Source for Center Drilled Technika Board

[sanking]

Does anyone know of an inexpensive source for plain sided center drilled Technika size lens boards. These are 3 3/4" X 3 7/8" in size.

I am looking for boards with plain vanilla sides, not with the grooves and indents intended for the Technika cameras.

Sandy King

[Ron Marshall]

Badger has one that they call center drilled. It is not exactly centered, but only a couple of millimeters off.

http://www.badgergraphic.com/store/cart.php?m=product_list&c=165

[Eric Woodbury]

I had a stack of them made years ago. Go to your machinist and have him stack up 10 pieces of 0.080 or 2mm stock and cut them all to the same size. Have the centers marked. For a few more bucks, sometimes you can get in on a batch of black anodize. Have them all done. Then, drill them as you need them. I do this with a large hole drill (rake) made for wood. I use a drill press and take it very slowly with plenty of oil. Works fine.

[Doremus Scudder]

Sandy,

I am assuming you likely have a definite reason for wanting a center-drilled board, so disregard the following if not applicable :-)

I find that the standard off-center Wista/Technika boards (96x99mm) have an advantage on many cameras that take that size board but are designed to have the lens centered. One can mount the board 180° around to place the off-center hole toward the top, thus gaining a bit more front rise. The "standard" mounting, with the lens a bit lower than center, allows a bit more fall on the front. (If I ever got around to designing a camera, it would have a square lensboard with an off-center hole. Then one could augment the shift as well...)

I have a Horseman Woodman, designed to take centered holes, but find the off-center boards work fine for all but my 90mm SA, which seems to mount easier with the centered hole. Of course, my Wista folders are designed to take the off-center hole boards. I have some of each, and don't really worry about where the holes are much as long as I can put the lens where I need with the front rise/fall. Gaining a bit more rise/fall as mentioned above is a nice side-effect on the Woodman.

FWIW, I bought the centered hole board from a dealer on eBay. Can't remember which one, but a quick search should turn up a few. It was after-market without the added thick areas top and bottom and needed a bit of gaffers tape to make it mount tightly, but it does the job.

I also routinely make boards from 1/8-inch Masonite. Fairly easy even with the most rudimentary of tools. You need to lay out and drill a pilot hole in the center and then follow up with a hole saw. Depending on the camera, you may have to trim the thickness on the edges of the board in places so that it mounts correctly. Nylon or plastic would work as well as long as it is lightproof.

Hope this helps a bit...

Best,

Doremus Scudder

[Kirk Keyes]

If you can make ULF film holders, you can probably make a lens board. I've used masonite and aluminum on occasion.