My Walnut 14x17 is under construction!

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Jim Fitzgerald

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Jon, that is a good question . I had to look at the last camera I built (the 11x14) so I could tell. It is glued to the frame on the inside. The back is very tight to the inside of the box and the front I'm going to make it like I did the 11x14 in which the bellows frame slides into place and then is secured with brass fittings like my Zone VI. Once you see it it is not to hard to do.

Jim
 

Andrew O'Neill

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Hey Jim, happy to see your camera is coming together. I finally got all my wood sorted and will begin cutting next week. This teaching gig gets in the way of everything! Looks like my camera will way a ton or so. Oh well, as long as it works. I'll most likely make my own bellows, but we'll see. I'm planning on it attaching to a frame, which will then be screwed to the inside of the rear standard and backside of front standard.
I wanted to ask you what DR are you getting with a development time of 7 minutes? Funny, I use the same dilution as you, but develop (tray, int agitation, 21C) for 14:00 to get a DR of 1.70 on xray. I am using the green latitude stuff. Perhaps that is why?
Making tissue today. Just realized the clocks went back one hour last night!! Yes! One more hour of tissue making!
 

Dan Dozer

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Hi Jim,

Looks like you'll have it done in time for Joshua Tree - or should I plan on a trip over to Matt's some weekend to check it out? If so, let me know when you guys are getting together to work on it and I'll try to make the trip to Riverside. Looks like it's coming along very well and I'm looking forward to seeing it when completed.

Now - tell me the truth - is this the last one????????

Dan
 
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Jim Fitzgerald

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Okay taking a break from developing the 11x14 and 8x20 negatives from my last two trips. So far they look great.

Andrew, just looked at my x-ray negatives from my Zion trip and they are all above 2.00. I even have one that is 3.13! This was the inside of an old building shooting through to the brightly lit outside. Can't wait to print that one! I do my 8x10's in a tank. The x-ray negatives were the last of a batch of Efke 25 that I used 2:2:100 on and they came in around 1.70-2.12 DR. I thought why not use the same developer and guess what it gave me nice negatives even after several sheets of Efke.

Dan unless they start making x-ray film in 20x24 or 16x20 this is it! It is going to be nice and it is looking good. Matt and I are going to work on it the weekend after Thanksgiving. Friday-Sunday. Come on by if you have time. It would be great to see you.

Jim
 

Dan Dozer

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Jim,

I seem to remember after the 11 x 14 you said that was it. We'll wait and see if you go any farther!

Thanksgiving weekend works for me - I'll come over one day and bring some beer and some of my latest and greatest for you both to enjoy/critique.

Dan
 
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Jim Fitzgerald

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Dan, that would be awesome. Can't wait to see the new work. I'll be sure to bring some of my new carbons for you to see and maybe some surprises also????

I know I did say that after the 11x14 "no more!" but with 14x17 x-ray film being only .80-.90 a sheet what can I do. Sure beats $325.00+ a box of 25 sheets for the regular stuff. Now I just have to save for more holders. Two is not going to be enough. Now I just have to figure how I'm going to carry this beast??

Jim
 
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Jim Fitzgerald

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I took some funky pictures with my cheezy cell phone camera. Don't own a digital camera so this is the best I could do. some shots of the front standard, back box and the front swing nob.

Jim
 

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Robert Hall

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Jim,

Why don't you describe what your finish process is for the camera. I see some Watco stain, what color is it? What else are you putting on the wood?
 

jon.oman

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Jim,

How do you process such a large x-ray negative? I believe you said tanks, but where do you find a film hanger that large?
 
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Jim Fitzgerald

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Okay, as far as the finishing goes I use the Watco walnut oil and sand with diamond hand pads to 1500 grit. Progressively from 220 up. After 400 grit I am polishing the wood with oil. After that I just use wax, a couple of coats is all that is needed.

X-ray film that big will be done one at a time in a flat bottomed tray. I still have to make the hangers for the 11x14. Just haven't gotten around to it yet. You can get great neg's doing it this way. With my 8x10 I'm able to do four at a time in one gallon tanks. ULF is a different story.

Jim
 

jon.oman

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Thanks for the information Jim!
 

Andrew O'Neill

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jon.oman, I plan on doing the ziplock bag method with 14x17 xray in a flat bottomed tray. Works very well for 8x10, with very little solution required. I tested a heavy duty black plastic garbage bag and that also worked very well.
 

Andrew O'Neill

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I sourced a place locally that carries rather large ziplock bags. I'll have to check to see if they have bags big enough for 14x17, but I'm sure that they do. Developing with a ziplock bag is easy. Just place the bag in a tray, slip the film in, pour in developer, seal the bag up with just the slightest opening, then puff in some air from your mouth to keep the top of the bag from settling on the film, seal the bag all the way, agitate as desired, and Bob's yer uncle. After development, just pick up bag by corners and pour out developer, pour in stop, dump, pour in fix. I use a hardening fixer.
If you cannot find large ziplock bags, a heavy duty black plastic garbage bag works well. I like the ziplock bags, as you can see through them. Kind of nice being able to develop xray film (green latitude type) under a safe light rather than the dark.
There is a good thread concerning xray film here: http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?t=48099&page=31
 

jon.oman

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Andrew O'Neill said:
jon.oman, I plan on doing the ziplock bag method with 14x17 xray in a flat bottomed tray. Works very well for 8x10, with very little solution required. I tested a heavy duty black plastic garbage bag and that also worked very well.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the additional information Andrew!
 
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Jim Fitzgerald

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X-ray film is nice to have for alternative printing. I've done some more work on the camera but I will have to get some more pictures done when I can. Teaching a one on one carbon workshop this weekend so it will have to wait. I did get the geared rise and fall and the front swing done. Need to attach the gear tracks for the rise/fall and the front standard and bed will be pretty much done. Going to start on the back bed assembly. Looks like I'm going to put shift, swing and tilt on the back. It is starting to look real good.

Jim
 
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Jim Fitzgerald

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Put the front standard together last night. Still need to finish some brass work and do the tilt for the lens board but it is looking good. BTW the size of the front is 23" tall and 16" wide if anyone is curious.

Jim
 

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Andrew O'Neill

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Finally started building my 14x17. Got the base and, bed rails done. Will start on the frame for the back next week hopefully. I'm really taking my time with this. Jim, how's it going?
 
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Jim Fitzgerald

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Andrew O'Neill said:
Finally started building my 14x17. Got the base and, bed rails done. Will start on the frame for the back next week hopefully. I'm really taking my time with this. Jim, how's it going?
Click to expand...

Andrew, I finally decided to stop teaching carbon and concentrate on the camera this month. Still have some negatives to develop, make carbon prints and finally get my website up and running and build the camera! Oh, forgot going to Zion at the end of the month.

So here is where I'm at. I put the front tilt on today and I need to make some minor adjustments to it but it is done. The bottom back bed is done and I've cut the slots in the side of the rail for the bed to slide on. I have to cut the slots for the gear track and get that installed and then do the back. I sent my frames to Custom Bellows in England. The bellows is $395.00. It will be 36" long. Hope to get it in about 4 weeks. By then I should have everything else done. More pictures when I can.

Jim
 

eworkman

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Very cool Jim!
So why worry about 16x20 when 14x36 xray film is only $40 for 25 sheets?
Think outside the box/room/house
regards
Ed
 
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Jim Fitzgerald

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eworkman said:
Very cool Jim!
So why worry about 16x20 when 14x36 xray film is only $40 for 25 sheets?
Think outside the box/room/house
regards
Ed
Click to expand...

Ed I've already got a box of 14x36 x-ray film! No, I'm not going to build a 14x36 pano camera I've already got the 8x20 for that. It would be cool to have one though. I use the 14x36 x-ray film as tissue support for my 11x14 and 8x20 carbon.

Jim
 

samuraiwarrior2

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Jim,
I'm very attentively following your progress on this project. I had Andrew talk with the photography club here at UBC and we got to the topic of ULF cameras. I'm planning a 14x17 camera project for this summer (if things go well the rest of the term). I hope the rest of your project goes smoothly and that you start taking photographs soon!

-Thomas
 
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Jim Fitzgerald

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Thomas, thank you and I'll be sure to let everyone know how it goes. I will post some updated photographs soon. I'm working on some of the detail items right now. Ground Glass clips, making lens boards, inlaying brass strips etc. I'm going to get the back base and back with the GG done soon. I need to be sure of film holder dimensions. I have some wonderful S&S holders ( thanks Sandy!) to use as my guide. I'm going to cut the gear track and set the rails this weekend and I finished the front tilt already. The front standard has geared rise and fall which came out nice. I have a case of 14x17 x-ray film in route and if anyone needs some at a very good price just let me know.

Jim
 
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