Air Bulb.

[lenser]

My machinist buddy had this air bulb (squeeze dust blower) sitting on his desk when I went in today to have him make me a new part for a tripod. Dead ringer for the old fashioned camera squeeze bulbs with an automatically closing valve in one end and a brass nozzle on the other.

For those of you who live near a Harbor Freight, they have them for $1.88 each.

Got one and went to my favorite hardware store for a length of 1/4 inch latex (surgical) tubing. Now all I've got to do is remove the nozzle (pops out) replace it with a drilled out carved wooden plug with nipples on each end and attach the tubing and I'm good to go with all my antique shutters.

Hope you've got a Harbor Freight in your town!!!!!

Tim

[Brian Bullen]

Now all I've got to do is remove the nozzle (pops out) replace it with a drilled out carved wooden plug with nipples on each end and attach the tubing and I'm good to go with all my antique shutters.


Tim

Tim,
That is a good deal for the rubber bulb, thanks for the tip.
Home Depot sells a brass fitting that will go from bulb to hose perfectly. I think they are in the $2 range, works great and should be right next to the tubing. Looks like this.
http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=27628-104-A190/PB222&lpage=none

[lenser]

Looks ideal, Brian. I'll hop up to Lowe's in the morning and check it out.

Have a great weekend!

Tim

[Daniel_Buck]

accept for that metal tip! wouldn't want to accidentally knick a lens or filter with that :-D

[lenser]

Don't worry Daniel. That tip is the first thing to change out. See Brian's link for the hook up between the bulb and the surgical tubing.

I'll give the old tip to Gaylon, my machinist, so he can melt into the next brass pour for a couple of mounting rings he's making for two more brass lenses I need to play with.

Tim

[clay harmon]

Another alternative I just used this week for one of these suckers is to go to the drugstore and get a nasal syringe used to suck the snot out of a baby's nose, and then make a trip to the hardware store for the tubing. I arrived here in Colorado with a Vitax in a studio shutter and left the bulb on my desk at home. Works like a charm.

[Ernest Purdum]

Besides the nozzle, you need to pry out the little check valve on the other end of the bulb for most shutters. Replace it with you thumb.

Harbor Freight has got them on sale right now. Save a buck.

Tim, if you want me to send about fifty or so of those nozzles, let me know your mailing address. Flange making is a worthy purpose.

[lenser]

Thanks, Ernest. I'll check with Gaylen and see if he wants to use those or some stock brass that he already has. I've got a couple of small brass lenses (about 1 inch long) that are branded from Dury and Finney out of Nashville. Both need flanges before I can see what they will do.

Tim

[Jim Noel]

Tim,
I grew up in Nashville and spent a lot of time renting darkroom space from Dury's but don't remember ever seeing a lens branded by them. Can you tell me more about it?
Thanks,
Jim

[lenser]

I'll give you more details on Monday, Jim since one of the lenses is currently at Gaylon's shop.

The one lens I have here is marked Dury and Finney Nashville, Tenn. on one side and on the other is marked "Durfin" Wide Angle 8x10. It measures one inch from front to back and 1-3/8 inch in diameter.

It has a protruding wheel type of f stop arrangement with stops from f16 to f 512.

I will send photos of both on Monday after I retrieve the other lens.

If you can find out anything about these from Dury, I would appreciate it. I emailed them about a year ago requesting any sort of information they could offer and have heard nothing from them.

My own history with these lenses dates to 1975 when I acquired them from the Baugher Studio in Sikeston, Mo. (deep in the Bootheel) which I bought out at that time. They had been in business since late WWII under a series of names and had gotten most of their gear in very used condition from lord only knows where. Many treasures including these little gems.

I can only guess at the age since Dury hasn't responded and I have no idea who might have actually made the lenses. Maybe the word Durfin is a clue. I'll google that later to see what pops. My best guess for age is somewhere in the 1880's or 90's. Both are barrel lenses.

That's all I know at this point. I'll be back with you early next week.

If anyone else out there has any clues on these lenses, I would deeply appreciate your help.

Many thanks.

Tim

[lenser]

Jim,

I am sending these images in two posts since there is a limit on four images per post.

This show the two together and then the one lens which has the legend:

G.C. Dury & Co.
Nashville, Tenn.

on one side and

Extreme Wide Angle
6 1/2 x 8 1/2

on the other along with the f stop scale from f16 to f256.

It measures one inch from front to back and 1 1/4 across the width of the control ring.

[lenser]

Jim,

Here is the second one which has the legend:

Dury and Finney
Nashville, Tenn.

on one side and

"Durfin" Wide Angle
8x10

on the other.

F stops on the wheel range from f16 to f512.

It measures one inch from front to back and 1 1/4 across, not including the f stop wheel.

[Gene McCluney]

Those tiny extreme wide angle lenses were almost a "commodity" item that were marketed by many shops as private label items around 1900-1920. Probably all were made by just a few big manufacturers. I have a couple myself, and on b/w film, they are not too bad. Fairly sharp if stopped down.