Best source for ground glass

[larkis]

Where would I be able to find a ground glass for a 4x5 camera (bush pressman). The camera fell and the glass broke so i need to get a new one.

 

[wildbill]

Dead Link Removed
don't worry about the smoke flavor
if he has a long wait, try ebay

 

[Ian Grant]

It's got to be Dead Link Removed after all he's a member of APUG.

Ian

 

[GeorgesGiralt]

Hi !
I second Ian advice for GVB. Their Lumigrid is awesome ! the grid is not here unless you need it and here it is ! Fantastic !
Add to that perfect service and great packing....
Just my 2 ¢

 

[Ian Leake]

Steve Hopf does pretty good GG too (http://stores.ebay.com/Brilliant-Ground-Glass) - and delivers very, very quickly too...

 

[Deckled Edge]

I have been very impressed with my 4 Satin Snow GGs, and Dave is great. There is a wait, but it's worth it. If you need to use the camera quickly, get any old GG, but order from Satin Snow. It will be the best part of your camera, and you'll be less likely to drop it next time.

 

[argus]

Where would I be able to find a ground glass for a 4x5 camera (bush pressman). The camera fell and the glass broke so i need to get a new one.

Hello Larkis,

my delivery schedule is currently 3 to 4 weeks.

Kind regards,
Geert

 

[rcoda]

Try making your own. It only takes a few minutes.

We had a demonstration at one of our Imageworks meetings here in Phoenix. This is the source...

http://www.dokasphotos.com/techniques/ground_glass/

 

[Mark Sawyer]

If you need one in pinch, spray-on glass frosting (Ace Hardware/Home Depot/etc.) will give you a pretty good "ground glass" from regular window glass in as much time as it takes to spray and dry. Not quite as good as an actual ground glass, but surprisingly close, and you can have it today for cheap. A great substitute til the real thing arrives!

 

[freygr]

I was talking to a large format photographer which own a photo store and he said "I have use wax paper for ground glass in a pinch"

 

[smieglitz]

I've installed a sheet of frosted acrylic in an 8x10. It works and I no longer worry about breakage.

 

[mark]

My Satin Snow GG is a godsend with my slow lenses. That being said the GG in my Busch Pressman broke and was easily replaced with a Zone IV one from Calumet, many years ago, so there are options.

Good to see another Pressman owner. I call it my 4x5 sherman tank.

 

[freygr]

Making Ground Glass is the easy part, getting the correct thickness and cutting to size are the hard parts.

 

[larkis]

My Satin Snow GG is a godsend with my slow lenses. That being said the GG in my Busch Pressman broke and was easily replaced with a Zone IV one from Calumet, many years ago, so there are options.

Good to see another Pressman owner. I call it my 4x5 sherman tank.

LOL, yes it is a tank. I actually use a ebony now. But the bush is being used by a friend of mine who wants to get into it. I have shot hundreds of negs with the bush and besides the weight and limited movements i can't say anything bad about it.

 

[Ian Leake]

Steve Hopf does pretty good GG too (http://stores.ebay.com/Brilliant-Ground-Glass) - and delivers very, very quickly too...

I ordered a set of custom sized GG's rcently: two "almost" 11x14s and an 8x10 with clipped corners to fit my Ebony. Even though these were custom sizes Steve shipped them within a week and they got to me within four - that's including international shipping plus a week sitting in the UK postal service's depot being ignored. Best of all, the 11x14 is at least a stop brighter than my old handmade GG

 

[Phillip P. Dimor]

I've made several ground glasses. I'm sure they can't compete with the professionals but i'm still using mine after 3 years. I used silicon carbide grit. Some people (fools?) use that alloy wheel cleaner with that nasty chemical, no thanks. I like my flesh attached.

1lb. of grit is like $8 from Kingsley North. I used picture frame glass. 1 16x20 piece made a lot of spares.
I like to start with a course grind and work up to 600-800 grit. Valve grinding compound will also work but is usually much coarser.
SatinSnow and the Lumigrid look fantastic and I am contemplating purchasing one. It's nice to be self-sufficient though.

 

[2F/2F]

The Satin Snow Website sez they have closed up shop for good.

I can't help but think it's quite ironic that there is a disclaimer that they are manufactured in a smoking environment followed by an announcement of closure due to health problems.

 

[Phillip P. Dimor]

I just noticed that as well and thought the same thing.
My grandmother, a Turkish immigrant.. smoked two packs of cigarettes a day since she was 12. She was even buried with a carton. She passed away from old age and a thyroid gland that decided it had enough. It's weird like that I guess.

 

[2F/2F]

Woah, Valdosta, GA! Haven't heard that name in a while. It is near Waycross, right? On that diagonal highway that cuts from I-95 to I-10, between Savannah and Tallahasee? I was stationed in Charleston, SC for quite a while, and passed those two towns several times on various road trips. The SE is a beautiful place, and I miss it quite often.

 

[Phillip P. Dimor]

Yeah! I'm like 40 minutes away from Waycross! Out in the middle of nowhere! Rt. 82 and 84 I believe. That is definitely an eyeopener. I'm really a northerner from Massachusetts. The first time I came down south, I drove down 82/84 and was absolutely horrified. I thought 'where am I going to find a job here? at a church? a gas station? a christmas tree farm?' Can you imagine finding sheet film here? I can't. I found the one photography store within 75 miles and asked if they had black and white sheet film. They said no and asked if I wanted a job. I said yes.

OTOH, standard ground shipping from KEH arrives on the same day sometimes.

What did you think of Waycross? Did you get some roadside boiled peanuts?

 

[k_jupiter]

The Satin Snow Website sez they have closed up shop for good.

I can't help but think it's quite ironic that there is a disclaimer that they are manufactured in a smoking environment followed by an announcement of closure due to health problems.

Weird,

I just had some communication with Dave a couple of weeks ago. He's way too busy making GG for some camera makers but promised that if I place an order, it would eventually be filled. His GG is truly wonderful.

As for presuming you have a diagnosis of what's wrong with Dave or his family, that smacks on being a bit pretentious, don't you think?

tim in san jose

 

[Phillip P. Dimor]

Weird,

I just had some communication with Dave a couple of weeks ago. He's way too busy making GG for some camera makers but promised that if I place an order, it would eventually be filled. His GG is truly wonderful.

As for presuming you have a diagnosis of what's wrong with Dave or his family, that smacks on being a bit pretentious, don't you think?

tim in san jose

[FONT=Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Sans-serif][SIZE=-1][/SIZE][/FONT]I have no idea what or why this person I do not know is not taking new orders. Pretentious? I was merely reflecting on the irony of the current web page. I sometimes forget that sarcasm and cynicism are two attributes which do not translate on web forums.

I do hope he's okay.[FONT=Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Sans-serif][SIZE=-1][/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Sans-serif][SIZE=-1][/SIZE][/FONT]

 

[k_jupiter]

I have no idea what or why this person I do not know is not taking new orders. Pretentious? I was merely reflecting on the irony of the current web page. I sometimes forget that sarcasm and cynicism are two attributes which do not translate on web forums.

I do hope he's okay.

Phillip. I didn't know you were also 2F/2F. Whatever.

I suspect that translation or not, cynicism and sarcasm are probably not appropriate in discussions about the health of a fellow forum member.

That is all.

tim in san jose

 

[craigclu]

I work in a large corporation in the development and production of diamond based abrasives. Every year, more applications are switching to diamond from sil/carb, alum/oxide, etc. They find the life to be many times that of the other materials and the better diamond products have much more closely graded particle sizes (much less size range on the grit). This allows very steady working pressures and more predictable results, less scratching from protrusions and typically more quickly accomplished work. There are a great deal of materials that find no advantage using diamonds but glass in just about any form is an ideal application. Simple compounds containing cerium oxide in conjunction with diamond-based products are especially fast and effective at producing specific finishes.

Are any of you actively making your own gg? What size and style of finishing material is typical? Is it a flat-lapping sort of process? What micron or mesh range is effective? Feel free to PM me and I could likely find some scraps/samples if you're curious to try.

 

[2F/2F]

As for presuming you have a diagnosis of what's wrong with Dave or his family, that smacks on being a bit pretentious, don't you think?

tim in san jose

I do not, nor did I, presume to know the details. I was not trying to say that the smoking is causing his problems at all. The last thing I want to do is be an anti smoking crusader on a photography Website. I only commented on something that *appeared* ironic when viewed. It was not a comment about Dave, but a comment on accidental humor, I guess you might say.

I do not know Dave, but I wish him well. I am sure we have all been affected by health issues with those we know and love. I sure have. My apologies for making myself unclear and for finding humor in the area immediately surrounding a sensitive issue.