Springs are on!
I still need to finish-coat the mahogany spring anchors. The wooden anchors look dull b/c they are.
Springs are on!
I still need to finish-coat the mahogany spring anchors. The wooden anchors look dull b/c they are.
Last edited by Michael Roberts; 15-Feb-2024 at 11:57.
Thanks Michael! I don't have your skill so I had to purchase. And yes I still love the format and still have the Ebony 810 slw and 5x8 back. I'm a wide lens guy, so for me the appeal was to create a camera that would utilize the 120 deg and large image circle of the super angulon 72XL.
I look forward to following you as you complete and get to using your very custom 5x8!
I still have some adjustments to make, but I got everything assembled this afternoon!
Bellows installed, rear brackets installed, hinges, and front standard.
This has been a long time coming, and it feels good to see it come together, literally.
Thanks for all the views and to those of you who have commented.
20 1/2" of bellows, equivalent to 25.5” on 8x10, and I think there is more to be had if I make a longer extension rail.
By the way, there is a reason I have not yet posted a picture of the camera when closed. Well, three reasons, actually.
I need to add a pin and retaining clip. That's the easy part.
The hard part is I forgot the low-profile steel knobs have a raised area on the inside, sort of like a built in washer, that adds 1/16th" to the thickness of the knob. The consequence is I need to route 1/16th off the inside of the rail so the front standard will fit. This is doable. In fact, I had to do the same thing with my 7x11 camera build, and this 5x8 requires much less material to be removed. It's just going to take a little time and thought to get the right router bit and set up to do the cuts.
The third, and scary but as it turns out not so hard issue, is that I set the rear bracket anchor 1/4" too close to the front of the camera base. Thus, the rear brackets won't fold up inside the camera. Instead, the right angle studs hit the top of the slots in the sides of the rear frame and prevent closing. So I took a hammer and chisel to my beautiful new camera. Fortunately, the plywood pieces of the rear bracket anchors came off cleanly and I can reuse them and set them 1/4 to 1/2" further back.
I'm heading out of town today, so my agenda is set for when I return.
Again, I'm reminded that if Large Format was easy, everybody would do it.
Good to know! Thanks!
Last edited by Michael Roberts; 17-Feb-2024 at 16:50.
I reset the plywood pieces of the rear bracket anchors further back. I also glued in additional 1/4 mahogany pieces 3/4" x 1/2" against the rear wall of the base so I can switch out the screws in the hinges to 1/2" to provide a more secure fastening. I will let these pieces dry overnight before changing/attaching fasteners.
Pretty tired from a quick overnight trip to Estes Park and a late night. I might get to the closing pin and retaining clip later this evening or else I'll tackle it tomorrow along with routing out the inside of the rail. It feels good to be making progress again!
Last edited by Michael Roberts; 18-Feb-2024 at 07:45.
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