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john wilton
1-Mar-2009, 12:10
The handle has broken off the dark slide of my Graflex 23 roll holder at the edge of the handle. As the slide inserts all the way to the handle there is no way to splice it, the broken end is right at the mouth of the slot. It seems unlikely there is any adhesive adequate to handle the stresses of a butt-glue of the broken ends. A cut film holder's slide is too short to substitute. Slide is about 0.5mm thick. Is there a material that could be cut with a knife that could substitute?

Ulrich Drolshagen
1-Mar-2009, 12:31
There is a tool called "Japanspachtel" in German. May be something like japanese spatula in English. These are made of very thin and flexible steel sheets. You may be able to cut a replacement out of one of the larger ones.

Ulrich

Archphoto
1-Mar-2009, 13:27
What size is it ?
Maybe you could use a darkslide form a MF camera or rollfim back.

Peter

JasonC
2-Mar-2009, 07:27
John, you could try Phenolic sheet, vulcanized fibre sheet, or Delrin sheet. They could all cut by hand if in thin sheet. All of them are available at www.mcmaster.com.

Jason.

Robert Brummitt
2-Mar-2009, 09:14
I went to my local art and craft store that has small sheets of aluminum and tin. I then measured and cut one sheet to fit my missing dark slide. I folded one end several times and then taped it with black cloth for a handle.
It works fine for my purposes and cost me less then $5.

GPS
2-Mar-2009, 09:51
There is a tool called "Japanspachtel" in German. May be something like japanese spatula in English. These are made of very thin and flexible steel sheets. You may be able to cut a replacement out of one of the larger ones.

Ulrich

That steel is very hard to cut (certainly not with a knife as the OP wanted)!
Aluminum sheet of 0.5mm is quite soft and deforms easily. Some plastics serve well and are elastic to avoid durable deformation. I choose them from different plastic covers found in a paper-shop.

mandoman7
2-Mar-2009, 10:15
What about finding one from a broken holder and sanding it down to the desired size? I'm not a machinist, but it seems like a belt sander could be used to shape it easily.

JY

Archphoto
2-Mar-2009, 10:31
If you want to go for steel, which is best and you have an over-size slide, sratch the outlines on the steel and use a Dremel (or look-alike) to shape it.

Peter

GPS
2-Mar-2009, 10:48
If you want to go for steel, which is best and you have an over-size slide, sratch the outlines on the steel and use a Dremel (or look-alike) to shape it.

Peter

Just out of sheer curiosity - which tool out of the Dremel collection you would use to shape the steel slide to the given dimension?

Archphoto
2-Mar-2009, 11:43
A cutting blade for getting the rough size, a sander and/or grinder for the finer work.

Dremel look-alikes are sold in Europe for € 15,- for a complete set.

GPS
2-Mar-2009, 12:44
A cutting blade for getting the rough size, a sander and/or grinder for the finer work.

Dremel look-alikes are sold in Europe for € 15,- for a complete set.

Even more curious now - have you already cut such a steel plate with a Dremel cutting blade or you just imagine it?

Archphoto
2-Mar-2009, 14:26
I have been using a Proxxon for many years now and yes I have been doing quite a bit of cutting with it. Never hade real problems, you have to change the disk so once in a while.
Proxxon is the 12V/5A counterpart of the Dremel.

Gary Beasley
2-Mar-2009, 15:23
I've taken darkslides from 4x5 holders and had them cut to fit medium format roll film backs. The old wire handles are best, have the center section cut out so you have a handle. Check to see the thickness of the new darkslide matches the old one.

GPS
2-Mar-2009, 15:37
I have been using a Proxxon for many years now and yes I have been doing quite a bit of cutting with it. Never hade real problems, you have to change the disk so once in a while.
Proxxon is the 12V/5A counterpart of the Dremel.

Dremel doesn't have any cutting blade for steel. Not to mention other problems with such cutting of a thin steel plate.

Gary Beasley
2-Mar-2009, 15:43
Dremel does have the reinforced abrasive wheels that do quite a good job on thin metal. I've worn enough of them out to know!

GPS
2-Mar-2009, 15:56
Dremel does have the reinforced abrasive wheels that do quite a good job on thin metal. I've worn enough of them out to know!

Indeed, to grind the steel slide from 4x5 down to the OP size you certainly would worn out enough of them. :)

Gary Beasley
3-Mar-2009, 17:45
Indeed, to grind the steel slide from 4x5 down to the OP size you certainly would worn out enough of them. :)

You are right about that but I had a machinist cut the darkslide for me. Probably done on a bandsaw.

john wilton
3-Mar-2009, 21:25
Checking with micrometer, my slide is .025" thick. I checked McMaster; they have .02 and .03 in black; .025 only available in "opaque" white. I wonder how likely it is to be truly lightproof, or if .02 would be close enough.

Will a matte knife cut .025 aluminium?

Michael Cienfuegos
4-Mar-2009, 22:31
One thing to remember when using any sort of cutting tool, be it a blade or an abrasive, is to wear EYE PROTECTION! It is the cheapest way to save your eyesight.

Archphoto
5-Mar-2009, 09:33
A Knife and .025 Alu ? You can give it a try....
How about a small metal saw ?
Or even one for modeling ? ( the big U with a handle at the bottom and a fine toothed saw above it, "figuurzaag, in Dutch).

Alu will bend more easily than steel though and will not flex back.

What actual size do you need ???? (in mm please)

Peter

Mark Tweed
5-Mar-2009, 12:02
Robert mentioned buying thin sheet aluminum at his local hardware store. I've purchased the same from ACE Hardware (4"X10" sheets?). One of the sheets I purchased (.032" thickness), is slightly flexible like the original dark slide, should work fine. ACE may even have a thinner sheet. Because it's aluminum, you might be able to score it deep enough with several draw knife strokes to allow you to crease it, and by working it back and forth a few times, snap off the excess. The sharp edges could easily smoothed perfect with fine sandpaper. By allowing a little more length to work with you could fashion some form of pull/push handle.

Or just take the sheet to a local metal shop and their presses can quickly cut the exact size you need.

john wilton
5-Mar-2009, 20:34
What actual size do you need ???? (in mm please)

Peter, my slide is (was) 66.5 x 129 mm. There would be 6mm projecting from the slot to attach handle to.

Turner Reich
5-Mar-2009, 22:40
Get an old "film pack" for cheap on the bay, they haven't had film for them in decades, pull out the slide and toss the useless metal case.

john wilton
6-Mar-2009, 09:52
...old "film pack", pull out the slide...

Hi T-R...Tried that; unfortunately the fim pack slide is about 1/4" too short.

Archphoto
7-Mar-2009, 03:55
Have you tried SK Grimes ?

www.skgrimes.com (http://www.skgrimes.com)

They should be able to help you.

My trouble is that I am at about 10.000km away from my 4x5/8x10" gear, so I can not pick-up a couple of things and start measuring.

Something that could work is a 4x5" or 5x7" dark-slide, cut down to the propper size.

Peter

jnantz
7-Mar-2009, 05:11
Robert mentioned buying thin sheet aluminum at his local hardware store. I've purchased the same from ACE Hardware (4"X10" sheets?). One of the sheets I purchased (.032" thickness), is slightly flexible like the original dark slide, should work fine. ACE may even have a thinner sheet. Because it's aluminum, you might be able to score it deep enough with several draw knife strokes to allow you to crease it, and by working it back and forth a few times, snap off the excess. The sharp edges could easily smoothed perfect with fine sandpaper. By allowing a little more length to work with you could fashion some form of pull/push handle.

Or just take the sheet to a local metal shop and their presses can quickly cut the exact size you need.

you could punch a hole or 2 or 3 in one end, and put in a few grommets .. then and use framer's wire ( braided wire ) for your handle.
the metal/machine shop idea is the best. they have boatloads of scrap, and probably
will charge $4 to cut something down.

good luck!