Where to get a #00 drilled 171x171mm lens board for an old Arca Swiss 4x5?

[Sharon]

Hi, the subject line kinda says it all I guess :) . I'm looking for a lens board to fit an old Arca Swiss 4x5 camera, 171x171mm, drilled with a #00 hole, and I can't currently find one. There is someone on eBay in China I think who said they do custom lens boards but has stopped answering questions from me about how to actually order one...

Can anyone please point me to somewhere I can find one or get one made? I've also put a "WTB" in the for sale forum but nobody has come forward at this point.

Thanks very much,
Sharon

[dave_whatever]

If all else fails I'm sure I have seen ebay seller selling lensboard hole reducers, that kinda fill up a #0 hole to the size of a #00 hole, letting you use any old #0 board. Seems like a clever solution:

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&alt=web&id=321891653503&globalID=EBAY-GB

[Sharon]

Ooh, thanks for pointing me to that, it does look like a good potential solution :) !

Thanks again,
Sharon

[Rod Klukas]

S K Grimes is the best in the world at the lensboard game and other custom milling for cameras.
Try them. Myself and many of my students have and they always make an elegant solution.
And they are in the US!

www.skgrimes.com/

Be well,
Rod

[John Jarosz]

It's better if the lensboards are bored rather than drilled. Boring is when the lensboard is chucked in a lathe and the hole is finished to size by boring the hole with a single edge toolbit. The finish is much better and the size can be made exactly what it needs to be. Drilling can only be done in the increments of the holesaw used.

[Jac@stafford.net]

Do you have equipment to cut the lens board to the proper size?
What you want is 170mm square board. Close enough.

If you do, then the 00 hole is close enough to 1 inch that a standard,
common hole saw is good to go.

Ignore the compulsive machinists.

[neil poulsen]

There are numerous older style Arca 4x5's for sale on EBay. You might message some of these to see if one has a spare lensboard that they could sell on EBay?

[Pete Roody]

SK Grimes also makes a reducer to convert your '0' hole to a '00' hole.


S K Grimes is the best in the world at the lensboard game and other custom milling for cameras.
Try them. Myself and many of my students have and they always make an elegant solution.
And they are in the US!

www.skgrimes.com/

Be well,
Rod

[Bruce Barlow]

Richard Ritter.

[Jac@stafford.net]

Ooh, thanks for pointing me to that, it does look like a good potential solution :) !

I think you will need a jam nut (retaining ring) for the adapter.

[Sharon]

Yes, I think you're right. I've ordered the retaining ring...but I'm thinking I might solve my problem in the longer term by stepping carefully away from the old Arca and buying a Chamonix (and some new lens boards with the right size holes) ;) ...

[dave_whatever]

Yes, I think you're right. I've ordered the retaining ring...but I'm thinking I might solve my problem in the longer term by stepping carefully away from the old Arca and buying a Chamonix (and some new lens boards with the right size holes) ;) ...

if that is on the horizon then a serious suggestion is buy one of those arca-171mm-to-technica lensboard adapters (eBay?), and then remount all your lenses in technica-style boards. Sell your arca boards to fund the new boards. Then you not only have all your glass on lightweight readily available smaller boards (easier to pack and carry) but if you ever buy a chamonix/wista/shenhao/tachihara/Ikeda/ebony/linhof etc then your lenses are good to go.