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Gauging interest in a metal lensboard cutting service

EASmithV

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I had an idea and wanted to see if there was anything to it... I hope this isn't the wrong place, as I am not as of yet actually advertising any service, but only gauging possible interest to see if it would be a worthwhile idea.

In a quest to build a maker/creative space for myself, I came across a vintage 1947 South Bend machine lathe in a barn, which I subsequently rebuilt. However, being short on tooling, I started to think about simple ways that I could put the machine to productive use, so I could afford to expand it's capabilities, and honor my grandfather who taught me to use such machines.

Would there be any community interest in custom cut lensboards? I could cut any metal (or wood or plastic) lensboard blank for whatever size lens diameter desired, provided a blank/undersized lensboard, and the lens desired to fit. Graflex/linhof/shen hao metal lensboards would probably be the best served by this type of thing.

Again, I am not actively doing this at the moment, just gauging feasibility. For now, let's say a ~4.5" board or less would be the largest size to start off with?

A lathe of a compatible era as most graflexes, to be used for this type of work, appeals to me personally, if only for the sake of verisimilitude. I'd love to someday do more work on such cameras, maybe that can be my retirement business in 45 years if I gain the skills to do so.
 

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AgX

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I am myself long time thinking of getting a lathe in house, large enough for turning and milling let's say a MF bayonet. Which of course would be quite a machine.

However for making a hole into a lensboard it seems overkill and most likely even needs adapting. Instead a good drillstand and a adjustable scraping drill should work and yield a nice cut.


Of course we got people here wanting to get rid of any hassle and others who think "as long as I can do it myself".
 
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EASmithV

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I don't believe in overkill haha. If I did, I'd just use a cell phone camera and not large format.

You can do similar operations on various machines. You can actually even turn small parts on a milling machine. With a 4 jaw chuck and a plunge cut, I would trust a lathe over a drill press simply because the work holding is more secure and it's easier to center and hold the work, should not need adapting...

However you are right that a drill press would make it much much easier to perform work on larger boards, and honestly would probably work just fine on most. I wish I had thought of that idea myself years ago, we had a press but I was using a dremel.

I guess this kinds of answers my question though. Where there's a will, there's a way, and not really a marketable one?

Maybe making retaining rings is a better move, if a bit more difficult.
 
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AgX

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EASmithV said:
I don't believe in overkill haha.
Click to expand...
Well, my thinking of getting a lathe in house already is kind of overkill in the workshop. How many pieces I could bring to one of those lathe-shops in my neighbourhood (or send to you) before that machine would be paid off...


Yes, of course you need a chuck with 4 jaws, independently adjustable.
But my thought was at how thin the boards might be he gets in? As the bords are only resting on the chuck at their edges and thus bulging at the center at turning. No idea though how critical this can get.

At a drillstand you just put a piece of thick cardboard under the lensboard as support.

Of course you could mimic such set-up by substituting a chuck by a board-style receptacle.
 

Don_ih

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A metal lathe is easily as versatile as a drill press and much, much more rigid. Not only could you cut the hole in the board, you could thread the hole, also (although taps are expensive).

A faceplate can have a piece of wood screwed to it with the lensboard profile routed out of it. The lensboard sits in that, with a couple of holddowns, and the hole is drilled in it. That keeps the board from deflecting while the hole is drilled. And it's reusable for as many such boards as you want to do.
 

AgX

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"Faceplate" for a lathe is the term I was lacking and tried to describe instead...
 
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EASmithV

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I guess it would depend on the board? My Graflex boards are way thinner that the linhoff type used on my Intrepid. The jaws of the chuck provide some support, so they aren't only just gripped on the edges but have some support in the back? A slow cut and high rpm would minimize bowing during cutting, it's not like we don't look through our view cams when framing a shot in any case.

Some testing would be required to be sure. But I wouldn't think that to be as critical as the actual diameter of the cut to keep the lens itself from shifting, which from cutouts that I have done on a drill press were somewhat hard to get very precise.
 

Don_ih

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EASmithV said:
cutouts that I have done on a drill press were somewhat hard to get very precise.
Click to expand...

There's no problem getting just as precise a hole cut on the drill press. Using a pilot bit to get the centre helps. Reducing the distance from work-piece to chuck to the absolute minimum helps, also. The more extended the shaft of the press, the more wobbly it is.

Anyway, for a single aluminum board, I'd mark the circle in pencil and use a router to cut freehand. That would be the fastest and easiest way.
 
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EASmithV

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Yeesh you must have a steadier hand than me. I routed out some holes in a vanity I installed for the water lines recently and I can't imagine doing it accurately enough to be light tight
 
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EASmithV

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Though plywood probably gives a lot more resistance
 

Don_ih

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EASmithV said:
Though plywood probably gives a lot more resistance
Click to expand...

Because plywood has grain going in different directions layer to layer, the router can get pulled in unexpected ways. Going slowly solves that problem.
 

Craig

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I'd use a rotary table in a milling machine, then I get a perfect circle in a controlled way.
 

AgX

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You can mill such at lathe too.
The advantage of a rotary table is control of rotation angle which is unnecessary here.



Anyway, I started a discussion here on metal-working techniques. But let's see now how big interest for such lensboard service by EA is at this forum.
 
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TheFlyingCamera

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If you could combine the service of drilling lens boards with a service making flanges/retaining rings, you would have a customer in me. I have a couple lenses right now that need flanges/boards. The blank boards I can supply no problem.

I wish I had space for a lathe and the other stuff to drill lens boards. I used to have a drill press (long story) and while it does work for drilling lens boards, those fly cutters you need to use are a nasty accident waiting to happen. I count myself lucky that I never got injured by it, but I did have a close call when a board I was drilling vibrated loose from the clamps I thought I had secured it with and started spinning. So yeah, lathe over drill press.
 

AgX

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TheFlyingCamera said:
If you could combine the service of drilling lens boards with a service making flanges/retaining rings, you would have a customer in me. I have a couple lenses right now that need flanges/boards. The blank boards I can supply no problem.
Click to expand...

I take similar view. By offering such you actually could achieve a stand-alone-position to those fellows without an own lathe or a willing machinist around.
 

john_s

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It's handy to know someone with a lathe. I had a Beseler lens board that was too thick for the short thread on a lens to leave room for the threaded retaining ring, so my friend put it on his lathe and made it thinner just around the hole (I don't know the correct terminology). Unfortunately he died of a rare cancer: he had worked for many years for a well known international chemical/ agricultural spray company and may have been exposed to too much product.
I'd love to have a lathe but really could hardly justify it.
 

Michel Hardy-Vallée

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First off, what a beautiful machine! I'm fascinated by metal and precision tools, and this is quite the beauty.

Second, if the lensboard business does not take off, have you considered custom step-up / step-down rings? These things are a pain to shop for.

Finally, I'm sure there are plenty of little bits and pieces you could machine that would be useful. I'm thinking for instance of screw-in eyecups for certain models of cameras.
 

PrairiePhotographer

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I bought a metal lens board from macguyver909 on eBay or my Graflex 4x5. It is excellent. I don't know what his technique is (lathe?) but thought you might want to be aware of his offering if you aren't already.
 
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