Hi Jayavant,
I hocked my soul to get it. No, not really, but the Oz dollar was 79.5 against the American dollar at the time so I ended up paying about $2600 for the camera and with the ten film holders 300mm Nikkor lens, lenswrench, darkcloth and two packs of 8x10 film, it came to about $4100 plus $448 in import duty. With the Oz dollar at over 90 cents against the greenback, now would be the time to buy.
Making your own would be fun, and I'm currently in the throes of designing my own 4x5 and 8x10 cameras to be made from carbon fibre and plastics as far as possible. Without a cad program for my computer at work, it's taken me several years and lots and lots of A1 1mm graph paper to get it right. I'm doing my final drawings now and then I have to find someone here in Geelong who can help me with making the molds for the layup.
Unfortunately, I am very computer illiterate and haven't got a clue how to put my stuff online. My partner says I should get off my lazy butt and get my brother (who teaches computers) to help me. He, however, is a knowall and asking him would be like asking Ansel Adams how to press the shutter on a point and shoot. He'd do it for me but I wouldn't really learn anything.
If you've wandered round Geelong then you might perhaps know Buckley Falls. I was there the weekend before Easter and got some shots of the old paper mill with a perfect reflection in the river at around 7 in the morning. I haven't processed the shots yet, but I think I've got a couple of winners there.
Which section of CSIRO did you work at? I have a friend from work who lives in Henry street just opposite the front gates, and I have acouple of other friends who work at the Animal Health Lab near the Eastern Gardens.
Cheers
Mike