Looking for someone who makes Busch Pressman boards

[Gary Deal]

Trawling through the archives I came across the name Gary Deal, in Kansas, who used to make Busch lensboards, does anyone know him or have contact details, thanks in advance, Damian

That would be me. I've been out of this for a while, but I'm sticking my head back in it again...

I just sold what I think was the last of the Pressman boards I made. I originally kept relisting them on ebay until they stopped selling. Between then and now a few people have contacted me looking for them, and the remainder dwindled. I decided to sell my Pressman (with six boards), and figured I should sell the few blem boards that remained.

The first auction ended pretty quickly, and I sold the rest to the same buyer - five total. This made me wonder if I should see about making another batch, and I found my name mentioned here (look! I'm framous!).

Anyway, since I've sold the Pressman, I don't have anything to test-fit any new boards with. I still had an original board here, and now I'm wondering if I inadvertently sent it with the camera. But, if I think there's enough of a demand I'd consider doing what's necessary to get it done - it's not really that difficult.

On the other hand, if someone has the skills (my method included having the parts cut, milling a slot in the back, using some special alloy rod to weld the tab into the slot with a simple propane torch, then putting in the appropriate holes, just simple factory-style work), I could explain my method in detail. Or I could just write it up and put it here, if anyone would prefer that.

-Gary

[Jac@stafford.net]

That would be good, Gary. If necessary, I can provide the dimensions.
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[Rael]

Wow, I can't believe on the day I'm actually looking for one of these, I find this thread. I'd be interested in buying some too if you get back in the biz.

[Jac@stafford.net]

The Busch D lens board is complex but it can be simplified. That's a separate post. Ask.

The outside vertical and horizontal dimensions are each 76mm (~3"). There is a rebate inside of the board of 63mm (2.5"). Finally, and most irritating is an expression from the inside of the board to accommodate the screw which secures it: 2mm by 19mm (3/4") located on top of the center of the rebate.

Of course you can see there is a build short-cut to make it yourself.

When the weather clears I can post photos. Yeah, no room in the house for light right now in our weather of MinneSnowta.
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[Gary Deal]

That would be good, Gary. If necessary, I can provide the dimensions.
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Thanks, three inches square, I don't recall the corner radius, the height and width of the tabs, or the exact location of the tab hole.

What I made was a flat board with the rear tab welded in and the little hole drilled in the tab. The original Busch boards were two attached pieces (still not sure if they were riveted or what) - the flat front and flat back section that fit into the throat of the camera, that had the retaining tab bent at ninety degrees and the hole drilled in it. I'd been using a plain flat style for years with no apparent problems, and had seen several original boards with their tabs broken off - so there may be a flaw in that aspect of the design.

The very first ones I made were when I had no power tools at all, just ingenuity and dedication. And no internet.

The only complaint I ever got was when someone drilled the tab hole out, too large. I swapped out the board at no charge, and just swapped a new tab into the damaged one.

I had the boards and tabs cut by Frigo Design (frigodesign.com). At the time, it cost $118.00 for a set of one hundred, delivered. I was considering a rerun a few years ago and I checked on the price and it was lower than the original, so there must have been a setup fee in there somewhere.

If they still have my file, I'd ok it's use by anyone, but I just sent them an original board to measure.

The material should be .062 inch thick aluminum. Frigo should have plenty. The tabs should be .030" - .035" bigger than the originals are tall, for reasons that will become clear.

Once the boards and tabs were in hand, I milled a groove in the proper position on the back of the board that was slightly wider than .062, and slightly longer than the tab - for a comfortable fit and room for the attaching material - to a depth of .030" - .035". Basically, halfway through the board.

If you don't have the right tool, this can be difficult (I have a pantomill). One of my former employers, Precise Panel Engraving in Garden Grove CA, would probably do a batch of 100 inexpensively, it's an easy job.

You'll need some aluminum "brazing" rod. I think it was called "Alumilite" when I got it, but that's also the name of a casting resin. The stuff will melt in the heat of a cheap propane torch, and when it's molten it will actually dissolve the aluminum it's in contact with. The bond effectively makes the two pieces into a single piece. You have to work quickly, because it will dissolve it's way through the board and leave unsightly (and harder) spots on the front. You have to scratch with it a little to get through the oxide that immediately forms on aluminum, but it becomes obvious when you try it.

Prepare by hammering the end of the rod pretty flat, then cleaning off any debris/contamination. Two inches or so is a good working length of flatness.

This part involves things being very hot! Make sure you have pliers and stuff, and a welding glove can be handy. **Remember to not touch things that are really hot**

Holding each tab in the torch flame, start rubbing the flattened rod against a long edge. Once it starts to melt, draw a bead along the edge of the tab, then set it aside to cool. Rounds of twenty worked well for me. This is a "Tip", it took me a while to figure it out.

Once you have enough prepped tabs, set up your board fixture. The board needs to be held horizontal, firmly, with as little heatsinking as possible. I used a small machine vise, clamped to a machine table, with only about 1/4" of the board clamped in the vise.

This is the part where you have to be quick:
Heating the area under the slot with the torch, start rubbing the flattened rod in the slot. Once it starts to melt, make sure there's a bead from one end to the other. Then, insert the prepared tab, bead side down, and move it back and forth a little to make sure the metal has melted - the molten stuff should overflow the slot just a little. Once that's attained, remove the heat immediately. Let it cool a little (the tab should be rigid by now) and remove it from the vise when you're ready. I put them on the steel tablesaw table and they cooled off pretty quickly.

Once you've made the first one, stop. Shut everything off. Let the board cool to room temperature. It's time for the required destructive testing:

Secure the board in a large stable bench vise. Securely attach a large pair of vise grips to the tab. Do whatever it takes to separate the two areas of the board.

The joint should be stronger than the metal of the board/tab. If the joint separated, practice some and do it again. If the metal tore but the joint remained intact, proceed.

It should be obvious that this could be done without the slot, but it provides locating that would otherwise have to be fixtured, as well as three surfaces that are joined instead of one.

Then fixture up and drill the tab hole, and test fit to a Pressman. Keep in mind that the hole should be centered slightly closer to the board than on-center with the retaining pin. The retaining pin is tapered so that it exerts pressure against the back of the hole, thoroughly locking the board in place.

Sanding the back and painting it flat black isn't a bad idea. The rod material is not compatible with an anodizing bath, so that's out, and when I've started with black anodized aluminum the black dye didn't hold up. I've never tried alodine, but I've also never had any black paint flake off, so it's up to you and YMMV.

I bored all my holes with the pantomill, so you're kind of on your own there. Remember to clamp things securely, wear/supply proper safety equipment, and observe all proper safety procedures. There should be no blood nor blisters.

That should pretty much cover it for the at least reasonably ingenious.

I sold them for fifteen dollars plus two fifty for shipping, or three for forty-five with free shipping. Yes, I could have gotten more, but I wanted to move them out, not hold out for as much as I could possibly get. These days I'd probably want about eighteen plus a couple bucks for shipping, unless the cost for blanks has gone up substantially. Over the years I've seen them on ebay for twenty or more.

My current photo-related project: Something modular for superwide 4x5 than doesn't cost $600+ and is as adaptable as possible. I'll try to post about it soon, I may need input or to just show off.

[Gary Deal]

The Busch D lens board is complex but it can be simplified. That's a separate post. Ask.

The outside vertical and horizontal dimensions are each 76mm (~3"). There is a rebate inside of the board of 63mm (2.5"). Finally, and most irritating is an expression from the inside of the board to accommodate the screw which secures it: 2mm by 19mm (3/4") located on top of the center of the rebate.

Of course you can see there is a build short-cut to make it yourself.

When the weather clears I can post photos. Yeah, no room in the house for light right now in our weather of MinneSnowta.
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I'd be interested in seeing your take on them, i think that the more ways there are to do something, the better for all of us.

I find those stamped Graphic boards daunting, but I never had one I needed boards for.

It's getting spring-ish here now, we've had some upper 70's couples with low 20's, and I have to mow this weekend. You'll melt out eventually.

[Jim Jones]

I've made a functional substitute for the stamped Graphic boards by first trimming a metal plate to fit inside of a Graphic board. It is firmly clamped against a somewhat larger sheet of 1/16" aluminum and the aluminum bit by bit folded over the metal plate. The lens board can be trimmed down to the proper depth on a router table or table saw with a fence.

[wombat2go]

Here is my latest method of replicating the Graflex boards, out of solid 6061 Al.
(In this case a 2x3 and next time I will do the 4x5 board the same way)
https://app.box.com/s/0fepogc4gk8g4b3ol0g5osi0ardb733g
https://app.box.com/s/bautjx2ahquy66xff7sdkgx8dq2t12z6
https://app.box.com/s/ace5ftgq6qiddwlo1bayn5f2wnfx51v7
https://app.box.com/s/wrug4wlyfcbhqk9mou5niegenyrw7v3s
https://app.box.com/s/spfmw9nje7r64m5bgfi5ej23matz7gqe

[Rael]

I think this was posted elsewhere too, but there's a guy on etsy who has the crown graphic boards made and sells them for 17 bucks.

[Rael]

I wonder if you could find some sort of epoxy or use a rivet instead of the brazing? Then it would be a no brainer -- just buy the parts from the supplier and sell them in pairs.