GG protector design & construction?

[Greg]

Up to now have used a U shaped clear plexiglass protector. Side of the protector that is inserted into the film slot is way shorter than the long dimension of the film holder. Was worried that this could eventually warp the wooded GG back. But that was the least of my present worries. The outside part of the plexiglass GG protector resided almost in contact with the GG. There is pretty much no layer of shock absorption, and the shock of something striking the plexiglass is transmitted to the GG... happened to me in a "freak" accident that broke the GG but not the GG protector :-(.

So now am looking for a design of a GG protector (probably with multiple layers) that I can fabricate for all my view cameras. Thin sheet of foam, thin sheet of 1/8" modeler's plywood, Foamcore, Gaterfoam, sheet(s), don't know what it's called, but looks like cardboard but made out of plastic, maybe 2 sheets of it with one at a 90 degree angle to the other, and what else is out there???

In the end want a rigid GG protector but with a layer of ? which would absorb the shock of a directly focused hit.

thanks....

[Willie]

Fome Cor and Matboard. Cut to size and insert mat board in film holder slot - taped together you fold the FomeCor over the ground glass. Various ways to get it to lay flat, from a rubber band to a bit of velcro with a tab on the back.
It protects well.

[jp]

You might look into Kydex; you can buy sheets of it online such as ebay. Cuts easy and softens with a heat gun or toaster oven. Widely used to make rigid holsters and knife sheaths. Feels like the slightly flexible plastic used in airplane interiors.

[Greg]

So here's what I ended up up doing...

First generation: Made a conventional extended U shaped GG protector with a piece of thin plywood inserted into the film back. Wooden spacer at the open end of the back. To protect the GG another sheet of thin plywood with 1/4" of sheet of foam (glued) residing between the plywood and the GG. Worked but the wooden spacer at one end prevented my 8x10 view camera from fitting inside my plastic Pelican case.

Second generation: After some not exactly by any means controlled lab testing of several materials (had some bad pieces of 8x10 glass and a rather large ball bearing to drop on to the protection material atop the glass). Tried several pieces of different materials and combinations of materials. Finally came up with the following: 2 sheets of 4mm thick Corrugated Plastic Panels glued together overnight with Elmers at a 90 degree angle to each other (direction of corrugations). Then attached (using a sheet of film with adhesive on each side) a sheet of 3/64" foam which went between the GG and the 2 sheets of Corrugated Plastic Panels. Now here's where the obvious hit me. I already had strips of Velcro on the top and each side of my backs to attach my dark cloth to. Why not use Velcro to attach the GG protector to the back. Strip of 2" Savage Photo Gaffers Tape across the back of the GG protector. First 1" another piece of tape (adhesive to adhesive). Next 1" strip of Velcro. Attached images should easily clarify my text.

Addendum: Chose Elmers glue over double adhesive film cause it was a tad bit more rigid and 1/20 of the cost. Corrugated Plastic Panels and double adhesive film from Dick Blick Art Supplies. Photo Gaffers tape from B&H. Adhesive Velcro strips from Michael's Craft Supplies. Sheet of foam from saved packing material. Total materials costs for 3 GG protectors (whole plate, 8x10, and 11x14) under $20.00.

Comments welcome.

[Jac@stafford.net]

Keeping it simple, I made these. Full protection for the ground glass. The unit fits over the frame, over and under the top/bottom spring hinges. Shown here partially retracted. (I no longer sell them.)

[malexand]

Keeping it simple, I made these. Full protection for the ground glass. The unit fit over the frame and over and under the top/bottom spring hinges. Shown here partially retracted. (I no longer sell them.)

This is exactly how I made mine for my B&J. Simple to build, works great.

[Vaughn]

For my 8x10, I padded the inside of my camera pack where the back of the camera rests to be flat and stiff, rather than put something on the camera itself. Granted, I am at risk when taking the camera in and out of the pack, and on and off the tripod, but so far so good (since 1996).

On the 11x14 I use the classic bent plexiglass sheet -- but it covers both sides of the GG completely.

[Greg]

The stuff you describe, corrugated plastic, is called coroplast. I use it as a gg protector on my 8x10 Sinar and to construct shipping crates for framed prints.

Coroplast... what a wonderful material. Up to now when Foamcore was not rigid enough used Gatorfoam and found Gatorfoam a real pain to cut. Please, how do you construct your shipping crates for framed prints? Hot Glue or ?.
thanks