Studio Stand Help!

[Jim Fitzgerald]

Well, I must be getting bored! Need to build something. I want to put a call out to everyone who has one of the studio camera stands. If possible I would love to have some pictures and info on your likes and dislikes, what you would change etc. I have some ideas of how to build these and if all goes well offer them for sale at some point. I think if I can get some info as to the sizes, give me measurements if you can, I'll build a prototype. I have a friend who is great with metal and gears and I'm not to bad with wood. PM me if you like or tell me I'm crazy that's okay also. Any suggestions would be nice also. I think it would be nice to offer these to the LF community. Hope to keep the price reasonable and the quality top notch.

Jim

[vinny]

no walnut!

[Jim Fitzgerald]

Vinny, yes..... I still have plenty of Walnut left! Of course the one I build for myself will be walnut and I can build others out of walnut too.

Jim

[Steve Hamley]

Jim,

I'd like to have a couple of the filmholder holder accessory boxes that mounted to the side of the studio stands. They're always missing from the stands.

Cheers, Steve

[Jim Fitzgerald]

Steve, I know the ones you mean. I'll keep that in mind. Thanks.

Jim

[Greg Lockrey]

Many many moons ago there was a magazine put out by Peterson's Photographic Magazine that had a book with many cool studio items that you can make yourself and they had one for studio dolly that was made out of wood. If you could find that book, you'd be on to some design ideas.

[Jim Fitzgerald]

Greg, thanks for the info. Unless someone has that book I'm out of luck. I am open to ideas both old and new designs.

Jim

[goamules]

I have one and can't think of any improvements. It was a good design and that's why they were probably made for 20+ years.

I've heard people say they want locking castors instead of the lever/jack method to keep it from rolling. But I've not experienced any problems on carpet. The spring mechanism works nicely to keep the weight of raising quit light. I would keep that. Height of the stanchions is the main question, mine are about 5 feet, but I can't imagine needing to raise that high, and don't want to try the spring. Perhaps allowing more upward tilt would be a good improvement. Mine tilts down about 20 degrees, but only about 5 degrees up.

Garrett

[matthew blais]

Oh here he goes again... :)

A walnut Hydraulic lift mechanism?

[W K Longcor]

I had worked in studios that had stands with locking castors -- HATED THEM! Though the wheel locks - it was possible for the castor to rotate slightly. I remember being up on a ladder, looking through the 8x10 and having the whole stand shift - just a little bit!. The stand that I had in my studio had a big foot peddle that lowered the entire stand base to the floor - around the wheels -- made it rock solid.
I also remember that Petersons book -- it had some great stuff in it. If I remember -- the wooden camera stand looked like a great design - except it had locking castors. I most likely own the book -- somewhere --------somewhere???? I packed up my studio when I retired from photography a dozen years back. NO IDEA what box it might be in.:o

[Scott Schroeder]

Jim, I have a century studio stand and really like it.
I know it's a 'studio' stand but the main thing I wish is that it folded in some way. I would like to have the main platform fall in line with the side posts (easily without much disassembly) and have the base fold in as well. As it now, it really consumes space if I want to take it on the road and set up at someone else's house.
I'm not sure if it's practical but it would be nice to raise and lower the platform at higher and lower angles. This could get iffy for heavier cameras but sometimes I want to point more downward but have to settle by lowering the platform to get the subject in view. It's a perspective thing.....a camera with limited movements (like my century 10A) forces me to utilize the stand more for perspective than camera movements.
I'll throw another bug in your ear since you're listening....
I have a Zone VI tripod. I have fiddled with this but have been only mildly successful. I would like to have a platform that I can attach to my Ries tripod head that will allow a camera like the 10A to be 'safely' mounted on the Zone tripod.
OR....making some sort of tripod/studio stand combination tricked out gizmo that would be more portable and field worthy. Not for treckking but for setting up near the car. Perhaps big wheels like Eddie put on his Century stand....
anyway....you asked :)

[Denis Pleic]

I could provide some more detailed photos of this monster - it's an East German Globica camera, I think it was the staple of the Eastern European photo studios :)

[Jason Greenberg Motamedi]

... Hydraulic lift mechanism...

Slightly modified hydraulic tables make fantastic stands for 11x14 studio cameras. Easy to use, smaller, and much cheaper than other "dedicated" stands. My dual post Deardorff stand is amazingly solid, and easy to use, but not shippable. I also have a studio stand from the 19th century, which I found next to a dumpster outside Fran Lebowitz's studio. It is very pretty, but really not a very good design--too difficult to roll around even with wheels.

[goamules]

You're getting some good user criteria. I think that if you feel ok to go outside the Centennial look, you can meet more of these requirements. In other words, not make a replica, but make a modern stand with some craftsmanship. In the wetplate community I see a lot of desire for portability because we shoot outdoors so often, and often buy large studio cameras (to support the large lenses...is this a chicken and egg situation?) that won't work well on tripods.

[eddie]

Jim, I have a century studio stand and really like it.
I know it's a 'studio' stand but the main thing I wish is that it folded in some way. I would like to have the main platform fall in line with the side posts (easily without much disassembly) and have the base fold in as well. As it now, it really consumes space if I want to take it on the road and set up at someone else's house.
I'm not sure if it's practical but it would be nice to raise and lower the platform at higher and lower angles. This could get iffy for heavier cameras but sometimes I want to point more downward but have to settle by lowering the platform to get the subject in view. It's a perspective thing.....a camera with limited movements (like my century 10A) forces me to utilize the stand more for perspective than camera movements.
I'll throw another bug in your ear since you're listening....
I have a Zone VI tripod. I have fiddled with this but have been only mildly successful. I would like to have a platform that I can attach to my Ries tripod head that will allow a camera like the 10A to be 'safely' mounted on the Zone tripod.
OR....making some sort of tripod/studio stand combination tricked out gizmo that would be more portable and field worthy. Not for treckking but for setting up near the car. Perhaps big wheels like Eddie put on his Century stand....
anyway....you asked :)

yup. 6-8 inch wheels really help for "offroad" use.

i strap them to the roof of my car for transport. they have been everywhere this way.

a better l;ocking mechanism is a must. i had an ad up for an ansco camera and stand. that stand is way better for sure. better built, easier to use and far nicer...although ugly color! see the photos here:

http://photo.net/photodb/folder?folder_id=941905

eddie

[eddie]

Jim,

I'd like to have a couple of the filmholder holder accessory boxes that mounted to the side of the studio stands. They're always missing from the stands.

Cheers, Steve

i have been looking for the thread that talked about these.....seems i just fell into one just the other day. needs to be dusted but check it out. :)

eddie

edit:8x10 rack.

[Vick Vickery]

The book Greg was refering to is Petersen's "Photo Equipment You Can Make", and was put out in 1973. I got my copy off of eBay a few months ago when I ran across it by accident. It contains a wooden studio stand among other projects. I'll bet a search of eBay would turn up a few more copies.

[Paul Ewins]

I've got a studio stand and the biggest problem I have with it is the width which makes it difficult to get through doorways. Mine is the tricycle style with two posts at the front and it is just the two front casters and the big height adjustment wheel that is the problem.

I have actually thought about modifying an old tea trolley by putting some heavier caster wheels on it and then attaching some posts with a lifting mechanism to it. I have considered some sort of scissor lift but can't figure out how to make it stable enough.

[Jim Michael]

Try here (http://www.alibris.com/booksearch?qwork=5086974&matches=21&wquery=photo+equipment+you+can+make&cm_sp=works*listing*title)

[Louis Pacilla]

Hey jim heres a good shot of the rear workings of the AGFA stand.

I don't know if this is helpful but it a less visible stand compared to the semi-centennial.
Like Eddie said. this stand is MUCH smoother than my Semi's. (They're fine though really)

Hey Eddie I have one of those. Actually quit handy & looks good as well make the stand seem more substantial. This is one of my early Century's w/ cherry finish. Very very nice for her age. Semi-Centennial #1 stand w/ century #7


Peace
Louis

[Louis Pacilla]

Hi

Here's better pic's of the plate holder holder:eek:

Peace
Louis

[Jim Fitzgerald]

First off I want to thank everyone for their wonderful help! I just got home from work and found all of these responses and images and it is great.

I am not opposed to making an updated version of these stands. This is why I posed the question. Never owing one or using one I needed to throw it out there and get feedback. I'm going to meet with my friend next week and show him the images here and others that I have collected and see what he comes up with. This young guy is amazing at coming up with stuff like this. I would like to have it somewhat portable so you can transport it for a location shoot. I want to try and satisfy the plate shooters and film shooters alike.

The largest camera I have is my 11x14 and I want to make sure that I make it big enough to handle this. I also want to make it as light but as stable as possible. Being that I have acquired a nickname of "Mr. Walnut" my idea was to use Walnut and metal. Would all metal be okay? I'm thinking functional but I'm a craftsman and quality is very important to me. Not looking to make a boatload of money on this but maybe a way to give back to and support our community.

Any more ideas or thoughts would be appreciated. And yes Matt, here I go again!

Jim

[Tracy Storer]

Jim, good luck on this project. After building a couple all-metal stands for 20x24 cameras, I have given a bit of thought to making something smaller and especially something less expensive to build.... Wood is great, because it is relatively inexpensive, and beautiful to look at, but then there are the tolerances required to get gears to line up correctly, so, more demands on the woodworker....it's an interesting problem...I didn't get very far thinking about it. The big expensive metal stands work so well, I stalled out trying to make them more commercially viable. (although I am making another one for a 20x24 Lotus for a customer right now)
I actually dream of making myself a wooden stand and camera to keep at home to shoot visitors in the living room....sigh.

[Jim Fitzgerald]

Louis, great pic's of BOTH of your cameras and stands. Thank you. Interesting how the holders go on the side of the stand. The pictures will be very helpful.

Tracy, I may try a hybrid type of stand after showing the pictures from this thread to him. I have some very nice Walnut just waiting for me to make something out of it. Many ideas in my head and the more input I get the better. My reason for a stand is that it will be for my 11x14. Walnut camera on a Walnut stand....... Yes!

Jim

[big_ben_blue]

While we're on the subject - how would you guys go about fixing the tilt mechanism of these stands?
I picked up a stand last weekend; but it has an "issue". Somebody had the original tilt mechanism replaced with one that works directly on the axis instead. It's actually very well built, solid and works smoothly (large crank and massive geared wheels - overbuilt machine shop work). Unfortunatelly, this type of construction (no longer having the stability offered by the crossbrace) also makes the platform very bouncy - making one seasick just looking through the groundglass.
What should I do? Ripping out the rebuilt tilt, or is there a better way to regain some of the stability?

[eddie]

louis, it looks like your film holder rack stands the holders on the side. mine is different. can we see a shot form the loading side?

oh! wanna trade this Fugly gray stand for your nice wood one...? ::)

jim, while i think the ansco mechanical parts are better than the century, when you lower the asnco way down low you hit the wheel braces. the century does not have this problem. century tilt with ansco stanchions and rise fall.

BBH. lets see a picture on what you are talking about....i am having trouble imagining it.

[big_ben_blue]

BBH. lets see a picture on what you are talking about....i am having trouble imagining it.

Don't have a photo right now, so this drawing has to do for now:o