Mounting a Fuji W 300 in a Copal #3

[Bill, 70's military B&W]

I am having trouble with mounting a Fuji W 300 in a Copal #3 to a Linhof Tech style lens board.

!st problem, is once mounted the shutter is too close to the lens board, it prevents the lens board from fitting into the bottom recess in the camera. I have bought lens board adapters so that all my cameras will accept Linhof Tech style lens boards. Now the small prongs at the bottom of the adapters, the ones that will accept and hold in the bottom of the Linhof board, hit the shutter and I can not mount it to the camera.
It looks like the shutter needs to be further away from the lens board. I have thought about shimming material such as cork, poster board, plastic, soft metal. I do not have a machine shop so I'm a little limited, and I want the finished product to look nice.
I know I'm not the first to fight this dragon, how have others dealt with it.

2nd problem,, I was told that many lenses have a locking screw on the back that you can use to keep the lens from rotating. I look on the back of the Fuji W 300 and all I can see that could possibly work is a very small threaded hole possibly 1/16" to 1/32". It is located in a open slot in the aperture ring. The aperture moves back and forth but never closes over that threaded hole. Everywhere else on the back of the lens is covered by the aperture ring apparatus. Is this tiny threaded hole the anti-rotation screw for the lens? Looks awful weak, and where would I find the screw that would fit that tiny hole? Is it going to break?

Any advice would be appreciated. The Copal 0 and Copal 1 were easy to mount, although they still slip a little, even when I tighten them with the proper wrench.

While I'm asking for help, what angle do you mount the lens at? I tried straight up/down and when I use the lens it is difficult to see the f/stop and the shutter.

Thanks,
Bill

[karl french]

The standard copal 3 mounting ring is two parts. One of which is a spacer that can be positioned on the front of the lens board so as to avoid the problem you're encountering.

[Andrew]

I had a similar problem with a copal #3
the spacer rings must be available individually because the local Linhof distributer had a couple in their office [though I can't say I've seen them advertised anywhere]

the little screws you describe just get in the way and I've generally taken them off rather than having to drill holes in my lens boards
they aren't needed so long as you screw down the lock ring fairly snug

angle of mount is your call.... no right or wrong
maybe screw in a cable release and try to find an orientation that stops the cable hitting the front standard with tilts but still lets you see the aperture and shutter speed scales
.

[Bill, 70's military B&W]

I'll be on the lookout for the spacer rings, although I can not think of where to find them. I'll also consider manufacturing my own, I do not think it will be that hard.
I like the idea of a anti-rotation screw but the diameter of the one in the Copal 3 just looks too small.
I've tried tightening the mount down using a Linos Lens Wrench, but they still loosen up, almost immediately. Maybe I'm being too timid, the wrench does not look all that strong.
Maybe I need to put a thin piece of black rubber as a gasket behind all my shutters. When compressed slightly that would help with the slipping/rotation. And with the Copal 3 the rubber would act as a spacer.
Bill

[Andrew]

maybe put a WTB request in the for sale section here, or, ring/email places that do repairs to see if they have a loose one ?

[ic-racer]

I'd use a bigger lensboard if you are still having trouble. I mounted my Fuji on a Linhof board, just because I had one laying around. If I did it again, I'd use the bigger board without the Linhof adapter.

[Bill, 70's military B&W]

Dale, I have different cameras and I want to use the lens on more than one. Tomorrow is Saturday and I'm headed to the auto parts store to see what they have to offer. Maybe something in some gasket material, or sheet rubber. Andrew's thought of a WTB request is a good idea, if I can't fabricate something myself.

When you mounted your Fuji did you have the spacer that comes with the Copal 3? If not how did you handle it? Did you use the tiny little wimpy screw to stop rotation, and if you did how did it do? Was it strong enough? Where could I find something that small? Does anyone know the diameter and thread? How far can you screw it into the shutter?
Bill

[ic-racer]

Dale, I have different cameras and I want to use the lens on more than one. Tomorrow is Saturday and I'm headed to the auto parts store to see what they have to offer. Maybe something in some gasket material, or sheet rubber. Andrew's thought of a WTB request is a good idea, if I can't fabricate something myself.

When you mounted your Fuji did you have the spacer that comes with the Copal 3? If not how did you handle it? Did you use the tiny little wimpy screw to stop rotation, and if you did how did it do? Was it strong enough? Where could I find something that small? Does anyone know the diameter and thread? How far can you screw it into the shutter?
Bill
I keep those little screws in a film canister but have never put a hole in a lensboard to use one. Maybe an advantage on a wood lensboard that may loosen with time but on a metal lensboard I have never had a problem with a lens rotating when cocking it. The Copal 3 on my Fuji 300 came with the metal spacer. The Copal 3 on the 210 Angulon came with a flange, but I just screwed that on from the back and used it like a retaining ring.

[Bill, 70's military B&W]

Dale, you must really put some pressure on the lens wrench. I have loose lenses after only a few weeks. I was probably a little too timid, afraid of bending the wrench, and also afraid of it slipping and doing damage. I'm on my way to the store today to see what I can come up with for a spacer when I remount the lens.
Thanks, Bill

[ic-racer]

Dale, you must really put some pressure on the lens wrench. I have loose lenses after only a few weeks. I was probably a little too timid, afraid of bending the wrench, and also afraid of it slipping and doing damage. I'm on my way to the store today to see what I can come up with for a spacer when I remount the lens.
Thanks, Bill
You might try Fluto's for an index screw. I have had at least one shutter that has the aperture mechanism buggered by a too-long screw someone put in that hole. As you already have seen the aperture blades are right there.

[Preston]

This is a timely topic. I attempted to mount a Schneider-Xenar 210/ f-4.5 on a Copal 3 Technika board. The lens mounted OK, but on my Chamonix 045N-2, the aperture lever was binding up on the front standard where the board attaches at the bottom. My good friend Lon Overacker suggested I fashion a spacer and place it between the the rear of the shutter and the board. He had to do the same thing for a Nikkor 450 in a Copal-3. So, a little time with some cardboard, and a Sharpie to blacken it, and...Voila! no binding.

I may, at some point, have someone make a metal spacer (about 2mm thick for my Chamonix) but the hard cardborad seems to working, for now.

--P

[Bill, 70's military B&W]

I found a solution!!! Cheap, readily available, easy to do, looks like it belongs there, and it keeps the lens from rotating.
Any plumbing or hardware store will have a "Tub drain gasket". It is flat and made out of dense black rubber. I had to enlarge the center hole about 1/4" but that was easy to do using a utility knife.
Dimensions are 3" x 1 7/8" x 1/8". The visible outer circle is factory made, 1/8" thick and it compresses slightly. I tightened it up real snug and I can not make the lens rotate. It really looks like it is an original part of the lens(OEM). I think it's perfect, but time will tell. I'm going to do something similar to each lens I have, if nothing else just to stop the rotation.
Thanks to everyone, and I hope someone else will try this trick, I'm very happy with it.
Bill