Built myself some lensboards....wow - that's a lot of work....

[jbrianfoto]

The day before yesterday I finished building my own KMV lensboards - due to job and family time constraints, it took me nearly 6 months (and got me 7 stitches because of a grinder accident)!

I attached fuzzy velcro to the backside - seems to fit nice and tight - will try a light test maybe tonight. I gotta say - after all of the work, blood and trouble - I might have been smater to just find a pair of the original boards and cope with the high price tag. Has anybody else learned the same lesson as me?

[adelorenzo]

You must have higher quality standards than I do, it only takes me 15-20 minutes to make a lens board. I use a sheet of aluminum, a hacksaw and a hole saw.

[kenj8246]

I actually made one using, mostly, a Swiss army knife. Without a doubt, your standards are higher than mine. :) Only cut myself twice, too.

[hoffner]

I attached fuzzy velcro to the backside - seems to fit nice and tight - will try a light test maybe tonight.

Unless I misunderstand you, the velcro is the weakest point of your construction. A lensboard must sit hard surface to the hard surface. Attaching it by velcro means changing, even so slightly, its angle (tilt) on the front standard when tilting the standard, according to the weight of your lens. The light trap on lensboards and standards must be made of hard surface, not felt etc.

[jbrianfoto]

Hi hoffner,
On the KMV there is a recessed channel around the entire perimeter where the lens board would mount. The original KMV lens boards had a matching hump which acted as a light trap when mounted together. I built a flat board and installed 1/2 Velcro to fill in that void.

Any misalignment should Mebe easy to correct for, either by standard adjustments or depth if field. At least that is what j am hoping for.

The original boards are rare and expensive. I wanted to try making my own to see if I could do it.

[Mark Sawyer]

I converted mine to standard 6x6 boards, took a few hours but worth it. 113630

[jbrianfoto]

I think I'll end up doing this later. The good news is that I could probably still use my homemade boards, just pull off the Velcro.

[Jim Jones]

My KMV seems to work fine with the standard #5 4" board as used on the Anniversary Graphic, some B&J press & view cameras, and others. The rabbeted step on the back provides enough of a light trap.