Dark Slide Retaining Pin Needed

[tgtaylor]

I've lost a dark-slide retaining pin on one of my Toyo 4x5 film holders. Does anyone know where you can get a replacement?

If you have an extra one that you don't need, please pop it into the mail to me and I will mail you back $2 and a first class stamp.

Thanks,

Thomas

[tgtaylor]

bump

[tgtaylor]

Doesn't anyone know something about this? Surely I can't be the only one to lose a pin.

Thomas

[Brian Ellis]

I suspect the reason for the lack of responses is that nobody knows of a source for the pins by themselves. And I don't offhand know why anyone would happen to have an extra pin sitting around that they could give to you.

But FWIW - on many of my older holders the pins were useless, after a while they'd just kind of spin around freely and not stay in place over the darkslide so I didn't bother with them. Since the holders were kept in ziplock bags the risk of ruining a sheet of film for lack of a pin seemed slim and in fact never happened. But if it really worries you I'd just stick a piece of tape over the top of the darkslide. Or buy another holder, they're not expensive especially used. I'd be surprised if you can find a source for duplicate pins alone, independent of the holders.

So now of course you'll be flooded with information about companies that sell these pins by themselves. : - )

[tgtaylor]

Thanks Brian.

Before this happened I didn't know that the pins screwed down. Now all the pins on my holders are screwed down all the way so this won't happen again :) As luck would have it I accidently picked the holder out of its black bag (I keep them in the wraping that they came in) by the tab of the dark slide that was missing the pin and probably exposed the bottom of the negative in the process. I'm processing C-41 later today and will soon find out.

These holders although never "cheap" are expensive now - $50 apiece as opposed to $27 each just a couple of years back. I bought about 8 packs (16 holders) new on e-bay from possibly Tri Tran on this forum a few years back for $42 or $45/pack.

I wish I had invested in a couple of 8x10 holders back then which were priced at $100 each as opposed to the $200 each they are today.

Thomas

[Dcohio]

I'm pretty sure I have a couple junk 4x5 holders that I won't need the pins out of. Don't think they are toyo's though. i'll check when I get home if they screw in. If so you are more than welcome to them.

[rjmeyer314]

I had some filmholders with missing pins. I looked around the hardware department at my local ACE hardware store and found some. Just take a filmholder in that has the pins and show a clerk. I imagine they can lead you to them.

[tgtaylor]

Thanks for that suggestion rjmeyer314. Dcohio has mailed me 2 from broken holders and if they don't work I'll certainly give that a try.

As a follow-up on yesterdays post, I developed the C-41 sheets and the one that was in the holder with the missing pin came out fine! Either the slide never cleared the light trap or the black packaging blocked the light. In either case this was the only time that the negative wasn't fogged.

Thomas

[tgtaylor]

To follow up:

I received the pins from Dcohio and although the threads are not identical (the Toyo's are wider spaced, are more raised, and don't have a little flat space on their top - i.e., are tubular -) they work! Thanks Dcohio. I owe you one!

Thomas