Folmer & Schwing 7x17 Banquet - Need Source for Parts

[remarkability]

Hello. I have a great F&S 7x17 ULF that is missing one of the 2 bottom tightening knobs (to control side to side swing). Does anyone know a source for a replacement part? Thanks. BTW just had a new bellows made (Custom Bellows in the UK) as part of the restoration. They were pretty quick and it fits just fine.

[Michael Kadillak]

Find the thread and the pitch and you should be able to find a brass pair that match and serve the task at hand. Maybe someone on the forum with this camera could oblige and provide you with this information. My F&S is a 12x20 and I am not sure that they used the same parts.

[Lachlan 717]

BTW just had a new bellows made (Custom Bellows in the UK) as part of the restoration. They were pretty quick and it fits just fine.

What did these set you back? I've been meaning to ask them for and indicative price for a camera I've been making. (Thanks for reminding me!!)

As for the parts, Michael is spot on. I very much doubt that they'd have a funky proprietary pitch thread. It'll be a standard thread.

[Tracy Storer]

Can you post a photo of the hardware from the other side? I agree it will PROBABLY be a standard thread, but maybe not, I recently was looking at a stripped knob on a Korona, and it was a little off-standard. If you're only missing the knob, then identifying the thread and ordering from Mcmaster-Carr should set you up.
It WON'T be Metric, THAT I will guarantee you.
If you put a sharpie mark on the knob you have, and count turns and measure how far it moved on the shaft in that number of turns, you will have your pitch. If it goes 1/8" in 4 turns, it is 32 pitch, 32 threads per inch. (32/8=4)

[lab black]

I am quite pleased with the replacement knob that Alan Brubaker (AWB Enterprises) made for my F&S.

[Michael Kadillak]

The other alternative is to take the knob that is left on the camera to Home Depot and find the thread on their test board in the screw section that it fits on and that will provide you the information that you need. This information will allow you to go to your local hardware store that (hopefully) carries some brass knobs that you can pick up without the hassle of ordering a small quantity online. There is an Ace Hardware near me in Aurora, Colorado (Buckley and Iliff) that carries a full section of hard to find bolts, nuts and specialty components that has been a Godsend to me. Acquired a complete set of Canham replacement nuts and bolts in the category of hedging my image acquisition objectives.

[Tin Can]

McMaster Carr will sell in the tiniest quantity of one. Shipping is quick and reasonable.

This link is just a sample of what they offer. I have bought this very knob for Century camera. http://www.mcmaster.com/#5125k32/=xwpgky

Look around the site for other types and sizes.

[David Karp]

Richard Ritter may have something: http://www.lg4mat.net/backroom.html.

[Roger Thoms]

Richard Ritter may have something: http://www.lg4mat.net/backroom.html.

Or he can make them. Richard made several knobs for my Charten 5x7 and they turned out great.

Roger

[Michael Kadillak]

Yes, Richard can tool and make you whatever you want. Normally I am not a tight ass when it comes to photographic expenses but in this instance I feel it is warranted. When I look per my photographic experiences of when I needed a swing for a specific image it has invariably been a rare event. As a result the screw knobs just need to accomplish the task of keeping these components at the desired relationship with each other (camera back and camera base) for the the photographer using the camera. In a perfect world, the knobs would be matching large knobs of knurled brass. In the practical world they could also be $0.57 black moulded flat knob from the local hardware store that meets the thread and pitch criteria of the opposing bolt. At the end of the day photographic prints could care less the aesthetics of the camera used to make the image. If you must maintain a high level affiliation with the manufacturer to the original parts employed in the camera then that objective could be more challenging. Options are many, the decision as to how to solve this problem is finite. Good Luck and Good Light!

[remarkability]

What did these set you back? I've been meaning to ask them for and indicative price for a camera I've been making. (Thanks for reminding me!!)

As for the parts, Michael is spot on. I very much doubt that they'd have a funky proprietary pitch thread. It'll be a standard thread.

The bellows were 225 pounds, all in, shipped, and remember, it's a very large custom size. Bellows for smaler cameras would not be quite as much. Sent them the front and rear bellows frames and they took about a week to send back, very well packed.

I literally could not find anyone in the US but there must be someone...

[remarkability]

Thank you for the information and advice. Much appreciated, especially the sources for parts. I am trying first to find the actual knob for an accurate replacement, and if not available, then a suitable substitute. I think you all have provided enough information to let me do that.