Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 12

Thread: What to do about leaf springs.

  1. #1
    Eric Woodbury
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Posts
    1,637

    What to do about leaf springs.

    I'm making a couple of 11x14 hinged, spring back contact print frames. The wood and glass is no problem. I know there are different ways of closing the back, but I'm pretty fond of those leaf springs. Spring steel is available at different places, but I want to do this for free with stuff I might find or have. I'm not even sure that those springs are really "spring steel". Not that familiar with metals.

    Have you found a convenient way to solve this problem?
    my picture blog
    ejwoodbury.blogspot.com

  2. #2
    Joe O'Hara's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    Marlton, NJ
    Posts
    777

    Re: What to do about leaf springs.

    Well, I've never tried to solve this problem, conveniently or not, but one source of spring steel would be a defunct wind-up clock. The mainspring is, like, real springy. I'd be careful taking it apart though, unless the mainspring has already broken. They store a lot of mechanical energy.

    I don't know the right way to cut, drill, or otherwise machine spring steel, if there are any. I suspect that if you get the metal too hot, it stops being springy, which kind of defeats the purpose of the exercise.

    You need advice from a machinist, and I am not one. But the machinist might tell you that you would be better off to just buy a contact printing
    frame and to spend your time making negatives to put into it.
    Where are we going?
    And why are we in this handbasket?


    www.josephoharaphotography.com

  3. #3

    Join Date
    Dec 2018
    Posts
    991

    Re: What to do about leaf springs.

    How about using an old, large metal coffee can and a pair of tin snips/ aviation sheetmetal shears?
    If cut longitudinally it would be pre-bent and springy.
    Beware of sharp edges.

  4. #4
    C. D. Keth's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Posts
    2,089

    Re: What to do about leaf springs.

    The tines of a steel yard rake are pretty springy steel and may already be about the right width. I usually see at least one sad old rake when I go to goodwill.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    -Chris

  5. #5

    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Location
    Chicago
    Posts
    1,856

    Re: What to do about leaf springs.

    Blue-tempered spring steel from ebay is what you want and it's not incredibly expensive. It comes in rolls. I have two 11x14 commercially-made frames and they both use .050 inch. One uses 1 inch wide strips, the other 3/4 inch. If you intend to drill it (I'd find another way) you'll have to soften where the drill makes the hole, but very locally or drill with a carbide tipped bit. I'd make friends with a local machine shop: they probably have something you could use lying around and could easily cut it to dimension for you.
    Thanks, but I'd rather just watch:
    Large format: http://flickr.com/michaeldarnton
    Mostly 35mm: http://flickr.com/mdarnton
    You want digital, color, etc?: http://www.flickr.com/photos/stradofear

  6. #6

    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Location
    Chicago
    Posts
    1,856

    Re: What to do about leaf springs.

    I think I remember seeing some print frames in the past that used wood slats for springs. I think you would want a hardwood, and it would need to be thick enough to give real resistance.
    Thanks, but I'd rather just watch:
    Large format: http://flickr.com/michaeldarnton
    Mostly 35mm: http://flickr.com/mdarnton
    You want digital, color, etc?: http://www.flickr.com/photos/stradofear

  7. #7

    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    north of the 49th
    Posts
    1,419

    Re: What to do about leaf springs.

    you could try to steam some hardwood slats into a slight curve and use those instead.
    notch codes ? I only use one film...

  8. #8

    Join Date
    Aug 2000
    Location
    California
    Posts
    3,908

    Re: What to do about leaf springs.

    If you have an anvil,or piece other place on which to use a small sledge, a 3 pounder will do, a blacksmith taught me too many years ago to hammer repeatedly along the "spring" and it will become springy.

  9. #9
    Gary Beasley's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    Marietta Ga. East Cobb.
    Posts
    727

    Re: What to do about leaf springs.

    If the metal has a high enough carbon content you can shape it, drill it then heat it to the point a magnet will not stick to it then quench it in oil. This sets the shape and should be pretty springy.

  10. #10

    Join Date
    Sep 1998
    Location
    Oregon now (formerly Austria)
    Posts
    3,397

    Re: What to do about leaf springs.

    Quote Originally Posted by mdarnton View Post
    I think I remember seeing some print frames in the past that used wood slats for springs. I think you would want a hardwood, and it would need to be thick enough to give real resistance.
    Yep! A rotating slat that is tapered and a long slot of uniform width. Rotating the slat introduces more length and thickness, which cinches the back tight. It holds by friction. Low tech and pretty EZPZ.

    Doremus

Similar Threads

  1. New from Leaf
    By PenGun in forum Digital Hardware
    Replies: 22
    Last Post: 2-Nov-2010, 10:12
  2. Leaf Aptus on LF
    By John Berard in forum Digital Hardware
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: 8-May-2009, 07:18
  3. Leaf 45 scanner
    By manuel johson in forum Digital Processing
    Replies: 18
    Last Post: 9-Jun-2006, 07:33
  4. Leaf DCB II on Sinar X
    By Robert A. Zeichner in forum Digital Hardware
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 12-Aug-2005, 00:20

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •