Anyone in Los Angeles willing to help(or know someone) mount some flanges on boards?

[Daniel Stone]

Hi all,

I've contacted S.K. Grimes regarding having them do this for me, however, with two Red Dot Artars(24" and 30") waiting to be used , and film awaiting "the light" from these two beauties, I'm in need of some help.

A great friend who would normally have given his time and machine shop to help me with doing this passed away last month , so I'm kinda "up a creek" w/o a local option I can turn to.

Here is what I'm looking to have done:
I have (2) lens flanges w/ mounting hardware I need to mount to Canham 110mm x 110mm lensboards. I will be needing the boards to be bored to the correct diameter internally, along with holes drilled+tapped to accept the screws I have for the flanges.

Is there anyone here in Los Angeles that I could trade a 24pack, or a box of film, or some cash, that will help me achieve my desired results? I'd normally be fine with waiting for SKGrimes, but I'd like to keep my business "local" if possible.

I'm in the eastern LA county, but I'm willing to drive almost anywhere(or ship it if its over 30mi or so each way) to get this done in a timely manner.

thanks for your time

-Dan

[Leigh]

Hi Dan,

I'll do it gratis if you pick up shipping both ways.

I'm a machinist with a full machine shop.

- Leigh

[John Kasaian]

If the boards are wood or composite, any local High School or vocational college wood shop teacher should be able to do that for you.

[Leigh]

That's an interesting question.

I was assuming metal, and would only consider working with metal boards.

- Leigh

[Gem Singer]

Canham lens boards are made of thick anodized aircraft aluminum. Milled from a solid block of metal.

Not easy to bore out, but possible with the proper equipment.

No need to drill and tap the flanges onto the lens boards. Merely screw the flanges onto the rear threads of the shutters, They will hold the shutters against the lens boards with friction like a normal retainer ring.

[cdholden]

Canham lens boards are made of thick anodized aircraft aluminum. Milled from a solid block of metal.

Not easy to bore out, but possible with the proper equipment.

No need to drill and tap the flanges onto the lens boards. Merely screw the flanges onto the rear threads of the shutters, They will hold the shutters against the lens boards with friction like a normal retainer ring.

Fleming Machine Shop in Knoxville, TN mounted some lenses to Canham boards (some required boring out from smaller holes) for me a few months ago. It looked pretty easy, but with as you say,"the proper equipment". They have huge metal lathes, and several people on staff. They do great work, and fast if you let them know you don't want to pick up later.

[Daniel Stone]

Thanks to Leigh,

this matter is now closed

-Dan

[Leigh]

Canham lens boards are made of thick anodized aircraft aluminum. Milled from a solid block of metal.
Not easy to bore out, but possible with the proper equipment.

I work 7075 (aka corrosion-resistant 2024) aluminum all the time. Not a problem.

In fact it's the only aluminum alloy that I stock. I only buy 6061 if somebody requests it.

- Leigh

[gth]

Canham lens boards are made of thick anodized aircraft aluminum. Milled from a solid block of metal.

Not easy to bore out, but possible with the proper equipment.

No need to drill and tap the flanges onto the lens boards. Merely screw the flanges onto the rear threads of the shutters, They will hold the shutters against the lens boards with friction like a normal retainer ring.

Sorry if I am hijacking your thread, but I have been meaning to ask about this very issue. I have a Commercial Ektar that came to me mounted to a lens board by clamping from behind. However the way these flanges are constructed it seems the intention was to mount them "properly" from the front.

Are there any advantages/disadvantages with either method??

The clamping could create stress on the shutter body especially if the lens board is not perfectly even??

The front mounted flange would permit interchange of lenses with the same flange thread? BUt also limit to such lenses?

Flange mount from front positions the lens at a specific distant from the lens board, and thus the optical center precisely (designed for) in relation to center tilt axis?

.... does it matter at all, optically and technically??

[Gem Singer]

gth,

Assuming that the shutter is mounted flat against the lens board, is held tightly, and is not tilted side to side or up and down, there is no disadvantage optically or technically to using a flange on the back.

Flanges usually use screws to hold them in place and work best on thick wooden lens boards. True, it is possible interchange different lenses with the same thread when using a flange. However, that method works best with barrel lenses that don't have built-in shutters.

As long as your Commercial Ektar is mounted securely and straight using the flange as a jamb nut, use it in the best of health and happiness.