Places that cut metal lensboard in NYC?

[Rider]

My Speedgraphic is still collecting dust on the shefl because I don't have any lensboards cut for the right sizes. I do have three lensboards with odd sizes (why are there so many Speedgraphic boards out there with funny sizes?). Is there a place around NYC that will do a professional cut for a cheap price?

[cyrus]

Any metal fabrication shop with a stomp shear (aka jump shear or Pexto) can cut sheet metal. Try the yellow pages. However, getting it all nice with rounded corners etc may be a chore requiring a dremel tool.

[John Kasaian]

Check with any High School that has a metal shop! The going rate in Fresno is a large box of Krispy Cremes for the faculty lounge. Oh wait, we don;t have a Krispy Creme anymore!

[Bob Salomon]

FotoCare Ltd, Photo Gizzmo, Photo Habitat, Lens and Repro, etc.

What is your definitions of professional and cheap? Someone in Manhattan that can do a "professional" milling job is not necessarily going to be "cheap".

[Rider]

Cheap enough to make it worthwile--if it's more than $5 or $10, I might as well spring for a new one from midwestphoto.

FotoCare Ltd, Photo Gizzmo, Photo Habitat, Lens and Repro, etc.

What is your definitions of professional and cheap? Someone in Manhattan that can do a "professional" milling job is not necessarily going to be "cheap".

[John Schneider]

No shop will touch a job for $5-10; heck, I won't even look at it myself for that little. Machine shop rates begin at about $40/hr and go up from there -- when I worked in aerospace, $80/hr was reasonable in the early 90's. If you want to do it that cheaply, I would suggest buying a decent import vise, a good hacksaw and a new mill bastard file. That'll set you back $100, but it will amortize out after several boards.

[Rider]

$40/hr doesn't seem unreasonable, but I wouldn't have thought this would take more than 15 minutes (if that long).

No shop will touch a job for $5-10; heck, I won't even look at it myself for that little. Machine shop rates begin at about $40/hr and go up from there -- when I worked in aerospace, $80/hr was reasonable in the early 90's. If you want to do it that cheaply, I would suggest buying a decent import vise, a good hacksaw and a new mill bastard file. That'll set you back $100, but it will amortize out after several boards.

[David A. Goldfarb]

The cost of mailing three lensboards is less than subway fare. If there's no rush, send it out.

[Rider]

At this point, there is no longer a rush. Can you recommend places outside of NYC that can do this by mail?

The cost of mailing three lensboards is less than subway fare. If there's no rush, send it out.

[Nick_3536]

Dremel? If they already have holes and you just need them enlarged just take your time.

You ask about the weird sizes? I'm guessing you want modern shutters and they're cut for older US imperial sized shutters.