Wooden Shen Hao boards?

[Sylvester Graham]

I'm just wondering if anyone knows sources for wooden boards built or that will fit a 4x5 Shen hao. Trying to mount a brass lens.

Thank you

[ic-racer]

Wooden Technica-style? You would have to make that yourself, but it will probably break easily. If you don't like working with aluminum, how about garolite or GRP?

Personally I'd stick with aluminum.

[Kuzano]

Suggest just go with a Technica lens board. If there is some overriding reason to have wood for the mount, epoxy or laminate a wood square to the front of the Technical lens and leave the mount portion of the lens board exposed to mount to the camera as intentionally designed. A wood lens board made thin enough to mount to a Shen Hao mount or similar cameras that use thin metal lens boards, would not be strong enough to carry the weight of lens you are considering, I suspect. You would have to modify the front standard of your Shen Hao to carry a wood lens board thick enough by routing the recess deeper for the extra thickness.

I have my Shen Hao in front of me as I respond to this.

[Sylvester Graham]

Ah, yeah that's above my woodworking capabilities I'd say.

[Kuzano]

Ah, yeah that's above my woodworking capabilities I'd say.

Well, I can certainly understand the part about recessing, or routing the front standard as being a bit difficult. I'd have to have it done as well, but I know a guy......

I presume you need a wood lens board because the barrel lens has a flange with screw holes. Is that right? If so, then another option would be to take the regular lens board (metal), have it drilled for the lens, and have the holes drilled at the flange location for the mounting screws. Then get a square of hardwood about the thickness you need for the screws and cut to fit inside the lens opening in the camera front standard. Then with the board drilled to fit over the barrel lens, use it as a "backing board" for the metal lens board. Sandwich the metal lens board between the flange of the barrel, and then screw the screws through the lens board into the wood backboard. This should be easy, since you are going to have to have a wood lens board drilled anyhow.

ANOTHER option:

Don't use screws. Drill the metal board for small bolts to fit through the flange holes and the lens board. Put a piece of black yarn around the flange between the flange and the lens board to act as a light seal (don't glue it, just place it there). Use a flat headed (if the flange is chamfered at the screw holes) small "stove bolt" with a small washer, lock washer and nut on the back of the lens board. Bolts that sit flat with the surface of the flange in a counter sunk hole are typically called "stove bolts" as they used to be used in stove manufacture many many years ago. They form a flat surface. They are available at any hardware store along with washers, lock washers and nuts to fit, in sizes small enough to fit your application. YOU CAN PROBABLY EVEN GET THEM IN BRASS. Just take the lens and board into the hardware store for selection.

If I am right about the need to put screws (or small bolts) through a flange on the lens, this should be a very clean, workable option. You would only be sacrificing a stock lens board in this case.

Neither of the options I listed here would modify the camera itself and should solve your problem. You would be using the same bottom portions of the lens board and the slider at the top to put the lens in place.

By the way... HOW heavy is this lens you plan to hang on the front of your Shen Hao. The Shen is one of the best late rigid cameras I know of... but......