3D printers of camera and darkroom kit

[eli griggs]

Who here is already using 3D printers to make bit and pieces for their kit?

How useful is what you’ve made and can you share your data for useful lens caps, Minolta 16 film cartridge, film containers, lens cases, like the FSU Jupiter 11 hard case, etc?

I have a Bambu A1 but haven’t used it yet and starting projects are welcomed.

 

[eli griggs]

What 3D tools and gear would you make for your kit or, others, with your own 3D printers and what filaments would you suggest and why?

Would you try film mask for the Hasselblad or 4” x 5” holders?

How would you fill the micro fine layer lines?

 

[grahamp]

Are you trying to justify having the printer?

My own photographic/related designs: a couple of Graflok-compatible backs for view cameras, lens board reducing adaptors, and an adaptor to use 4x5 film holders with a 2x3 Galvin.
Some other minor bits.

Other peoples': Morton Kolve's WillTravel cameras, Edgar Kech's 6x12 roll film back.

Just some highlights. If something exists and is reasonably obtainable, and I need it, I would probably go for the original. Otherwise ideas have to compete for my time with other things. And not everything is best done with a 3D printer (of any type). My printer is six years old now, but it should have a few more years yet.

 

[koraks]

Have been using one for a few years now for various odds & ends, including darkroom stuff. It's convenient to have one around. One thing that worked quite well was a set of negative holders for different formats for my enlarger. But at some point I ran into some proper holders/masks so I've been using those, since. But the printed ones were pretty good as well.

starting projects are welcomed

The lens cap idea sounds a like a good place to start. Look into 3d design/sketching software, pick something you like, then give it a whirl. Set up a workflow that works for you. Personally I use Fusion for the design part and Cura for slicing. I've never printed any 3rd party designs so can't really help you with that.

 

[koraks]

What 3D tools and gear would you make for your kit or, others, with your own 3D printers and what filaments would you suggest and why?

Most of the time I just use PLA because it's easy to work with. Some of the time I've used PETG but I've honestly never seen a very clear benefit to it.

Would you try film mask for the Hasselblad or 4” x 5” holders?

No. I don't have a Hasselblad.
4x5" holders aren't too expensive or too difficult to find so I don't see the point in printing them. If I had to, I would print the frame and then obtain some sheet material for the dark slide as it doesn't make much sense to try and print that IMO.

How would you fill the micro fine layer lines?

Ensure the printer is set up properly to begin with. Use a fine printing detail so layer height is kept low, which keeps the seams small. Design the part in such a way that any walls that need to be light proof are reasonably thick. Start by printing it with a high infill percentage (up to 100%). Then observe the result. Use whatever measure is feasible to fix any problems; this can vary from tape + tinfoil to paint to redesigning the part or adjusting printing parameters. There's no one-size-fits-all.

 

[Kino]

Try searching for existing 3D designs.

https://www.thingiverse.com/ is a good place to start.

 

[Jessxi]

I make lens boxes for all my LF lenses, lens caps.

I just recently prototyped and printed a tripod mount for a majestic tripod head that I bought. I will send the file to a print contractor to get printed in stainless steel.

One thing I make that I didn’t think I would have a lot of trust in is threaded lens boards, which have held up wonderfully. I make them with petg cf.

I’d like to try and print one of the 6x12 cameras that a few designers have published online.

 

[eli griggs]

I am aiming to print push-on hoods for my Hasselblad lenses, based on the 3D hood and caps that came with the 3D hood for the 50mm lens I just bought.

Its a clean design, fine lines, and as good a design as I could want as a starting piece/place to begin.

I happened to recently receive a bottle of Black 4.0 recently, which is thick, syurp-like acrylic. paint that needs letting down a just little bit, with raw medium, that will fill the print line groove's for a smooth non-reflective surface, and should meet my needs, and will test this out on my first prints.

 

[eli griggs]

Most of the time I just use PLA because it's easy to work with. Some of the time I've used PETG but I've honestly never seen a very clear benefit to it.


No. I don't have a Hasselblad.
4x5" holders aren't too expensive or too difficult to find so I don't see the point in printing them. If I had to, I would print the frame and then obtain some sheet material for the dark slide as it doesn't make much sense to try and print that IMO.


Ensure the printer is set up properly to begin with. Use a fine printing detail so layer height is kept low, which keeps the seams small. Design the part in such a way that any walls that need to be light proof are reasonably thick. Start by printing it with a high infill percentage (up to 100%). Then observe the result. Use whatever measure is feasible to fix any problems; this can vary from tape + tinfoil to paint to redesigning the part or adjusting printing parameters. There's no one-size-fits-all.

I was not clear about the 4”x5” masks, which can be read as holders Properly.

i was referring to masks to reduce the 4”x5” film or sheet paper image/exposed by way of a 3D printed mask, not the holders themselves.

 

[grahamp]

Acetone vapour will seal the layers with ABS prints. There is no practical equivalent with other filament types, to my knowledge.

 

[4season]

Between Thingiverse and Printables.com, I've often found the thing I wanted. But I've also become more proficient at creating my own. I'd still consider myself a FreeCAD novice, but the more I use it, the more sense it makes, and I've gotten better at envisioning how I'll combine multiple simple elements to create the desired object.

But for better or worse, some Thingiverse members upload 3D-scanned objects which may or may not actually be printable, so I prefer those items which have reports of successful builds.

Some stuff, I don't bother with: For example, unless I need the part right now, I'm not going to waste time in printing Canon EF-mount rear caps when I can buy a half-dozen, injection-molded parts for very little money.

But 3D-printed lens shades can work great: They weigh nothing, they're impact-resistant, and if you lose or break one, print another!

For film cassettes, I've had success with Proto-Pasta's opaque black HTPLA. A 50 gram coil ought to be good for quite a few 16 mm film cassettes.