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Thread: Cracked dark slides...

  1. #1

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    Cracked dark slides...

    I have an 8x10 film holder with cracks on both slides. Is there any way to fix them?

    One has a long (2") crack that starts at the edge and goes towards the center. The other cracks are like those little radiating circles you get on your windshield when a rock hits it. There's one on each side. Each are about the size of a pencil eraser.

    I'm thinking I'll probably have to find replacement slides but I thought I'd throw it out there first.

    Thanks

  2. #2

    Join Date
    Oct 2003
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    Westport Island, Maine
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    Re: Cracked dark slides...

    I replaced my cracked one. Life's too short... Got a replacement from B&H, but that was a looong time ago.
    Bruce Barlow
    author of "Finely Focused" and "Exercises in Photographic Composition"
    www.brucewbarlow.com

  3. #3

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    Re: Cracked dark slides...

    Quote Originally Posted by jpoutasse View Post
    I have an 8x10 film holder with cracks on both slides. Is there any way to fix them?

    One has a long (2") crack that starts at the edge and goes towards the center. The other cracks are like those little radiating circles you get on your windshield when a rock hits it. There's one on each side. Each are about the size of a pencil eraser.

    I'm thinking I'll probably have to find replacement slides but I thought I'd throw it out there first.

    Thanks
    I have used small pieces of black electrical tape to repair small cracks without any negligible problems. Seems to work fine for me. It is thin enough that it does not prevent the dark slide from sliding in and out, even if the crack is located on the edge. I can be pretty rough on some things, and the dark slides seem to be the one thing that gets dinged up. Not sure how, but they do. I keep a small roll do tape in my pack now.

  4. #4

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    Re: Cracked dark slides...

    What jim said. I've got several 8x10 holders in bad shape but no light leaks.

  5. #5
    Unwitting Thread Killer Ari's Avatar
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    Re: Cracked dark slides...

    Thin black polyester tape works well for me.

  6. #6
    IanG's Avatar
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    Re: Cracked dark slides...

    I've managed to repair these cracks using Super Glue and black nail polish yo the point they are almost invisible 6 or 7 years later.

    Uan

  7. #7

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    Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada
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    Re: Cracked dark slides...

    If I really needed all my film holders I'd probably use the crazy glue plus nail polish technique.
    Knowing my luck the electrical tape would come off and ruin something.

    However I have more film holders than I truly need, and have some set aside for spare parts.
    I've turned 1 darkslide from my parts bin into a 1/2 slide for pano work on every size of camera I shoot.

  8. #8

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    Re: Cracked dark slides...

    If you decide to replace them I have a few. If they're the right size then I'll list them on eBay and PM the link if you're interested.

    MODS: If my post is inappropriate then please remove it.
    Last edited by Old-N-Feeble; 21-Jan-2015 at 14:00.

  9. #9
    Corran's Avatar
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    Re: Cracked dark slides...

    I repaired a very small hole in an 8x10 darkslide with liquid electrical tape. That stuff is awesome. No leaks, I tested it.

    I also repaired a hole in the shutter curtain of my Canon P rangefinder with LET!
    Bryan | Blog | YouTube | Instagram | Portfolio
    All comments and thoughtful critique welcome

  10. #10
    Drew Bedo's Avatar
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    Re: Cracked dark slides...

    In DIY threads I sometimes see references made to using black Formica laminate used for the dark slide on a home-made ULF film holder.
    Does that work?

    Myself . . .I would be looking for a replacement slide from a utherwise unsalvageable donor holder.
    Drew Bedo
    www.quietlightphoto.com
    http://www.artsyhome.com/author/drew-bedo




    There are only three types of mounting flanges; too big, too small and wrong thread!

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