How difficult is it to drill holes in a Carbon Fiber lens board?

[AtlantaTerry]

Most of my lenses are on Crown Graphic lens boards. That way they can work on either my 4x5" Crown Graphic camera or on my Cambo when a Cambo lens board that has a Crown Graphic adapter is in place. Also, a 4x4 inch Crown lens board takes considerably less space to pack than a 6x6" Cambo board.

I just received my Chamonix 4x5" camera so what I would like to do is make my own Crown adapter for it by drilling four holes in my Chamonix carbon fiber / Copal #3 lens board. Then I can bolt into place a Crown Graphic lens board adapter. Since the Chamonix folks use a Linhof-style lens board, there is barely enough room to do this, but I think I can make it happen because the Crown adapter is a bit smaller.

I did a Google search on the subject and from what I see, drilling the holes is not that difficult. The best way is to start off with a new sharp drill bit.

The alternative would be for me to send the Crown adapter to Hugo or the Chamonix factory. But, most likely that would take far too long and I would like to start putting my new camera to use.

I don't want to take this on if it is unrealistic. Also, I don't want to mess up my new $75 Copal #3 Chamonix lens board if CF is difficult to work with.

Since I've never worked with carbon fiber lens boards, I have a question: Is carbon fiber brittle?
I ask because the last thing I want to do is weaken the lens board by drilling the four holes then have it later break which would put a lens mounted onto it in danger.

In case you have not seen a Crown Graphic lens board adapter, here is one attached to a Speed Graphic lens board:

[Pfsor]

Drilling it is not good for your health. The fine dust causes havoc in lungs. Special precautions should be taken.

[AtlantaTerry]

Drilling it is not good for your health. The fine dust causes havoc in lungs. Special precautions should be taken.

Oh really? Thank you. That is good to know.

Would a standard woodworking dust mask be adequate? I also have some surgical masks, too.

Knowing now what you are saying, if I did the drilling myself, I would do it outdoors on a windy day.

Some results of my Google search:

http://madmodder.net/index.php?topic=3526.0

http://rc.runryder.com/helicopter/t628526p1/

[Pfsor]

Oh really? Thank you. That is good to know.

Would a standard woodworking dust mask be adequate? I also have some surgical masks, too.

Knowing now what you are saying, if I did the drilling myself, I would do it outdoors on a windy day.

It all depends on how much you're wiling to take a risk. The dust is very light and hovers in the air easily. Personally I would go for a different solution but it's just me.
You can google a lot of warning with "CF dust".
Cheers.

[LabRat]

It all depends on how much you're wiling to take a risk. The dust is very light and hovers in the air easily. Personally I would go for a different solution but it's just me.
You can google a lot of warning with "CF dust".
Cheers.

You can also use a shop vac (with dry wall dust filter) near your drilling area to capture the dust...

Drilling a few holes shouldn't be a issue if precautions are followed... (Now, having a lot of holes, or a production line!?!!! I'm still not sure if it's OK to buy a CF product, considering what some poor soul somewhere might be exposed to...)

Steve K

[Pfsor]

(Now, having a lot of holes, or a production line!?!!! I'm still not sure if it's OK to buy a CF product, considering what some poor soul somewhere might be exposed to...)

Steve K

Speaking about a Chinese product I fully understand your worries. You could be truly horrified to see what these poor souls are exposed to even before they finally get to the manufacturing hall...

[Greg]

I drill my Chamonix carbon fiber boards outside on a windy day. Circular hole saw mounted on an inexpensive Harbor Freight drill press. Drill press wouldn't last but a few days in a production line, but for all I use it, will never wear it out. If the hole is slightly too small, mount the board in a vise and hand file it with a circular hand file, again outside on a windy day. Chamonix boards are on the expensive side but (usually) a fraction the cost of the lenses you mount in them. Used Chamonix boards are finally actually appearing on the used and in the online auction circuit market.

[dave_whatever]

How about just attaching your adapter to any old cheap second-hand (or Chinese eBay) metal Linhof-type board? Easy to drill, easy to find, and not expensive if you cock it up.

[AtlantaTerry]

How about just attaching your adapter to any old cheap second-hand (or Chinese eBay) metal Linhof-type board? Easy to drill, easy to find, and not expensive if you cock it up.

I may just do that. Since I first wrote this posting, I have ordered several brands of Technika compatible lens boards so have a couple I can put to use. The ones I buy now are Luland via eBay and cost about US $14 including shipping.
- 11-Jun-2021, 02:02

UPDATE:
Well... about those Luland Technika-compatible boards. I ordered two Copal #0 center hole boards about a month or two apart and then with Covid going on, I wasn't going out photographing so never really bothered trying them out. A couple of weeks ago I started to get the itch to go out to do some architectural photography so I moved my beautiful Nikkor 90mm f/4.5 lens from its home in a Cambo recessed board to one of those two Luland Copal #0 center hole boards. No problem.

But when I tried to mount the lens onto my Chamonix it seemed like an oddly tight fit. Hmmm... Then I looked really close at the front standard - the two rotating locks on the camera were j-u-s-t barely holding onto the lens board. What??? No way was I going to risk that beautiful lens falling to the concrete so I put it away and didn't take any pictures that day. (Good thing I was not on a paying job for a client!)

When I got back to the office I looked very closely at the Luland boards. What I think is wrong is the bottom and top edges are both shifted about .5mm from the center. The overall height of the front plate of the lens board is exactly right but because the bottom and top edges are incorrect, that causes that large 3D ring on the back of the board to be off center by that same .5mm, so instead of seating in the large hole on the front standard, it tips a tiny bit forward. And, because it is leaning forward, the two locks have a hard time swinging into place. Yes, if I use a lot of force, I can press the lens board into the big hole in the camera and force the locks but I really should not have to.

I contacted Luland and tried to explain the problem. Their answer? "Well they should fit." Well, duh yes, they SHOULD fit!

TO Luland: do you want to know what I think the problem is? Nope, not interested.

OK, if you are going to be that way, let me see if someone else has a similar board for a reasonable price. Well, what do you know? Shen Hao has them for about US $23 including shipping. Plus, they are in Kentucky, not China! So, of course, I ordered one. Two days later, it is in Atlanta. The fit? Perfect. The locks? Tight as a drum.

Now what I'm going to do is borrow a friend's bench grinder and remove about .5mm of aluminum from the bottom edge. Then that large 3D ring on the back of the board should seat properly. Yes, I know the top edge will be .5mm lower and there is nothing I can do about that. So what I will probably do is use the boards for a DIY soft focus lens project that I've wanted to do or mount light-weight or inexpensive lenses on them.

Funny enough, eBay sent me an email yesterday asking if I had any issues with recent orders. Oh my! Yes, I certainly let them know what happened with Luland and their "we don't care" attitude.

I'm going to make some popcorn and see what happens next.

Terry Thomas...
the photographer
Atlanta, Georgia USA

[LabRat]

Think of it like fiberglass... Can shred/splinter a little while drilling, but some superglue can cap & seal it... Dustmask should be fine, and maybe a little fan to blow the dust away from you while drilling... (For a very small project...)

The biggest problem is this material dulls cutting tools quickly, but for a one-off project, shouldn't be an issue...

Good luck!!!

Steve K