DIY Lexan Ground Glass

[1750Shooter]

Has anyone tried using lexan or plexiglass with a 600 grit sanded back to replace their damaged GG?
Thanks

[John Kasaian]

I'd be concerned about lexan flexing too much under the pressure of a loupe. It would be an interesting material to use on a 4x5, or maybe a 5x7. You certainly would have to worry about breaking it! I'd try 900 grit.

[davehyams]

I use a plexi GG, it works, mine is not quite as bright as a finely made glass but it does the trick. I used 600 grit on a random orbital, quick and easy.

[Michael Roberts]

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?t=61163&page=2&highlight=plexi

check out post #14 on this thread

[Robert Hughes]

I've got a home built 8x10 box camera that uses a plexi fresnel lens. I've got it lined on the camera side with waxed paper, but if I wanted to I could rough it up with fine sandpaper for the same effect.

[IanG]

I've made some plastic screens using various grits. The secret is the blank you use for grinding as this is the main cause of failure.imperfections.

To get the best results use a grinding blank of similar material, shape/chamfer the edges and corners before use.

Use a sperate blank for each grit size, it just helps speed things up.


I'd be concerned about lexan flexing too much under the pressure of a loupe. It would be an interesting material to use on a 4x5, or maybe a 5x7. You certainly would have to worry about breaking it! I'd try 900 grit.

My OEM Wista 54DX screen is all plastic, and there's been no issues with a loupe in 25 years, and the same goes for my plastic Beattie screen on my 10x8 camera.

Ian

[EdWorkman]

Surplus Shed has "plastic ground glass" I have put it on 8x10 5x7 and 4x5 .
"Someday" I'll get back to the 7x17 project, where I intend to use two pieces butted in the center

[Michael Roberts]

Ed
can't find it using "plastic ground glass" or similar--any other references you can give?

[EdWorkman]

Hmmm
Sorry
Try Lenses, or filters, or heaven forfend "other"
But you will/should be rewarded by several size choices
The interweb is not always straightforward, and a lot of the stuff I find is "blunder" into

[Peter De Smidt]

See: http://www.surplusshed.com/pages/item/m2816.html
See also: http://www.surplusshed.com/pages/item/l10503.html

[EdWorkman]

Well I "only" had to look at 13 pp of "misc", after looking in other catagories before i found one- in the past there have been others, but i think i have redeemed myself with 13pp etc. I hope
http://www.surplusshed.com/pages/item/m2816.html
i wonder if a search with "ground glass" and no plastic works
Search engines are inscrutable, and annoying- bastids as it were
Good Luck
regards
Ed

[Steve Smith]

You can buy Lexan with a fine matt finish on one side which works very well for focusing.


Steve.

[Michael Roberts]

Thanks Ed & Peter, these look great!

[LF_rookie_to_be]

You can buy Lexan with a fine matt finish on one side which works very well for focusing.

Steve, do you perhaps know the designation code of this type of Lexan?

[Jim Fitzgerald]

For my 14x17 and the new 14x17 to 20x24 that I am building I will use a plexi GG. It works great and is light weight. Also broken shards of glass in my bellows is something I do not want to have. I use a frosted window coating that is applied wet like window tint. Got it at my local Lowe's. Works great.