Where to find lock-ring/jam nut, etc

MattCarey · May 18, 2005

Hello,

I have one lens in the mail and another (a 32mm thread enlarging lens) without the lock-ring, jam-nut thingys to keep them on the boards.

Where can one get these? I tried MPEX for the 32mm without luck. I see that equinox has some, but at $15 each plus shipping the lenses each way I would like to find another option (the enlarging lens was only $20. It seems odd to spend as much on the jam-nut).

Is it possible to go to a machinist supply shop and try to find these?

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Matt

wfwhitaker · May 18, 2005

It's supply and demand. Actually $15 is a pretty good price. To have one made you'd be looking at three times that, at least.

Someone somewhere, here or on another forum, managed to mount a lens by molding epoxy to match the threads using teflon tape as a release. Do a search for that; it was pretty recent. You might try it for a cheap lens, but I'd feel less than comfortable using it for a lens I valued. I'd also examine how much the epoxy costs and how much of your time it requires. A $35 enlarging lens is still cheap, even these days.

Nick Zentena · May 18, 2005

So do you have a board drilled for 32mm? If not expect to spend more money on that.

Instead of asking a machinest to make you a ring how about asking the shop to thread the board for the lens? This way instead of paying for a ring and to have a board drilled you can just pay for the board.

Donald Miller · May 18, 2005

MattCarey said:
Hello,

I have one lens in the mail and another (a 32mm thread enlarging lens) without the lock-ring, jam-nut thingys to keep them on the boards.

Where can one get these? I tried MPEX for the 32mm without luck. I see that equinox has some, but at $15 each plus shipping the lenses each way I would like to find another option (the enlarging lens was only $20. It seems odd to spend as much on the jam-nut).

Is it possible to go to a machinist supply shop and try to find these?

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Matt

You are unlikely to find something already made up at a machinist's shop. Machine time is expensive...you are likely to spend as much having one made as you are to buy the ones you have already located....another option is SkGrimes...I have bought from them before.

Dave Parker · May 18, 2005

In a pinch, I have also used a piece of mat board with a hole cut into it a bit smaller than the threads on the lens, place the lens into the board and then thread into the mat board, not a permanate fix, but has worked both with enlarger lenses as well as lenses that I have used on cameras.

Dave

MattCarey · May 18, 2005

Thanks for the suggestions. I was hoping that some of these might still be standard items that could be found in bins in some supply-shop. I can find manufacturors using google and 32mm "jam nut" or similar searches, but they are probably making these a custom large orders for other uses.

I like the idea of the mat-board. I have a new lens coming in the mail--and I really don't have the patience to just look at it once it shows up!

Matt

removed account4 · May 18, 2005

MattCarey said:
Thanks for the suggestions. I was hoping that some of these might still be standard items that could be found in bins in some supply-shop. I can find manufacturors using google and 32mm "jam nut" or similar searches, but they are probably making these a custom large orders for other uses.

I like the idea of the mat-board. I have a new lens coming in the mail--and I really don't have the patience to just look at it once it shows up!

Matt

i have 3 camera lenses on matboard ... it is a very cheep solution.
sk grimes has a few different flange (is that the word?) that they have instock. i know they have a ton of betax flanges ... but not sure of the specific one you need. there is also a camera shop ... mel pierce's in hollywood/la - dagor77 used to always give them a plug when he sold flange-less lenses on FEEbay. they supposedly have boxes and boxes of these flanges, it might be worth asking them ... http://www.melpiercecamera.com/

good luck!

-john

jjstafford · May 18, 2005

If you are in the USA, then go to Ace Hardware and look at their selection of large Snap Rings'. Get one that is just snug. Cost will be maybe a buck.

Optionally, if you are certain of the pitch, and if it's really 32.5 you can buy the real thing. Try B&H Photo http://www.bhphotovideo.com and in the search type "retaining" and in a separate search, "jam nut"

There are other sources, too, but be sure you know the exact size/pitch.

Terence · May 18, 2005

I make my lensboards out of the tempered hardboard (brown) from 99 cent drugstore clipboards. You can thread the lens as mentioned above, but the hardboard has more "tooth" than matboard. I've done it for lenses waying about two pounds and the lens is in there TIGHT.

eric · May 18, 2005

Terence said:
I make my lensboards out of the tempered hardboard (brown) from 99 cent drugstore clipboards.

I LOVE this thread. Great ideas. You guys get all the McGyver awards! I've been thinking of getting a Kodak Ektar enlarging lens but the threads a just a tiny bit bigger than a 39mm and I'm sure I'll have a hard time getting a ring. the clipboard and the snaprings are good suggestions.

jjstafford · May 19, 2005

I might have a retaining ring for that Kodak Ektar. When I get to the shop later today I'll check. (as I say too often, it's time to shed all this accumulated 'stuff'!)

Where to find lock-ring/jam nut, etc

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