Where to find film center lift rod

[GraemeMitchell]

Does anyone know where I might be able to find/buy stainless center lift rods for 8 reel tanks (8x 35mm or 4x 120)? The ones that are approx 12" long.

I need a few of them. BH, Adorama, Freestyle...nobody has them. They have them listed, but nobody has had them in stock for months and no sign of them anytime soon they say. There's one on the auction site, but it's $20 with shipping...little rich for me, and like I said, I could use a few of them.

Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[eddie]

Graeme- I've made them out of metal hangers. Easy to do...

 

[GraemeMitchell]

Graeme- I've made them out of metal hangers. Easy to do...

I've learned the hard way you can only use certain grades of high quality stainless in developers. I don't have any of that around to make them out of...though I guess I could go to a metal shop and find something that could work and have it bent...that's actually not a bad idea.

 

[Bertil]

I make these rods from bicycle wheel spokes, great material!
/Bertil

 

[bsdunek]

I say go to a good hardware store and find some stainless steel rod an make your own. I think Bertil has a good idea too. Bicycle spokes are great material, and maybe, easier to find.

 

[GraemeMitchell]

I say go to a good hardware store and find some stainless steel rod an make your own. I think Bertil has a good idea too. Bicycle spokes are great material, and maybe, easier to find.

Yes, this seems like the way to go. Thanks for the thoughts everyone.

 

[steven_e007]

I managed to find Stainless Steel rod on eBeeGeebay...

 

[GraemeMitchell]

Yeah, a little searching around and it looks like TIG welding rod, in 308 or 316 grade, 1/8" thick, is really pretty cheap.

36" of it for $5 or so. One piece like that should be able to make two of what I need.

 

[Mike Wilde]

Yes, 316 should do the job. 316LS if you think you are going to repeatedly takes it close to the yield point.
I spent a summer driving a crane picking plate and piep to and from a steel storage yard adjuncet to a factory and manufacturing shop that made pulp and paper and sewage treatment equipment among other things.
We also hade this real exotic one called 254smo.

 

[bdial]

The bicycle spoke suggestion is a good idea, stainless spokes are common and you should be able to get them in any good bike shop.

www.onlinemetals.com is a good on-line source.

 

[resummerfield]

Yeah, a little searching around and it looks like TIG welding rod, in 308 or 316 grade, 1/8" thick, is really pretty cheap.

36" of it for $5 or so. One piece like that should be able to make two of what I need.

+1

 

[GraemeMitchell]

weldingcity.com

2x 316 grade 1/8" 36" TIG rods for approx $20 shipped.

Hard to beat that. Thanks for the ideas guys, saved me some time and money.