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Thread: Cutting a Lens Board

  1. #1
    Foamer
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    Cutting a Lens Board

    I now have a Petzval lens that I think will work for me. Dang, it's pretty! I now need to mount it to an aluminmum lens board and put it on my Shen Hao 4x5. Lens board has a 3.25 inch reinforcing ring built into the back of it, and the lens will easily fit inside that. Thickness of the metal is 2mm. Exitisting hole is for Copal 1 and is about 140mm. New hole needs to be 155mm. What should I try cutting it with? I could wait to take it to a machine shop, such as a John Deere dealership (tractors/farm implements.) I've taken my cameras there before when I needed some professional but cheap machining done.


    Kent in SD
    In contento ed allegria
    Notte e di vogliam passar!

  2. #2
    Joshua Tree, California
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
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    Re: Cutting a Lens Board

    I would say chuck it in a lathe...but that probably only works if it's square.

  3. #3

    Re: Cutting a Lens Board

    I have had Henry Ambrose drill some lens boards and mount some flanges for me and he does fabulous work at exceptionally reasonable prices and he is among us here at the LF Forum. Henry is a great guy and he will be more than happy to assist you.

    Contact him at :

    henry@henryambrose.com

  4. #4
    ic-racer's Avatar
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    Re: Cutting a Lens Board

    A metal cutting bit and a Dremel will do it. Not the quickest, but by the time you drive somewhere and back you could have it done.

    http://www.largeformatphotography.in...ad.php?t=62723

  5. #5

    Join Date
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    Montgomery, Il. USA
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    Re: Cutting a Lens Board

    DUDE,That's like a six inch hole man! Are you gonna have a lens board left?

    One o' them sanding widgets you chuck in a drill?

  6. #6

    Re: Cutting a Lens Board

    I think he got an extra 100mm in there. But in going from 40 to 55mm a jeweler's saw frame saw would be entirely adequate for the task. They are inexpensive and handy to have around.

  7. #7
    Foamer
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    Re: Cutting a Lens Board

    Quote Originally Posted by Chauncey Walden View Post
    I think he got an extra 100mm in there. .
    Yeah, I'm not used to working with mm. Plus I was out most of last night chasing trains and lighting them up with my flash.


    Kent in SD
    In contento ed allegria
    Notte e di vogliam passar!

  8. #8
    Andrew's Avatar
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    Jan 2008
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    Sydney, Australia
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    Re: Cutting a Lens Board

    indeed...

    if I read this right, you're trying to enlarge the hole in an aluminium lens board by an extra 7.5mm radius which isn't very much at all. Keep it simple. You can do it with a couple of small hand held files and a little bit of patience. Mark where you want the final edge to be and file down to that line with the edge a file that has an angled edge and do that every few mm so you have something that looks like a gear with the teeth on the inside. That'll get rid of a lot of metal fairly quickly. Than get rid of the residual bits with a file that has a curved surface. You can probably buy a set of small files at the local hardware store for $2.50 and get the job finished in about 20 minutes.

  9. #9

    Join Date
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    Seattle area, WA
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    Re: Cutting a Lens Board

    OnlineMetals will do custom metal cutting. Then get yourself a cheap AC (not battery powered) drill and a bimetal holesaw. I've cut 82mm holes in 0.125" aluminum with my $25 drill and it works fine.

  10. #10

    Re: Cutting a Lens Board

    Thanks Michael!

    Kent - if you can't get it done locally I will be happy to do it for you.

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