help making some lensboards - SF bay area

[kaiyen]

Hi all,
I know that making lensboards isn't _that_ hard, but I don't have the tools to make them for my B&J 5x7. Is there anyone in the SF bay area that can help me out? Maybe someone can point me to a good resource?

danke,
allan

[Michael Roberts]

Allan,
what size (hxw) and diameter hole cut do you need?

[sidmac]

I accually had my plummber do one for me no charge. Of course I was paying him plenty for the other work he did.

[BradS]

I used to make "temporary" lens boards for the B&J out of ordinary corregated cardboard. I used to do this as a quick and dirty way to check out various lenses...with care they last quite a while.

Hard board works quite well too...cut two pieces - one for the top and one for the bottom, cut the circular holes in the center and glue them together.

[Petzval Paul]

Black foam-core works well. I use elmer's glue to toughen up the edges and they last a long time and hold a surprising amount of weight.

[neil poulsen]

I've had good luck with "hobby" plywood. (Found in hobby stores.) It tends not to be warped, it's smooth, and it can be purchased in different thicknesses. 1/8th inch works well for Deardorff boards. It can also be stained and finished.

[mandoman7]

I've been making a few for my 8x10 Deardorff lately. Its 3/8" plywood, and I get the wood from an internet place called Horizon Hobby.

Basically 3 cuts are needed.
A good chopsaw will get you the basic shape, 6"x6" for me. I do several to allow for mistakes later
Then I have a router mounted in a table to cut the groove, or ledge, which is half the size of thickness (3/16" for me), around the perimeter. Its good to have a working board to compare with for this step.
Then I use a friend's drill press that has an inexpensive hole cutting bit that can be adjusted for different diameters. Then sandpaper for rounding the corners and making a better fit.
Most guys with a woodshop could do these easily, if you don't have access to the tools.

[Roger Thoms]

Allan,

I live in San Mateo and have made lens boards for myself and a few other forum members. I use bamboo plywood, it's strong, light, and the product is very consistent in thickness. I have attached two photos of a 4"x4" Wisner board that I made so you could see what they look like.

Take a look and if your interested PM me.

Roger Thoms

[EdWorkman]

You can cut 1/8 plywood with a sharp knife and a straightedge
Make the light baffle layer with 1/8x1/4 basswood, cut with a knife or razor saw by Xacto or Midwest. The hole can be hacked with a knife and smoothed with sandpaper, or drill a series of holes around the lens opening and carve/sand to final ID etc.
I have made boards and adapter boards this way. I have cut the rough opening with a brace and expandable bit as well. Now i have power tools, but getting good fit still requires hand work. If you only need one or two boards, an investment in power tools won't pay for your time saved

[Michael Cienfuegos]

I have made lensboards for my old Speed Graphics with 1/4 inch birch plywood which I purchased at the hobby shop. I used my neighbor's table saw to cut the pieces to 4 x 4 inches, then adjusted the blade so that I could cut a 1/8 inch rabbett around the perimeter of the board. I used a hole saw and a drill press to cut the hole for the lens. Some fine sanding was all that was necessary to finish the board. I then painted it with flat black to match the camera. Works great, cost only a few bucks.

[kmack]

I made a few for my 5x7 Korona out of black phenolic sheet.
I like to use phenolic because it is very stable and easy to machine.

I have at least one 4x4 3/8" blank that I have not drilled yet.

Unfortunately I'm on the other coast but I'd be glad to help you out if I can.

[walter23]

In lieu of a router you can often glue two sheets of the proper thickness of plywood together to get the rabbet edge or whatever it's called. I've made lens boards this way using nothing but hand tools (okay, and a dremel / drill for the lens hole).

[John Kasaian]

Slip a box of doughnuts to the local High School wood shop teacher with the demensions for your lens board. :D

[dellos]

Is it possible to make it for Cambo 4x5 ?? I don't want to spend 70$ for Cambo oryginal used.

[BrianShaw]

Is it possible to make it for Cambo 4x5 ?? I don't want to spend 70$ for Cambo oryginal used.

Anything is possible, but it wouldn't be as easy to do as to, say, make a Graflex board. Shop ebay, be patient, and you'll easily pay less than $70.

[dellos]

the oryginal lenses board for Cambo is made from what ?? metal/steel ??

[jdaivpmed]

Speaking of making your own lensboards, I have a couple of questions on this subject as well...

1. Does anyone know of a list or database of lensboard dimensions by camera make and model?

2. From an engineering standpoint is it better to make the lens board out of plywood or a solid piece? For example, my Zone VI is made of Black Walnut... am I better off cutting and milling my lensboard out of a piece of walnut plywood or an actual solid piece of walnut? I can get either locally, and while the solid wood is a bit more expensive it's really only adds about two bucks to the cost of a piece big enough to make five lensboards.

Thanks,

John

[Jim C.]

the oryginal lenses board for Cambo is made from what ?? metal/steel ??

They're aluminum, like BrianShaw said look on eBay, sometimes there's none to be had
sometimes it looks likes everyone is ditching Cambo equipment ( I like my SC :) )
so they come in waves, save a search on eBay and you'll find them for less than $70.00.

[Tim Meisburger]

You can easily make a simple lens board out of quarter inch stuff, plywood or sawn, by chamfering the edges as you would a raised panel on a door. I made one at my dad's house a few weeks ago in about fifteen minutes with a hand saw and a super cheap block plane. Drill a tight hole and screw the lens right into the wood, if the threads are not long enough to go though, and you are too lazy (like me) to countersink.

Tim

[Steve M Hostetter]

I use 1/2" birch plywood using a 6x6" Korona lens board as a pattern .. I use my buddies table saw to make all the cuts a dattos. I use the proper size mortise bit to drill the hole w board "clamped" down to a drill press.
I'll use multi layers of Minwax red mohogany stain till color matches original board then use a couple coats of polyurethane from spray can. Minwax doesn't require a sealer as it has it built in but I use the polyurethane just to match original bd.
The back gets flat black spray paint