8X10 Protective Glass Cover Question...

[jim kitchen]

Dear Group,

Yesterday was a very hot summer day, and unfortunately I exposed my Ebony 8X10 protective plastic glass cover to the elements, and it decided to shrivel up like a prune...

Could anyone suggest a source for a replacement, that might not exhibit the same issues with respect to high heat values and, or an alternate material?

Just curious...

Thank you in advance,

jim k

[John Kasaian]

I don't know for sure but lexan should hold up to heat pretty well. I had to make a fairing out of one for the landing light on a SUper Cup that was kept tied down on an asphalt ramp in the San Joaquin Valley where the summer temps routinely climb over 100 deg f and it held up fine a frog's hair.

[Brian Ellis]

Canham makes a nice 8x10 ground glass protector. I used it on a Deardorff in Florida heat and never had a problem. Costs about $30.

[GPS]

You can make it easily yourself - plastic covers, household boxes, whatever gives you the size needed. Unlike the "official" cover, you can put the harder part just on the outer side of the ggl -the rest can be less thick, less heavy, even a cardboard. Join them with a piece of leather or like. Put the money to your film purchase instead.

[Jim Noel]

I use a piece of thin plywood with metal clips over the end of the camera back. So far it has lasted many years.

[Sal Santamaura]

The Ebony screen protector is a flat, rectangular piece of plastic with a cutout on one end that slides under a lip and which is held in place at its other end by a sliding device just like those that retain lensboards.

For the ultimate sun-resistant replacement, select a sheet of aluminum the same thickness as Ebony's plastic protector, cut it to the same outline and, for elegance, have it black anodized. I recommend you finish it with a sticker displaying your own name rather than Ebony's.

[David R Munson]

A piece of masonite and four little pieces of velcro works well, too.

[Michael Daily]

I use a piece of black (because I had it handy) 1/4 -inch foamcore with a strip of leather glued to the top. The leather goes into the spring-loaded back of the camera (DD 8x10, DD 5x7) and the foamcore covers the back and GG. The give in the foamcore absorbs impact, but it is stiff enough to protect the GG in my Redwing packs--including a trip to Europe with the camera going as carry-on. Total cost-- almost nothing.
Michael

[jim kitchen]

Dear Group,

Thank you for the ideas...

I certainly do need to find a solution, since I can not let the glass be exposed, as it is...

That said, your ideas a great, and now I must implement one of them.

Thank you again,

jim k