Current Ground Glass Makers [Archive] - Large Format Photography Forum

Robert Fisher

6-Sep-2009, 21:32

Steve Hopf

Currently using Steve's ultra bright on a SW810 Ebony.

Today I was using his glass with a 110XL, 150XL & 240S Sironar on my SW. Incredibly bright and easy to focus with a 3x loupe with CF attached (on the 110 & 150) and at f22 on a 8x10 CAMERA!

Also: instant service; instant shipment; CHEAP, and no marathon telephone conversations required.

David Karp

6-Sep-2009, 21:47

Michael,

I second Steve Hopf. He is super helpful, a fast communicator, a fast shipper, and his glass is excellent. At least as good as my Satin Snow. Nice crisp image. Very easy to focus. http://hopfglass.com/

Ari

6-Sep-2009, 21:57

I will third Steve Hopf; very friendly, efficient, and offers a high quality GG.

jdaivpmed

6-Sep-2009, 22:19

Here's a fourth for Steve! Great product, great service, and great guy! I just ordered "Ultra Fine" GGs from him a couple weeks ago. They came quickly, and exactly as I had ordered.

Couldn't be happier!

John IV

Steve Gledhill

7-Sep-2009, 00:39

You yourself could be on the list of ground glass makers ... http://www.dokasphotos.com/techniques/ground_glass/

Robert A. Zeichner

7-Sep-2009, 05:02

You yourself could be on the list of ground glass makers ... http://www.dokasphotos.com/techniques/ground_glass/

And I'll second this approach as I have made 3 or 4 of them in various sizes using Dick's method.

Phil

7-Sep-2009, 05:37

Surplus Shed has some 1.5mm 8x10 (and 4x5) that apparently came from Kodak:

http://www.surplusshed.com/pages/item/l3965.html
http://www.surplusshed.com/pages/item/l1034.html

Michael Kadillak

7-Sep-2009, 06:41

Thanks guys for taking the time to respond. May even try it for myself as soon as my oak floor project is finished.

Rick Olson

7-Sep-2009, 08:02

Michael,

Steve Hopf is making me a borosilicate ground-glass for my 8 x 20. Should have it next week before a vacation with the camera to the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone.

Robert Fisher

7-Sep-2009, 08:04

Michael, I just sent an email to Steve asking about the "borosilicate" glass - his website does not give details. What do you know about this glass?

Thanks and have fun with your 8x20!

Bob Salomon

7-Sep-2009, 08:21

Rick Olson

7-Sep-2009, 08:21

Michael, I just sent an email to Steve asking about the "borosilicate" glass - his website does not give details. What do you know about this glass?

Thanks and have fun with your 8x20!

Robert ... Steve offered this as an option from his other glass, and since I use my 8 x 20 in the field, wanted something more durable.

Here is the information that Steve provided to me for the borosilicate glass:

"Borosilicate glass screens are made with the same material used to
make pyrex products and lenses. The glass is crystal clear and harder
than float glass. The grain is slightly less fine than Ultra Fine
--but it is the finest you can go with boro glass...due to the
increased hardness, it reacts differently to Ultra Fine grinding
compound. To counteract this, I use a slightly coarser grinding grit
to make a better diffusion. Borsilicate glass screens are as bright as
possible and tougher, so they are less likely to break. If you want
the brightest possible, this is the way to go. Boro glass is very
expensive and its increased hardness makes it more of a challenge to
work with."

Rick

Nathan Potter

7-Sep-2009, 08:30

Why borosilicate glass? One trademarked version is Pyrex; a classic is type 7059. Seems overkill. It does not have the greenish tint of soda lime (window glass). It has a lower Thermal Coefficient of Expansion (TCE), I think around 5.0X10^-6, and could be slightly flatter (Total Run Out, TRO) depending on the manufacturer. Probably a bit harder to break. It may respond slightly differently to grit abrasion but I don't know. I think these are all fairly small advantages but if the price is not much more than soda lime it might be worth it.

Nate Potter Austin TX.

OK Rick, you beateth me to it and I would concur with Steve. Although I've ground these boro glasses and even quartz and saphire and not found much more difficulty.:)

Robert Fisher

7-Sep-2009, 08:33

Thanks Rick!

"If you want the brightest possible, this is the way to go."

That is music to my ears PLUS the hardness factor. If it is brighter than his ultra fine - it should be fabulous - especially on your 8x20.

Rick Olson

7-Sep-2009, 08:52

Well ... I can tell you that the only glass that is still in my kitchen is the Pyrex cooking stuff. The other has not survived so well with my moves, dropping, etc.

That's good enough for me when it came time to choose a glass for my 8 x 20 and was glad that Steve Hopf had this available as an option.

Nothing worse than finding a broken 8 x 20 ground-glass after a long trek to a great place to take pictures.

And I am a believer in "overkill" ... when it suits my purpose!

Rick

Eric Biggerstaff

7-Sep-2009, 15:22

If you want to try it yourself let me know, I have all the grit and we can knock one out. I make mine and have no complaints. Pretty easy really.

You bring the glass and we can can go from there.

Eric

Michael Kadillak

17-Sep-2009, 09:26

Very kind of you to offer Eric. I will likely take you up on your offer and get some glass cut and give you a call. Having someone that has already done it would be invaluable.

I will bring the T Max RS developer with me.

Later,

imagedowser

17-Sep-2009, 14:34

What is "borosilicate" glass? What's the advantage? Less breakable? or better optical qualities? Bill

imagedowser

17-Sep-2009, 14:38

Late with the question, nice to know I'm not alone... Bill

Ivan J. Eberle

17-Sep-2009, 20:23

Bigger sizes would obviously take more time, but last fall I knocked out a couple of really finely ground 4x5 ones with about 20 minutes per each spent on the actual grinding. I read several tutorials, used a minimum amount of abrasive and lot of water, and found a really nice cylindrical glass flat for the grinding tool. Any telescope grinding house will have the abrasives. My GGs are a lot better than what came stock in my camera.

Jim Fitzgerald

18-Sep-2009, 07:47

Michael, I had Steve make me glass for the 8x10 and 11x14 and the quality and service is top notch.

Jim

Michael Kadillak

18-Sep-2009, 08:01

Michael, I had Steve make me glass for the 8x10 and 11x14 and the quality and service is top notch.

Jim

I am sure that Steve does a great job but when I went to his web site he gets $150 for an 11x14 ground glass. The masochist in me is toying with grinding my own as the investment in grit and glass is marginal. Eric B lives just south of me in Parker and he went down this road successfully. Seems to me this is a purchase of labor for the most part.

In the same vein I just got done installing 1,500 sq ft of 3/4" oak flooring in my house because of the bids I was getting.

Unless someone is telling me that I have rocks in my head for considering this course of action I am likely going to get up close and personal with the process.

Michael Kadillak

18-Sep-2009, 08:21

and found a really nice cylindrical glass flat for the grinding tool.

Can you help me out with this issue Ivan? Describe cylindrical glass flat. Is that simply a fancy name for a flat piece of glass to grind with?

Iga

18-Sep-2009, 08:45

Where to get aluminium oxide in small quantity ?
Thanks in advance
Igor.

And I'll second this approach as I have made 3 or 4 of them in various sizes using Dick's method.

Colin Graham

18-Sep-2009, 08:47

http://www.gotgrit.com/ (http://gotgrit.com/index.php/cPath/2_7)

I wouldn't recommend going finer than 9 micron- the glass starts to get clear again.

Iga

18-Sep-2009, 10:11

Thanks a lot Colin ! Ordered one pound right now !
Best wishes,
Igor.

Ivan J. Eberle

18-Sep-2009, 11:29

Michael, I was fortunate enough to come across a telescope grinder's bagotel.

This simple cylindrical block of glass has a flat face; I believe it's the tool used to attach pine pitch to in that grinding process. It's easier on the fingertips and more convenient to grind with this than a second flat piece of glass, but apparently folks have found that method works, as well.

Tom Moulton (GotGrit)

20-Sep-2009, 05:51

I have been watching with interest that quite a few of you have found my website and gotten your grit.

I was talking with one member here and was wondering what else I could provide to help.

I do have access to glass, but it may be too thick (Telescope makers need thick glass
so it does not flex due to gravity)

What do you guys use as a tool to grind with?

ATMs (Amateur Telescope Makers) use porcelain floor tiles Tile Tool (http://gotgrit.com/make_tool1.php)

Is there a collection of things I could put together as a kit possibly with instructions?
One stop shopping can save a lot on postage.

Tom

jeroldharter

20-Sep-2009, 06:23

I have a new Wehman 8x10 camera and really like the plexiglass ground glass. It is so much lighter that a standard ground glass (which is also included with the camera) and it is almost unbreakable.

I don't know who his supplier is, but has anyone tried making a ground glass from plexiglass?

neil poulsen

20-Sep-2009, 06:36

Unless someone is telling me that I have rocks in my head for considering this course of action I am likely going to get up close and personal with the process.

For installing the oak floor or making your own G.G.? :)

Peter De Smidt

20-Sep-2009, 09:20

I have a new Wehman 8x10 camera and really like the plexiglass ground glass.

How rigid is the plexi screen?

Iga

20-Sep-2009, 10:11

Not grounding, but polishing glass question : I have Letz Focomat condenser lens with some tiny scratches at flat surface. Is it possible to polish them out ?
Thanks,
Igor

jeroldharter

20-Sep-2009, 10:15

It is pretty rigid. A slight give if you work at it but it does not affect focusing. I was skeptical initially but I have not switched it out for the glass.

Peter K

20-Sep-2009, 14:01

Not grounding, but polishing glass question : I have Letz Focomat condenser lens with some tiny scratches at flat surface. Is it possible to polish them out ?
What Focomat?

The Focomat Ic has an etched condenser, so when the lower surface is polished without etching one get Newton's rings, because this surface presses on the back of the 35mm film.

The Focomat IIc has a negative holder with two glasses, - there was also a plate-holder for glass-plates 6,5x9 cm aviable but this makes no difference for the position of the condenser - so the lower condenser surface doesn't touches the negative. Also the distance between the lower surface of the condeser and the negative is much bigger as with the Ic, so tinny scratches don't hurt. Only with small f-stops of the enlarging lens or with a clear bulb.

And there is nothing so hard as to polish a flat optical surface. Also, if I remember correctly, the double-condenser from the IIc, the 6,5x9cm enlarger, cannot be dismanteled. The lenses are mounted in a thin tin barrel by bending the borders. So one needs a new barrel if one of the lenses is removed or exchanged.

There is a chance to "optically remove" fine scratches by laquering the surface with a verry thin layer of clear laquer. But the laquering has to be done in a realy clean enviroment, if not one has no scratches but black dots.:eek:

Peter

Iga

20-Sep-2009, 14:49

Hi Peter !
It's Focomat 1c. I saw etched condenser only ones, in latest grey model. I have two condensers and both are flat surface. Leitz made anti newton rings adapters for these. I have one and it works without problem. I'd like to polish scratched one, but have no idea how to do it.
Thanks,
Igor.

What Focomat?

The Focomat Ic has an etched condenser, so when the lower surface is polished without etching one get Newton's rings, because this surface presses on the back of the 35mm film.

The Focomat IIc has a negative holder with two glasses, - there was also a plate-holder for glass-plates 6,5x9 cm aviable but this makes no difference for the position of the condenser - so the lower condenser surface doesn't touches the negative. Also the distance between the lower surface of the condeser and the negative is much bigger as with the Ic, so tinny scratches don't hurt. Only with small f-stops of the enlarging lens or with a clear bulb.

And there is nothing so hard as to polish a flat optical surface. Also, if I remember correctly, the double-condenser from the IIc, the 6,5x9cm enlarger, cannot be dismanteled. The lenses are mounted in a thin tin barrel by bending the borders. So one needs a new barrel if one of the lenses is removed or exchanged.

There is a chance to "optically remove" fine scratches by laquering the surface with a verry thin layer of clear laquer. But the laquering has to be done in a realy clean enviroment, if not one has no scratches but black dots.:eek:

Peter

Michael Kadillak

20-Sep-2009, 15:18

For installing the oak floor or making your own G.G.? :)

Both. I have a feeling that making a ground glass is much easier all things considered.

Peter K

20-Sep-2009, 15:35

It's Focomat 1c. I saw etched condenser only ones, in latest grey model. I have two condensers and both are flat surface. Leitz made anti newton rings adapters for these. I have one and it works without problem. I'd like to polish scratched one, but have no idea how to do it.
Also black enlargers where made with etched condensers. But you cannot polish an optical surface without a polishing machine. With polishing by hand you will allways get an uneven surface with bumps etc. Grinding a ground-glass is a different thing, in this case a flat surface will be roughened only.

To grind and polish optical glass one needs grinding grit in finer and finer grain sizes. Made from silicon carbide, ceriumoxide or saphire (aluminium oxide). Depending on the glass. Some glass can only grinded with diamant powder. For polishing, also depending on the glass, often "jewellers red", iron oxide powder, can be used. But this work needs hours and hours, not only half an hour as grinding a ground-glass!

Peter

jaimeb82

21-Sep-2009, 07:51

I would be interested in learning this, English is not my native language so all the materials and tools sound like from a different world. Is there a tutorial for dummies somewhere out there.

Is the basic idea for this the following approach: buy a 4x5 glass (in my case) for about $5 and then put on top another tool (a rounded piece of glass) apply water or liquids that help converting that 4x5 glass into a glass I can use for my large format camera?

How much will a kit with instructions will cost anyway?