My Walnut 8x20 is coming along

Jim Fitzgerald

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Well, I thought I would update all of you on my progress on the 8x20. I have said that I work at my own pace and have no specific time line to finish. Although now that I am left with the back frame, ground glass frame and bellows I must admit I am looking forward to finishing the camera. I'll add some pic's of my progress. Thanks to Dan and Hugo for helping me get off my butt and giving me some inspiration to continue working on this labor of love.

Jim

Stay Focused or... Soft Focused!!
 
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noseoil

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Jim, great job on your wood working skills! Fit and finish look to be first rate. After too many years as a cabinet maker (my former life), I applaud anyone who is willing to undertake this challenge. Can't wait to see some images taken with this one when it is finished.

Is the hardware from an existing "platform" which you adapted to a new format? Best, tim
 

George Losse

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Jim, GREAT WORK!

Looking at the photos made me think of a question based on my experience with the 8x20 format.

What is your length of the bed rails?

Seems kind of short in the photos. You might want to add a extension rail out the back to gain some focusing length. Otherwise you limit yourself to using only short lenses.
 
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Jim Fitzgerald

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Thanks for the comments guys. To answer some questions. Yes I'm using the brass from an old Kodak 2-D that I found a while ago. I stripped the old camera and cleaned everything and I am re-using all of the old metal. It is in fine shape just needed to be cleaned.Some of the brass I need to fabricate new. The focusing rods are longer.
George, I have the extension rail done but I am trying to find the gear rack so I can finish it. I need an old Kodak 2-D rail to get the racks from and then I'll be done with that piece. Anyone have an extra lying around they don't need?? When I put this baby together for the quick pic's I finally got a sence of how big this is going to be. When the back and bellows are done I'll really see how big 8x20 is. The extension is about 30 inches. The longest lens I have right now is an old Kodak 21 1/4" Anastigmat. My other lenses are 14" to 19". Without the extension rail attached it is at about 18". I havent weight what I have so far but I'm not too woried about that. That is until I try to carry this thing on my back!!!

Jim
 

Hugo Zhang

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Jim,

What a great job! I can't wait to shoot sand dunes with you and Dan with our 8x20s!!!

Hugo
 

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Jim Fitzgerald

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Frank R said:
New brass racks and pinions can be bought from www.smallparts.com
Click to expand...

Frank, thanks for the info and link to small parts. I'm trying to match the gear pitch of the Kodak 2-D racks that I have. I e-mailed them a while back with my spec's and have not heard back. I guess I should try again. I am watching something on e-bay that is a Kodak rail. Thanks.

Jim
 

Mark Fisher

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I was looking for racks to build an extension for my 2D and asked Richard Ritter about it. He told me that they were non-standard. I was surprised but I looked at all the usual sources (small parts, berg, mcmaster plus specialty gear houses) and came up with nothing. You may need to get new racks and matching pinions. If you do find a source for the rack, though, please post or PM me.

Thanks -- Mark
 

Greg_E

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That thing is going to be monsterously heavy, good thing you have a serious tripod to go with it. What do you do for ground glass on something that big? does it slide around or do you use a full size glass for that? But it does look good. Are you going to make the bellows yourself?
 

Colin Graham

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Very very cool Jim, cant wait to see the finished camera.
 
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Jim Fitzgerald

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That is what I suspected, Mark. I've gotten rails off of e-bay hoping that they would work but they are not right. My friend Dan Dozer gave me some racks he had left over from his 8x20 but they didn't mesh properly. Trying to find something on e-bay or somewhere else is the ony way. I will keep you in mind if I get lucky. If push comes to shove I can change out the racks and pinions. Thanks,

Jim
 
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Jim Fitzgerald

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Greg E, I have a ground glass I got from Andrew Glover (aka Dagor 77). It is very nice. The bellows I will either make myself; with my friend Dan Dozer's help, he made his own and has the plans, or I will have Mark Kapono in Hawaii build it for me. He quoted me $365.00-$390.00 for a 8x20 bellows and that seems reasonable. I'm still thinking about this. I will let everyone know when I decide. I'm building the back and ground glass frame right now and this is consuming all of my limited brain power at the moment!! I'll keep you guys informed of my progress.

Thanks,

Jim
 

Greg_E

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After doing all this work, don't you kind of need to make the bellows too? The only thing that would make me hesitate is the size.
 

patrickjames

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Wow. What a fantastic project. I am going to be following this with interest. I am curious what your total cost for this project is.

I have an excel file that is a bellows calculator that someone (I forgot who, sorry to him) sent me a while back. If you think it might help you just email me.

Patrick
 
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Jim Fitzgerald

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Patrick, thank you for the offer and I will pm you if I need to get the file. I guess it would be a good reason to get Excel on my computer!!!??? somehow I forgot that one when I got a new computer a couple of years ago. Depending on my funds I may just send the bellows frames to Mark Kapono in Hawaii and have him build the bellows for me. It would save a lot of time. I haven't figured my total cost as of yet, but I will do so soon and I will let everyone know. I had a lot of the walnut and had to buy some thin stock recently so the wood has been paid for years ago. Dan Dozer has been a big help and inspiration for me. His 8x20 is awesome! I got to see the finished camera at the Joshua Tree workshop that Per Volquartz put on in January. I am hoping to complete this camera in a couple of months. I have never been in a rush but now that it is really starting to look like a camera I can't wait to finish it. Now back to building the camera back and ground glass holder! Thanks.

Jim
 
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