of production long enough that I'm not sure there ever was one.

[Ernest Purdum]

Since Fabio Pollero is in Italy, my suggestion may not be as useful as it would be to someone in the United States. In addition to the hobby shops birch plywood, which is available in several thicknesses, you can obtain hardwood of several varieties in a range of thicknesses from www.micromark.com. Laminated together with the plywood, you can obtain any thickness you need. Boards made this way are very strong.

[Alan Davenport]

I'll cast another vote for the birch hobby plywood. I've made a number of boards for my Calumet monorail (late model; same boards as Cambo) from 1/8" ply with nary a problem nor a light leak, including when used with pinholes at f/400. The latest effort was an adapter to mount Technika boards on the monorail, again no problem.

It's easy to forget that large format cameras are inherently low-tech devices. Other than the lens, and the shutter (if desired,) there isn't much about LF that you can't cobble together with basic tools and a little patience.

[eddie]

i have no wood working skills or tools. i use a foam care backing cut a hole in it an screw the lens in (i usually have no mounting flange cause most of my barrel lenses do not come with one) and then tape it so it does not fall out. a bit ugly but it works in a pinch.

eddie

[Jim Rhoades]

Here's another vote for Birch plywood. Like Kevin I pimp mine up with Mahogany veneer. If it's a long winter with lot's of snow I even go for Birds eye Maple center with bookmatched Zebrawood edges. Quarter sawn Oak, Tiger stripe Oak etc.

What works neat is the iron on veneer edging make for cabinet work. You can make all kinds of designs with mix and match woods.

BTW, a Rotatrim is the best veneer cutter ever made.

[steve_geo]

My question is how critical the thickness of the material is for this type of lens? I would assume very critical, since the front and back lenses work together to achieve proper focus. Does anybody know what is the exact thickness of a lensboard for this lens? Also, I know that the shutter is a compur, but not the exact size.

Sorry, .. don't know the lens your talking about.

Sk Grimes has a table of lens board thicknesses for copal shutters
http://www.skgrimes.com/lensmount/shutmt/index.htm

I believe with copal shutters, the shutter itself provides the spacing for the front/back lens seperation independant of the lens board thickness.

SK Grimes also has a table of lenses/shutters, .. don't know if it's any help.
http://www.skgrimes.com/fits/index.htm

[watsekalimoman]

After reading the info off of a post here in the archives, and realizing I have the ability to 1-draw straight lines with a pencil and ruler 2- cut on said lines, 3- draw a circle, and 4-cut a hole the same size as the circle... I did just this the other day!

I stopped at a hobby shop and purchased 2 small sheets of Birch Plywood, manufactured by Midwest (that is what the label says). It is marked for Aircraft use. Each sheet is 6" x 12" one is 3.0 mm and the other is 2.5mm. The thinner was $3.79 and the thicker $4.09 (Chicago). I also purchased a 3 in one wood saw (keyhole and two flat miter type saws) for $7.30. The saw is made by Zonal Tool. They have a web site, but I am unsure if I can post it here. So for less than $20.00 I had everything I needed to make 4- 4x4 lensboards for my Calumet 4x5.

After getting home and making the measurements and the simple cutting with the saw kit I purchased, the board was to perfect dimentions. After marking dead center, drawing the hole for my Copal #1, I took out my Dremel and drum sanded out the perfect circle. Lens was mounted after about 15 minutes of work and another 15 min of dusting and cleaning. I will paint it this weekend. I have used it and it works great!

Again one of the many things learned here... But- Bonus!

I just received my Beseler CB7, and in the process of setting it up, realized the lensboards are identical in size to my Calumet 4x5! I took the new lensboard with my lens, and it mounted right up, and focused up! I thought it was here that I read that it is best to use the lens that you took the photo with to enlarge it... It works- but I am a newbie. Just lucky?

Anyway- thanks again for being a great reference for newbies like myself. I hope to start sharing some of my images soon. After more than 30 years in 35mm I have a new passion for photography. It is no longer just to get a photo (press work...) but to work to truly capture an image. I truly have a new found love in large format. I have not touched my 35mm gear since. Its all your fault...And ebay's...

Thanks again!
Scott Anderson