Zeiss Super Ikonta 530/2: Does anyone know of 3D print files to make a new mask to shoot 6x6 on the camera?

[cayenne]

Hi all,
I pulled this off my other thread I had about Super Ikontas, as that it is more specific to the mask plates for them, that are often lost and don't come with the camera.

It dawned on me that by now someone would have come up with a 3d printed version of the plates, in my case I'm looking at the 6x9 cameras and would like to have the option to shoot 6x6 on it too....

I've tried web searches, but I'm very much a noob to the 3d modeling/printing scene....and not sure how to search properly for these.

I have friends that 3d print, so, if I could find the print files I could get them to make the mask(s) for me.

Anyone have links or insights on mask files out there?

Thank you in advance,
cayenne

 

[Dan Daniel]

Insight? You are looking at very thin metal in the original. Thin because it needs to fit in the film channel. Plastic 3-d printing is probably too thick at its thinnest unless you have access to a higher end machine. And then you'll have flatness issues, possible cavities, etc. Maybe metal 3-d printers could handle this?

An alternative- thin aluminum sheet cut to be taped in on both sides to make a 6x6 (~57 x 57mm) film opening. Paint it matte black.

 

[henryvk]

You can get layer heights of something like 0.1 to 0.4 mm but it's probably far easier to use sheet metal or even cardboard. I've seen people use electrical tape or even thick paper too mask off the film gate.

 

[cayenne]

You can get layer heights of something like 0.1 to 0.4 mm but it's probably far easier to use sheet metal or even cardboard. I've seen people use electrical tape or even thick paper too mask off the film gate.

Well, I was hoping for something that was a bit easier to pop in/out and have on hand in the camera case when out and about.

I saw a picture of a real one (I think it was original), and while yes the side rails seemed a bit thin....didn't look impossible. But then again, I'm not a 3D printing expert by any stretch of the imagination.

What were the originals made of? It appears to be sort of plastic in the picture...

C

 

[henryvk]

Well, I was hoping for something that was a bit easier to pop in/out and have on hand in the camera case when out and about.

I saw a picture of a real one (I think it was original), and while yes the side rails seemed a bit thin....didn't look impossible. But then again, I'm not a 3D printing expert by any stretch of the imagination.

What were the originals made of? It appears to be sort of plastic in the picture...

C

The original ones seemed to be made of sheet metal and wire:

If you feel like you can live with losing a half a milimeter or so off the top and bottom of your negative you can just reinforce those connecting struts or rails and have them printed a little thicker. You could always try to sand them down after. In my (admittedly limited) experience, you have to use sandpaper anyway to finish 3D prints unless you have the printer finish it for you.

In the past, I've used https://www.tinkercad.com/ for modelling and https://craftcloud3d.com/ to find a printer.

I'd make sure the struts are not only a little wider but also have them extend a couple of milimeters into the film gate. That will make the whole mask more rigid and make sure it sits nicely in the gate. If have a plastic 6x45 mask for a TLR and that's what it does and it's nice and rigid.

 

[Donald Qualls]

The original ones seemed to be made of sheet metal and wire:

Those are indeed sheet brass, lacquered black, though for some cameras they were thin steel (like the ones for my Wirgin Auta that spring into place and are blued.

I have a mask for my Moskva 5; it's perforated to fit over those diagonal bumps at the upper and lower edges of the frame gate, so there's considerably more metal. You might try getting one of those (I saw a number of them on eBay not long ago, seems like they're commonly taken off non-working Moskva 3, 4, and 5 cameras). Those from a Moskva 3, especially, are likely to fit a Zeiss 6x9 Super Ikonta of late pre-War or early post-War design.

 

[Boomlight]

I've made one out of an old gift card. It fits almost perfectly. It works ok, but not great. Also, you can find masks on eBay for Moskva 4 cameras which are Zeiss Ikonta knockoffs. A lot of parts are interchangeable. The mask for the Moskva 4 looks exactly like the one posted above, and is intermittently on sale on eBay.