Extra long shutter release cable

[cyrus]

I have an air bulb operated one that is several feet long and is useful in self portraiture but the pressure generated is not enough to release some shutters no matter how hard I stomp on the bulb so I was considering making my own. Would I be right in assuming that basically I can put the two end mechanisms onto a much longer piece of similar-diameter cable? Where does one obtain the cable?

I tried the old fashioned piston mechanism shutter timer but I can't do T or B exposures with it.

[johnielvis]

cable you'll get significant flexure in the housing---AND WEIGHT---and kinks...it'll be a real headache if you can build it---cable works long when you PULL it---like for motorcycle controls--but pushing---theyere has to be a wire in there---like the old push/pull throttle cables on very old bikes

try a solenoid....with pushbutton...or rig something else---I'd try to fix the air one....or buy a new one--they are pretty cheap

OR buy a packard with synch--bigger air hose and I got like 20' hose on mine...works great cause the hose is much thicker than the cable release/air bulb combos---them are pretty cheaply made---and very thin...so there is problems with them...take a BIG squeeze to trip the shutters...much more than a packard

[Jeff Dexheimer]

The problem you get with air is it compresses easily. Over short distances this not a roblem, however as your cable gets longer and longer air will always lose its ability to to work. If you're building your own would it be possible to fill the cord with a fluid? I imagine even water be enough.

[Bob Salomon]

Kaiser makes 16.5' and a 33' air releases that work.

[atlcruiser]

I bought a 60" release from B+H, works great

[Jim C.]

Check and see if you have any air leaks at the ends where the hose meeds the bulb
and the plunger, wipe a little bubble liquid on the ends and restrict the plunger pin
to see if there is a leak, all you might need to do is clip the hose ends so that there's a tighter
fit, if the plunger is weak then you may need to replace the whole shebang if it's old.

[E. von Hoegh]

Check for leaks, as above. Check the slave cylinder/piston for leaks. If no leaks and it still doesn't work, get a bigger squeeze bulb.

As Bob S mentioned, long ones are available and they DO work, I have a couple.

[cyrus]

Not sure where I would get a larger bulb which would fit.

The one I have is a 20-ft Kalt (http://www.amazon.com/Kalt-Air-Shutter-Cable-Release/dp/B00023JE98/ref=pd_cp_p_1) but it just refuses to click the Ilex shutter on my Kodak Commercial Ektar 14". I don't see any air leaks, it just can't generate the necessary last bit if needed "umph" so I'd like to try the "push cable" mechanism instead but the longest I can find online is 40" which sorta puts a crimp in self-portraits compared to a 20-footer.

As I look at it more carefully, it occurs to me that the angular motion of the release button on the shutter has a way of dampening the linear movement of the cable release pin so I'm going to try to attach something to the shutter release button to conserve some of that force

[Bob Salomon]

Not sure where I would get a larger bulb which would fit.

The one I have is a 20-ft Kalt (http://www.amazon.com/Kalt-Air-Shutter-Cable-Release/dp/B00023JE98/ref=pd_cp_p_1) but it just refuses to click the Ilex shutter on my Kodak Commercial Ektar 14". I don't see any air leaks, it just can't generate the necessary last bit if needed "umph" so I'd like to try the "push cable" mechanism instead but the longest I can find online is 40" which sorta puts a crimp in self-portraits compared to a 20-footer.

As I look at it more carefully, it occurs to me that the angular motion of the release button on the shutter has a way of dampening the linear movement of the cable release pin so I'm going to try to attach something to the shutter release button to conserve some of that force

There is a difference between Kalt and the Kaiser ones. You can'y judge them all from the Kalt.

[Michael E]

Sometimes the length of the "piston" coming out of the release is not enough. My Alphax shutter wouldn't fire with my regular cable release. I got one with a longer "piston" and that works fine.

ROWI built pneumatic releases that had a regular cable release attached to the end. You don't have to screw the complete slave cylinder mechanism into the shutter.

Michael

[cyrus]

Sometimes the length of the "piston" coming out of the release is not enough. My Alphax shutter wouldn't fire with my regular cable release. I got one with a longer "piston" and that works fine.

ROWI built pneumatic releases that had a regular cable release attached to the end. You don't have to screw the complete slave cylinder mechanism into the shutter.

Michael

The ROWI is the same as the Kaiser. $40 - I'll give it a shot Bob

[johnielvis]

you know...ilex has them nice shutter trippers...WI:TH a hole in it....for a solenoid I guess, but it looks like you can put a paper clip in it...or a string...anyways..just hook up a string to it....loop it under somehig heavy--the PULL on it...there you go....no "proper" method required

[Oren Grad]

Sometimes the length of the "piston" coming out of the release is not enough. My Alphax shutter wouldn't fire with my regular cable release. I got one with a longer "piston" and that works fine.

Yes. Part of the problem is likely to be that the pin doesn't have a long enough throw, not just insufficient pressure:

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?t=77892

I have a generic-brand air release that *just* works with my modern Copal shutters. I don't think it would work with one of the big Ilex shutters.

[E. von Hoegh]

you know...ilex has them nice shutter trippers...WI:TH a hole in it....for a solenoid I guess, but it looks like you can put a paper clip in it...or a string...anyways..just hook up a string to it....loop it under somehig heavy--the PULL on it...there you go....no "proper" method required

I think he wants to release his shutter without jiggling the camera....