Threading a lens board hole...who does that?? :p

[Struan Gray]

Cut the corners off the 'flange', and cut/file down two of the sides so that it doesn't foul the lensboard locking latches. Then glue it to the front of the board. For extra security, drill four holes on the diagonals and thread them with a hand tap - fasten with a countersunk bolt (one with a bevelled head) from the back and dab black paint on anything shiny.

Hacksaw, file, drill and hand-tap are the only tools you need. The only tricky bit is deciding which of the four sides will be 'up': when I've done similar things I've screwed the lens into the 'flange' and played with it on the lensboard to see which of the four options is least bad.

[Mark Carstens]

Thanks for the suggestions, guys. I especially like the ones you offered Struan. Having the hole widened and a new flange made would be ideal, but I think I'll try working a little magic on the old "flange" first.

Thanks, too, for the reminder about avoiding the light trap on the back of the board.

~Mark

[Mark Carstens]

Macgyver is in the house!

I cut down two sides of the flange; just enough so that it would clear the top slider and bottom slot of the Technika adapter board. I backed the flange with a vulcanized rubber sheet (with a hole in it, of course), and glued same to the Technika board. It formed a kind of flange/board sandwich.

NOTE: If you try this yourself, the glue needs to cure overnight; (I removed the lens after taking the snaps I've attached). If you screw your lens onto the thread before the clue cures, you may end up bonding flange to lens and not be able to remove it later.

Speaking of glue...I used Elmer's "Ultimate Glue" which I've used before (on the same flange/lens combo and an Arca Swiss board). It forms a semi-permanent bond, i.e., it holds unless you really work to overcome it (that's what the rubber gasket is for -- that and to provide about 1/16" (~2mm) relief between the lens board and the flange so the Technika board didn't hang up on either the top slider or bottom slot of the adapter board.

Thanks again to all who offered ideas!

Next on the project to-do list...attaching a Packard Shutter to a front-mounted board so I can actually use the lens.

~Mark