Need #00 lens board for Calumet 402

[Mike Anderson]

To get started in LF, I got a $250 "system" comprised of a Calumet cc-402 (the wide angle model), and an old Super Angulon 90 with a Compur #00 shutter in a recessed lens board. Everything looks OK, except that it's almost impossible to operate. The shutter has neither a preview lever nor a T setting, and is hard to operate in that recessed lens board. From what I've read, I don't think a recessed lens board is needed with that camera with a 90mm, so I want to get a non-recessed lens board.

So I was thinking of getting one of these (http://www.calumetphoto.com/item/CC4503/) and having them drill it for a #00 shutter. I assume this will be simply a hole with no threading (the recessed lens board I have has a threaded insert so the shutter screws into it).

If I get this new lens board drilled with no threading, I'll need a nut that screws on the back of the #00 shutter to hold it to the board. Any idea where I can get such a nut?

Does this plan make sense?

...Mike

[Gem Singer]

Mike,

Are you certain that the threaded insert in the recessed lens board is not actually the retaining ring you are looking for?

Try removing it and using it to hold your lens on the Calumet flat lens board.

[Merg Ross]

Hi Mike, the 90mm will work fine on a flat board. I bought my Calumet 402 forty years ago and used it for commercial architectural photography (with a 90mm Super Angulon). What is the hole size on the 00? I may have a board.

[Mike Anderson]

Mike,

Are you certain that the threaded insert in the recessed lens board is not actually the retaining ring you are looking for?

Try removing it and using it to hold your lens on the Calumet flat lens board.

The threaded insert is glued into the recessed board. The threaded hole in the insert seems about 24mm, and it's fit into a hole in the board that's about 36mm diameter. There are 2 numbers on the insert: "AA07" and "103", it looks factory made (not custom made), but the glue job to the lens board doesn't look like factory work.

These measurements I made (24mm and 36mm) aren't making sense to me with respect the chart on this page (http://www.skgrimes.com/compur/).

Thanks for your help.

...Mike

[Gem Singer]

Hi Merg,

Mike will need a Calumet flat lens board with a 27mm opening for his #00 shutter.

[Mike Anderson]

Hi Mike, the 90mm will work fine on a flat board. I bought my Calumet 402 forty years ago and used it for commercial architectural photography (with a 90mm Super Angulon). What is the hole size on the 00? I may have a board.

Not sure exactly what you mean by "hole size". The thread on the shutter is about 24mm diameter.

...Mike

[Gem Singer]

Mike,

You will probably be able to carefully knock that glued insert out of the recessed lens board.

The insert can then be used as a retaining ring for your #00 shutter. Shutters are not normally screwed into threaded lens boards.

The original hole on the recessed lens board was bored for a Copal 0 shutter (34-35mm).

The threaded insert is a bushing used to reduce the size of the opening, enabling the recessed lens board to accept the smaller #00 shutter.

[Merg Ross]

Mike,

You will probably be able to carefully knock that glued insert out of the recessed lens board.

The insert can then be used as a retaining ring for your #00 shutter.

The original hole on the recessed lens board was bored for a Copal 0 shutter (34-35mm).

The threaded insert is a bushing used to reduce the size of the opening and enable the recessed lens board to accept the smaller #00 shutter.


Mike, I think Gem has good advice.

Checked my extra board and it is drilled for a larger shutter.

[rdenney]

I ran into the same issue with a 47mm Super Angulon that is also mounted in a #00 shutter. I found an off-brand recessed lens board (needed for that lens on most cameras), but it was drilled only for a #0 shutter. Rather than have a board custom-made (read: expensive), I bought an adapter from S. K. Grimes that threads onto the #00 shutter, providing threads for a #0 board and retaining ring. The whole thing was well under a hundred bucks and it solved that problem completely.

Most retaining rings will have a lip, and the lip should fit into the opening on the board. That's why the sizes vary a bit. 26mm is the "conventional" size for a #00 shutter, but any given example may be a bit smaller or bigger depending on the retaining ring that was being fit.

In your shoes, I would buy a #0 recessed board and an adapter from Grimes. Then, if that heavy 90/8 ever causes damage to the shutter (which was a problem with these), you can find a later 90/8 in a #0 shutter and mount it without having to drill out the board.

Rick "who packs a magnifier and LED pen-light for adjusting the settings on that #00 shutter" Denney

[Mike Anderson]

Mike,

You will probably be able to carefully knock that glued insert out of the recessed lens board.

The insert can then be used as a retaining ring for your #00 shutter. Shutters are not normally screwed into threaded lens boards.

The original hole on the recessed lens board was bored for a Copal 0 shutter (34-35mm).

The threaded insert is a bushing used to reduce the size of the opening, enabling the recessed lens board to accept the smaller #00 shutter.

I think the threaded insert is too thick to be used as a retaining nut, if I used it that way the rear piece of the lens couldn't be screwed in all the way. Maybe I could simply reglue it into the new lens board. Better yet find a unglued copy of that threaded insert.

I really appreciate your help.

...Mike

[Gem Singer]

Mike,

You are on the right track.

That glued insert was designed to be used as a reducing bushing.

It changed the opening in the lens board from a Copal 0 to a (threaded) opening for a #00 shutter.

Merely remove it from the recessed lens board and re-glue it into a flat lens board that has an opening for a Copal 0 shutter.

New flat lens boards with a Copal 0 opening are available at Calumet. Used ones can sometimes be found at www.KEH.com.

A reducing bushing will be more difficult to locate. You will probably need a machine shop to make a custom one, and that will be spendy.

[rdenney]

Guys, I just checked my email, and I paid $50 to S. K. Grimes for an adapter to mount a #00 shutter to a lens board with a #0 hole, including the #0 retaining ring. Remove the rear cell, screw the adapter onto the lens, insert the lens into the board, screw the retaining ring onto the adapter, reinstall the rear cell, and you're done. There is no need to reinvent this wheel.

Rick "keeping it simple" Denney

[Mike Anderson]

Mike,

You are on the right track.

That glued insert was designed to be used as a reducing bushing.

It changed the opening in the lens board from a Copal 0 to a (threaded) opening for a #00 shutter.

Merely remove it from the recessed lens board and re-glue it into a flat lens board that has an opening for a Copal 0 shutter.

New flat lens boards with a Copal 0 opening are available at Calumet. Used ones can sometimes be found at www.KEH.com.

A reducing bushing will be more difficult to locate. You will probably need a machine shop to make a custom one, and that will be spendy.

I have a Gepe flexible cable release extension on order that might make the current lens board usable. I may try and remove that insert and put it on a flat lensboard, but it looks like that's a valuable little item, so I'm a little hesitant to start chiseling away at it.

Thanks again. I've learned a lot in the last hour (from this thread).

...Mike

[Gem Singer]

Rick,

Why spend (at least) $50 (+shipping) on a new adapter assembly when he already has a threaded bushing that will do the job?

He merely needs to remove it from the recessed lens board and glue it into a flat lens board.


(Eugene, who is a retired dentist and believes that this solution to the problem is more practical and less expensive than the method recommended by an engineer).

[Gem Singer]

Mike,

Removing that glued-in bushing is easier than it appears.

Merely use the correct tool very carefully.

(That's my dentist self talking).

[Merg Ross]

Here is another solution, free if you are interested. What you see below is a Calumet board with a large rear hole and a glued on piece of Masonite with a hole for a 0 Compur shutter. This was the improvised set-up that I used with my 90mm SA. Ugly yes, crude yes, but practical. Stay away from those 4" recessed boards, they are a real pain (speaking from experience).

Let me know if you are interested, I'll mail it to you gratis.

[Mike Anderson]

Here is another solution, free if you are interested. What you see below is a Calumet board with a large rear hole and a glued on piece of Masonite with a hole for a 0 Compur shutter. This was the improvised set-up that I used with my 90mm SA. Ugly yes, crude yes, but practical. Stay away from those 4" recessed boards, they are a real pain (speaking from experience).

Let me know if you are interested, I'll mail it to you gratis.

Great! I sent you a message.

BTW (and I'm not saying this because you're sending me a free lens board) I really admire your work (http://www.mergross.com/).

Thanks much.

...Mike

[rdenney]

Rick,

Why spend (at least) $50 (+shipping) on a new adapter assembly when he already has a threaded bushing that will do the job?

He merely needs to remove it from the recessed lens board and glue it into a flat lens board.


Depends on how it is glued. If it is epoxied in place, he may ruin both the ring and the lens board trying to remove it, in which case it will cost him more then $50 to get back to where he started.

Also, the adapter Grimes makes might work better--it doesn't have to be glued at all.

Granted, I would probably attempt it myself, more because I would be too impatient to wait to ship something in than anything. But then I would not need to ask advice about it, which brings one's machinery and hand skills into question. I did once ask if anyone knew of a cheapie #00 recessed board for Sinar, and was given the answer I'm giving here. The reason I reacted is that it seemed as though nobody was hearing me, and I was afraid my central message got lost in the story of my 47mm SA.

Rick "providing options" Denney

[rdenney]

Here is another solution, free if you are interested. What you see below is a Calumet board with a large rear hole and a glued on piece of Masonite with a hole for a 0 Compur shutter. This was the improvised set-up that I used with my 90mm SA. Ugly yes, crude yes, but practical. Stay away from those 4" recessed boards, they are a real pain (speaking from experience).

Let me know if you are interested, I'll mail it to you gratis.

Merg, this might not solve the OP's problem. As I read it, he has the very early SA with the #00 shutter, and your solution still has that larger #0 hole.

Rick "being clear for the new guy" Denney

[Merg Ross]

Merg, this might not solve the OP's problem. As I read it, he has the very early SA with the #00 shutter, and your solution still has that larger #0 hole.

Rick "being clear for the new guy" Denney

Rick, yes and no. Mine can have any size hole that one wishes to drill in the soft stock (Masonite). Another material might be better, but that was at hand and served the purpose. Mike will most likely remove that and replace with a #00 hole in another material.

[Mike Anderson]

I found a #00 retaining ring on ebay so I believe all the parts to make my camera functional are on the way. Thanks everyone for the help.

The used retaining ring was $27. If my grandfather were alive he'd be saying "what is it gold plated!?" Funny thing is I suspect that little piece of metal will retain it's value should I ever decide to sell it.

...Mike

[Merg Ross]

Mike, the board is on its way, USPS Priority. You should be able to make it work with the retainer and a new 26.5mm hole (or thereabouts).

Merg