Tachihara 4x5 broken ground glass help!

[Sam]

I was shooting portraits yesterday and knocked my camera over breaking the glass. The fresnel was still in tack but the glass with the etched grid is no more. Does anyone know where I might find a replacement? I tried the satin snow website but it seems no longer on line. Wod like one asap, I'm heading to Santa fe next week!
Thanks in advance for any advice!

[Gem Singer]

Midwest Photo Exchange in Columbus, Ohio has a genuine Tachihara Fresnel cover glass in stock, either plain or gridded.

www.mpex.com

[Walter Calahan]

Steve Hopf makes excellent ground glass.

http://stores.ebay.com/Steve-Hopfs-Ground-Glass-Store?_rdc=1

[Gem Singer]

Walter,

A ground glass is not the same as a cover glass.

A cover glass is a thin, clear glass that is used in on top of the plastic Fresnel to protect the fragile grooves from damage.

I recently replaced both the Fresnel and the cover glass on a 4x5 Tachihara.

Midwest is a Tachihara dealer. They have Fresnels and cover glasses for 4x5, 5x7, and 8x10 Tachihara cameras.

[Sam]

Great! I'll call Jim at Midwest first thing in the morning!

Thanks

[Sam]

Well I just called Midwest and Jim is out of town, the glass is out of stock.

Anyother Ideas I need this ASAP, thanks everyone.

[Heroique]

One week until departure? A few more quick ideas...

Do you live near a store where you can rent a similar camera?

Maybe even rent or borrow a camera in Sante Fe when you arrive. (You might even go ahead and post a request here, just in case you're unable to receive the glass in time. Extra insurance.)

Or maybe check your local CL for a camera, and when you return, sell it again...

[Gem Singer]

Sorry about that.

I just looked at the Midwest website, and evidentally they no longer handle Tachihara cameras.

However, there is a Tachihara 4x5 cover glass listed on the Badgergraphic website.

A call to Jeff, at Badger, and you should be able to receive it overnight.

www.badgergraphic.com

920-766-9332

[JRFrench]

Get a glass shop to cut a piece of glass and use that frosted 'invisible' sticky tape? It works surprisingly well. Emergency stuff.

[IanG]

Get a glass shop to cut a piece of glass and use that frosted 'invisible' sticky tape? It works surprisingly well. Emergency stuff.

By the time you get the glass you might as well grind a new screen properly.

I've just had the glass for 10 screens cut ready to grind at a glass shop for £10 ($16) and the grinding paste - #600 Grit is less than £5 ($8).

Ian

[JRFrench]

Ian I would have recommended that but didn't know where you could get the grinding paste on short notice. I made my own and its been great.

[JRFrench]

Double.

[IanG]

Ian I would have recommended that but didn't know where you could get the grinding paste on short notice. I made my own and its been great.

Well in an emergency fine valve grinding paste works OK and is readily available, but it's worth looking for a local lapidiary suppliers, or even a stone polishing club or college course.

You can re-grind the emergency screen later if necessary. I've just made a dozen screens this morning in under 2 hours.

Ian

[Bob Salomon]

Measure it and let us know what the exact size is. We are the Wista and Linhof distributor for the USA and have been told by several users that the Wista gg, frenels and cover glasses are a direct fit with the Tachihara ones. Except the Wista name is on the gg.

If so then you can easily get a replacement as we have them in stock. You can order it from your local dealer or call our service center, Marflex at 252 652-4401 or us at 800 735-4373.

[Gem Singer]

The Tachihara focusing screen consists of two pieces- a Fresnel made of plastic and a separate cover glass.

One side of the Fresnel has a frosted surface on which the image is projected. It replaces the standard ground glass.

The opposite side contains the fragile Fresnel grooves.

The OP stated that Fresnel did not break.What broke was the thin, clear glass that covered the Fresnel and served to protect the Fresnel grooves from damage.

The Tachihara cover glass is available in plain glass, or with a gridded pattern printed on the glass, from Badgergraphic.

Did I mis-read the OP's description of his problem?

[IanG]

Measure it and let us know what the exact size is. We are the Wista and Linhof distributor for the USA and have been told by several users that the Wista gg, frenels and cover glasses are a direct fit with the Tachihara ones. Except the Wista name is on the gg.

Bob, is the Wista gg & fresnel separate or are there different versions. My Wista 45DX has a combination fresnel/screen with a cover glass (some kind of plastic/acrylic), it's a superb screen one of the best I've used on any LF camera, it's also brighter than a glass screen and fresnel combination.

Ian

[Bob Salomon]

Bob, is the Wista gg & fresnel separate or are there different versions. My Wista 45DX has a combination fresnel/screen with a cover glass (some kind of plastic/acrylic), it's a superb screen one of the best I've used on any LF camera, it's also brighter than a glass screen and fresnel combination.

Ian

211221 is a 4x5 gg, plain, requires a protective glass.
211214 is a 4x5 gg, with grid, requires a protective glass.
211229 is a Fresnel/gg sandwich, requires protective glass.

211230 is a long focal length fresnel, requires protective glass.

211240 is a plain protective glass.
211241 is a ruled protective glass.

[Heroique]

Thank you Gem – I’m compiling your clear remarks into a supplementary manual for my Tachi. Plus I’m learning from all the additional comments about grinding and compatible “replacements.”

I think some of the confusion is that Sam-the-poster says “broken ground glass” in his subject line, but he describes broken cover glass in his text. Takes some reading between the grid lines.

He might be on the road to Sante Fe by now, but I remain curious if and how he got his glass back.

Hope he reports back…

[Sam]

Thanks for the help everyone. Jim from Midwest called me yesterday and I have a replacement on the way. Thanks Jim, again you have saved me!

I was able to work in another format while I await the glass.

BTW the brass pivot thingy popped out too on the rear standard the allows for rear swing, it's located directly cenetr on the rear standard bottom. There are no threads so I assume it must be held in place by friction and thus needs to be tapped back in place. Any ideas on how to rectify this?