Lens mounting options - LF

[John Bartley]

While whipping out a couple of these Dead Link Removed (photo available daytime eastern only) I had an idea about lens mounting. Every wooden lensboard that I've seen which mounts a lens with a retaining ring rather than a flange, uses a thin layer of the wood for a sandwich between lens and ring. Would a bit of 1/8" aluminum plate screwnailed to the front of the lens board not work just as well and sandwich the aluminum between lens and ring? Instead of having to cut a stepped hole in the board, just cut a hole in the board larger than you need by about an inch and mount the lens on the aluminum plate? - Sorry no picture of plate.

 

[noseoil]

John, no reason an 1/8" rabbet cut for an 1/8" aluminum plate won't work. You could mount it in front or behind. I would put a thin "gasket" in there somewhere as a compression surface to make friction do its job. tim

 

[Charles Webb]

John,
I have made many lens boards totally out of 1/8 aluminum plate, as well as many out of masonite, wood and other fibre board. They all worked very well.
To make the plate as you sugest to me would be extra work and really not achieve that much. I like to use a self adhisive Black felt backing I buy at Walmart to do what Tim suggests.

Charlie............................

 

[rbarker]

Here's a variation on the idea for you, John. Instead of aluminum, use brass, and cut an interesting filagree pattern around the edges. Then, simply inlay that into the (exotic) wood base using marquetry techniques.

Personally, I just use a large forstner bit in a drill press to countersink the back prior to drilling the lens hole from the front (also with a forstner bit). A jig with a router could also be used, of course.