Replacement parts for Linhof recessed lens board?

[Corran]

Hiking on Monday, I unfortunately lost a part from a Linhof recessed lens board in the woods.

The part is what this guy calls the "Release Coupler:"
https://www.fourmilab.ch/documents/recessed_lensboard/
(See the 3rd picture)

I can't seem to find a replacement part sold anywhere, though I don't know if it has a proper name other than "release coupler" so maybe I just haven't found it. I can probably cobble something together but I'm a little annoyed and wouldn't mind buying a replacement part if it isn't stupidly priced. Of course it's Linhof so...

Any clue? Or maybe someone has a part for some reason??

[towolf]

I just took off the quick socket from my Symmar because I find it annoying and my cool cable release doesn’t catch in it. I had that little rod in my hand when I removed it. I don’t need it anymore (I think ...), but I’m in Germany.

In the price list they have the whole thing as "quicksocket" for 24 EUR (045296). German name is Drahtauslöser *Rapidklemmung*.

I can also measure it for you if you want. Could this be turned on a lathe?

[towolf]

Ah, I think the part number you are looking for is 030283. They want 1 EUR. But it is listed under flat lens boards. Are you sure you one that looks like in the picture, i.e., short?

[towolf]

And this guy ended up bending a "paper clip" (http://www.aphog.de/forum/viewtopic.php?f=80&t=30309)

[Corran]

Thanks, yes I was fooling around with a paperclip thinking that would be usable, but it was a little thin. I'm sure I can find something a bit thicker (larger paperclip). €1 is surprisingly cheap though if that's the correct part.

[jb7]

Thanks, yes I was fooling around with a paperclip thinking that would be usable, but it was a little thin. I'm sure I can find something a bit thicker (larger paperclip). €1 is surprisingly cheap though if that's the correct part.

Perhaps more in line with the price you were expecting...

Ebay 121408142543

[Harold_4074]

Bryan,

The classic machinist's dodge for obtaining a short length of precise, accurate, small steel rod is to select an appropriate number-size drill (a number 80 is even smaller than a paper clip!) and then cutting the shank to length. Provided, of course, that the piece you need is longer than the drill shank :)

According to my calipers, a "standard" paper clip is about 0.032 inches in diameter, a #80 drill is 0.040, and a "large" paper clip is 0.050.

If you need longer stock than a drill bit provides, McMaster-Carr will sell you a 1-5/8" length of hardened, precision-ground M2 drill rod, 0.040 diameter, for $2.01. Incrementally larger sizes are also listed. The best way to cut it to length would be a cutoff blade in a Dremel tool, If you need to bend it, try to find some water-hardening drill rod because M2 is air-hardening and difficult to fully anneal.

Brownell's carries a number of small sizes in the 0.050 range (but not the complete series) at about $5 for 18 inches. This is water-hardening and sold in the annealed state.

Harold

[Bob Salomon]

why not just call either of the Linhof service centers and buy one. Either Nippon Photo Clinic or Bob Watson should have them. This is the old type Cable Release Quick Socket. The current one uses a very, very short cable release that is threaded on both ends.

[Corran]

jp7, that definitely wasn't what I was expecting! :)

Harold, thanks for the detailed information. I will order some rod if a paperclip doesn't work.

Bob, Nippon has already failed me multiple times. They should learn to respond to emails in a timely matter. Also, one of their servicemen had to ask what an "8x10 camera" was. I do need to talk to Bob at Precision though about a custom cam so I'll call them soon if I can't DIY something.

[Bob Salomon]

jp7, that definitely wasn't what I was expecting! :)

Harold, thanks for the detailed information. I will order some rod if a paperclip doesn't work.

Bob, Nippon has already failed me multiple times. They should learn to respond to emails in a timely matter. Also, one of their servicemen had to ask what an "8x10 camera" was. I do need to talk to Bob at Precision though about a custom cam so I'll call them soon if I can't DIY something.

The person to talk to at Nippon is Rim. And why would you expect everyone there to know what an 810 is? Most of their people don't work on view cameras. But then would you know what that technician knows about what he does repair?

[Corran]

Sorry but yes, I do expect everyone at a camera repair shop to know what an 8x10 camera is!!

And yes, I would know the gist of what the repair tech talks about considering I worked as a repair tech on small musical instruments for about 8 years (a lot of similar shop talk/tools for the mechanical bits), but that doesn't really matter since I'm the customer, not the service provider. Thanks but I'm just not interested in dealing with Nippon and their poor service track record (wrt my inquiries).

[Jim Andrada]

Not just wrt your inquiries. I had a small problem with my 4 x 5 Linhof Color and to my "uneducated" eye it looked like a missing machine screw. I called Nippon and asked if it seemed like something they could fix (assuming of course that not even a machine screw on a Linhof would be standard!)

All Rim would say was to send the whole camera for a $195 (as I recall) minimum charge. He was pretty definite about there being some much more serious problem that wasn't visible to my untrained eye. Anyhow I went to Ace and they had a machine screw with the correct thread and it completely solved the problem. For, IIRC, around $0.35.

Considering that I have 5 Linhof's from 4 x 5 to 8 x 10, a couple of which I bought new, I would love to have a reputable service facility available for the occasional tune up, but it will be a very cold day in Hades before I deal with Rim again.

[Bob Salomon]

Not just wrt your inquiries. I had a small problem with my 4 x 5 Linhof Color and to my "uneducated" eye it looked like a missing machine screw. I called Nippon and asked if it seemed like something they could fix (assuming of course that not even a machine screw on a Linhof would be standard!)

All Rim would say was to send the whole camera for a $195 (as I recall) minimum charge. He was pretty definite about there being some much more serious problem that wasn't visible to my untrained eye. Anyhow I went to Ace and they had a machine screw with the correct thread and it completely solved the problem. For, IIRC, around $0.35.

Considering that I have 5 Linhof's from 4 x 5 to 8 x 10, a couple of which I bought new, I would love to have a reputable service facility available for the occasional tune up, but it will be a very cold day in Hades before I deal with Rim again.

So, use Bob Watkins. He is also Linhof factory trained.

[Jim Andrada]

Thanks Bob

Do you have his contact info?

Have you heard about an outfit called LAFLEX in LA? (Probably not official, just curious if you know anything about them)

[Bob Salomon]

Thanks Bob

Do you have his contact info?

Have you heard about an outfit called LAFLEX in LA? (Probably not official, just curious if you know anything about them)

No, know nothing about them. Bob is Precision Camera in Niles, IL

[Oren Grad]

Do you have his contact info?


Bob is Precision Camera in Niles, IL

http://www.precisioncameraworks.com/

[Corran]

Update: I don't need no stinkin' Linhof part!

Once I stopped trying to use the "transfer bar" and just twisted up the paperclip, this was super-easy. Works better than the original. Seriously, I might make these for my other recessed boards to not risk losing that piece again on other lenses.

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