Hello! I have purchased an Eastman 2D and I'd like to keep an eye out for an extension rail (or even make one that would work). The camera hasn't arrived yet. Can folks tell me the dimensions of an extension rail and how far apart the guide pegs are? Best regards.
Mike
Mike,
I'll measure mine when I get home tonight and send the dimensions to you.
Wayne
I have a 2D with an extension. Here are the dimensions:
12 7/8" long. 8 7/16" wide. 1 1/4" thick.
The extension is a rectangle. the wood along the two sides and back of the extension are 7/8" by 1 1/4" thick. The front part of the rectangle that connects to the camera is 1 1/16" by 1 1/4" thick.
The two side-posts are 5 1/2" apart, and the pair together are centered along the width and thickness of the extension. They are each just a tad (1/32") under 1/4" in diameter, so I'd say they were each made to fit into a quarter inch hole.
The two tracks are both 1/4" wide and are centered at 5/8" from each side. Measuring, the tracks have 12 thingies per inch. ("Thingies" is the best I can do.)
Don't know the thread size, but if you have a 2D, it's easy enough to figure this out.
I measured my 2D extension and the dimensions are essentially the same as Neil's, with one possible exception. The brass racks with the teeth on them measure 3/16 inch wide on mine. This may be a difference in measurement, or it may be Kodak used slightly different width racks during the years the 2D was made. If your camera has 3/16" wide pinion gears on the rear standard, they should work with either width rack. If Kodak made some cameras with 1/4" wide pinions, they may not work with 3/16" wide racks.
The thread on my extension is 5/16" X 18 treads per inch.
I have heard the 2D is more or less the same camera as the Eastman #2 (which used a lighter color finish). It seems possible the extension from a #2 may have the same dimensions as one for a 2D, but I don't really know.
Finally, the extension for an individual camera was fitted to that camera when it was made, and a different extension may fit more or less well. My track isn't the one that came with my camera, and the pins are a pretty tight fit when it is screwed to the camera. I really have to "help" the rear standard make the jump onto the extension, indicating the racks don't quite match up. But it works as well as it needs to, and I'm afraid if I try to "fix" it, I'll make it worse. All you can do is find a track and give it a try. It may be the extensions will all interchange "well enough" to work.
I haven't paid attention to any recent eBay sales for 2D extensions, but I'm guessing they go for $45-50 or more, and I suspect dealer prices are going to be higher. This is also something a seller who doesn't know cameras will list on eBay as "wooden camera part", or some odd description, so you will have to be creative in your searching.
They are very difficult to find, I tried for 3 years to find one for my 8x10 2D and finally ended up making one, I got my gear rails from a donor extension from a full plate model and it they worked, but were a bit stiff...any way good luck, keep a close eye on ebay, they show up every once in a while, and be prepared to pay, they seem to go pretty high at times.
Dave
It seems to me if anyone wanted to fabricate an extension rail, it wouldn't be absolutely necessary to have the toothed rack sections on it. Build something for the rear standard to slide back onto, clamp the standard, and fine focus with the front standard. Not as convenient as having rear fine focus, but much easier to build.
Whenever the subject of making extension rails come up, someone always says you can buy rack sections from Small Parts, Boston Gear, etc. I have yet to find 12 tpi brass racks anywhere. If someone has a company name and part number, I'd love to hear it.
Mike, if I were you, I would start searching for a rail. Probably eBay is your best bet. But I would also think about making one, if you or anyone you know has woodworking skills. Think of it as something to use until you find a real one.
There was an early and a late iteration. The early one has brass extensions that engage the bed and the lock is non threaded. It goes in a slotted receptacle and turns 1/4 turn to lock it together. The later one as in the pics has a couple of pins that align it and is tightened by a thread. Then there are variations between how the later ones fit. I once had a gorgeous little used 2D that I was going to replace my more beat up user camera with. It didn't have the extension but I figured to keep my old one. Nope, wouldn't align even though they were both late 2D's.
Most that appear on eBay the seller doesn't know which brand ( an example ). I got lucky with mine for a Korona - just had to do some minor adjustments (seems that Korona rails vary).
Oops! It's an 8x10 #2 instead of a 2D. Does this change the dimensions of the extension rail? Best regards.
Mike
Hi, Leonard,
This is true.Originally Posted by Leonard Robertson
However, as mentioned by Jim Galli, there was also a design change (not directly linked to the "D" suffix) from (a) a "quarter turn" mechanism on the "screw" that holds the bed extension on (and as well on the "screw" that locks the folding part of the main bed in place ) to (b) an actual screw-threaded screw. This is a substantial compatibility issue for bed extensions.
It seems likely that this change in design may have come about at or shortly after divestiture (when the manufacture of these cameras passed from Eastman Kodak Company to The Folmer Graflex Corporation, in 1926). (The "D" finish came into effect in about 1921, but the "non-D" cameras were still made through about 1922.)
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