What about building an old 8x10 studio camera?

[jonbrisbincreative]

Are there plans on the vastness of the interwebs somewhere that show specifically how to build an 8x10 box like the old Anthony, ROC, Agfa, Seneca cameras? I'm not looking for fancy brass fittings and oh-ah type stuff. I'm just thinking about something that will take a 4x4 lensboard, that I can put aftermarket bellows on, and that will hold a lens in front and a film or wet plate holder in back.

As a last resort, I can always buy an old camera for restoration or repair and fashion a new one as a copy. I have plenty of woodworking and handcraft experience so I'm confident I have the handiwork skills necessary. I don't know of any free CAD programs or I'd try and buy an old camera, measure it all out and create some plans, and possibly put those out there if nothing's available. But I'd rather work off of someone else's experience first, if possible.

 

[Steve Smith]

I don't know of any free CAD programs

ProgeCAD is a very good and free AutoCAD clone: http://www.caddit.net/progecad/smart.php


Steve.

 

[jonbrisbincreative]

ProgeCAD is a very good and free AutoCAD clone: http://www.caddit.net/progecad/smart.php

This looks awesome. But I'm on a Mac, unfortunately.

 

[hoffy]

A quick google search came up with this:

http://sourceforge.net/projects/free-cad/

No idea what its like, but hey, it's free and is cross platform

BTW - subscribed! I want to see where this thread heads! I know that there is a 8x10 in my future life somewhere and I would dearly like to build it.....

 

[rdg]

Another alternative is DraftSight (http://www.3ds.com/products-services/draftsight-cad-software/) which is available for Windows, Linux, and Mac. They offer both free and Professional versions.

 

[winterclock]

The Progecad seems to come with an awesome amount of bloatware.

 

[gone]

This looks interesting. You're not going to get anything cheaper, that's for sure.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/8x10-LARGE-...476335719?pt=Film_Cameras&hash=item2a40d52067

 

[Dr Croubie]

If you're really into programming, there's also OpenScad, it works on a bit of a C-esque scripting language. I've drawn a few lensboards that way (a friend has his own milling machine, I'm going to get him to make some one day). FreeCAD I've installed but never really looked at, maybe I should one day...

 

[bdial]

Sketchup is a possibility. Taunton Press (Fine Homebuilding, Fine Woodworking, etc) has some tutorials on using it + they seem to like it.
Runs on Mac or PC.

Wouldn't a camera you build be a new camera?

 

[John Koehrer]

This looks interesting. You're not going to get anything cheaper, that's for sure.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/8x10-LARGE-...476335719?pt=Film_Cameras&hash=item2a40d52067

I've got one of these and it's OK if a little on the crude side.

Lookin' at it it seems to be made of 1X3" pine, the handle looks to be something from a big box store drawer handle.

From use, the holder attachment points interfere with setting the camera flat on a tripod.
They protrude about 3/16" on three sides. The 1/4" tripod threads are in the center of 1" knobs so there's not much support unless you make a little base plate.

I think there was a site out of the UK that had plans and instructions for a 4X5 Oops, I mean 5X4(English dimensions). I seem to recall Rayment Kirby as the fellows name.

A lot of the hardware can be gotten at McMaster-Carr or Small parts company.
This may be based on Kirby's:

https://www.google.com/search?q=kir....biyeun.com%2Findex.php%2Fpage%2F2%2F;550;366

 

[LJH]

Just start by building the film back and work from there.

 

[Steve Smith]

Another alternative is DraftSight (http://www.3ds.com/products-services/draftsight-cad-software/) which is available for Windows, Linux, and Mac. They offer both free and Professional versions.

Thanks. I'm going to look at that one. Since I converted to Linux, I can't use ProgeCAD, the one I recommended.

I think there was a site out of the UK that had plans and instructions for a 4X5 Oops, I mean 5X4(English dimensions). I seem to recall Rayment Kirby as the fellows name.[/url]

His website has disappeared. I have some CAD drawings based on his design and some for my own camera based on the Zone VI design. Either could be scaled to 10x8. PM your e-mail address if you want the files.


Steve.

 

[John Koehrer]

Because the dimensions of the back are the most critical(T dimension) it may be easier to buy a back then build the camera to fit.
something like a B&J back when stripped would give a light colored wood and Most other backs cherry or mahogany.