Acrylic Hot Spots, Where To Get 8x20 Ground Glass and Mini Rant

[Denis Pleic]

Hi Richard,

If you were a bit closer (I'm in Croatia ), I'd be more than glad to make you one, for the cost of piece of glass purchased and cut to shape (with cut corners) at the glass store. Perhaps not as good as Satin Snow, but quite usable.

I made several in 4x5 and 8x10, for myself and a couple of friends. As Eric mentioned, it's the DIY method - just clear window glass and some elbow grease, combined with some grinding compound.

Since we're separated by an ocean , you really might try the DIY solution... It's not that difficult, and the results might be quite usable.

I use a sturdy work surface, and a piece of THICK glass on top of that, as the base: I spread some grinding compound on top of that thick glass (I've heard the guys in the USA use "valve grinding compound", whatever that is), mixed with a bit of water, and place the glass to be ground on top of that, and just swirl it around, applying enough pressure... I wash the glass every now and then and dry it, to check the evenness, and after a while (approx 15-20 minutes for a 4x5 GG), it's more or less done....

Not really rocket science, so if you really can't get one, why not make it yourself?

Regards,

Denis

[RichardRitter]

Think of it this way. The bigger the glass the easily it breaks the more it weights. Glass for a 8 x 20 camera should be 1/8 to 3/16 inch thick to get the best protection against breakage. The ground glass on a camera when they break, breaks into long sharp pieces of glass that can and will given the chance go through the bellows and try to cut you up. How do I know this I have received a few camera where the glass broke and went through the bellows.

[resummerfield]

Try Geert Vanden Broeck at GVB. He made an excellent gg for my 7x17. I was concerned that it was made in Belgium and had to be shipped to Alaska, but Geert packed it very well and it arrived in perfect condition.

[Richard K.]

Thank you all so much for your informed and useful replies (and why aren't we out there on this beautiful (in Toronto) Sunday, huh, hmmm?!?). I just may go the DIY route; I'm sure Timothy O'Sullivan and Carleton Watkins had to do at least that!!

[phil sweeney]

http://stores.ebay.com/Brilliant-Gro...Q3amesstQQtZkm

[Nathan Potter]

I described how I grind my glass in a post here about a week or two ago. Check ground glass in search. It's pretty easy to do.

Nate Potter, Austin TX.

[C. D. Keth]

I described how I grind my glass in a post here about a week or two ago. Check ground glass in search. It's pretty easy to do.

Nate Potter, Austin TX.

...and the results, with some patience, can easily be better than many commercial ggs. I've ground my own and found it about equal in fineness to a sinar glass but it measured about 2/3 of a stop brighter.

[Tracy Storer]

You could also even things up with a nice fresnel. : )

[wfwhitaker]

http://stores.ebay.com/Brilliant-Gro...Q3amesstQQtZkm

This is Steve Hopf's Ebay seller site. I've ordered ground glass for several cameras and have been very pleased with both the product and Steve's service.