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Lensboard drilling in NYC?


joshwand

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<p>Does anyone know of a good (read: cheap) place to get a lensboard drilled in New York City? My search only yielded one place that would do it, and they wanted $50 for the privilege (Professsional Camera Repair, 47th St.).

 

<p>Anyone know of a place that specializes in LF and might do it for less?

 

<p> Thanks,<br><br>--Josh

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Don has the answer. A hole is a hole, whether it is in a lensboard or

a piece of tin. Any machine shop can drill any size hole perfectly

centered. Despite what some self-appointed gurus try to tell you, a

hole in a lensboard isn't rocket science. I would try and find a

small neighborhood shop where you can talk to the folks doing the

work. The whole job shouldn't take more than a few minutes. Take the

shutter along for precise measurements. Most machine shops can make

any part you need and simple things like a hole in a lensboard is

common bread and butter work. Also, many larger auto parts shops have

machine shops if there isn't a full fledged shop near you.

 

<p>

 

Regards,

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Steve Grimes (www.skgrimes.com) charged me about $15 for lensboard

drilling last I sent one to him, and does a very neat job and has all

the appropriate screws for every kind of flange on hand and knows the

hole size without having to think about it. Professional Camera is

good for certain kinds of things (I take my Canon stuff there), but

unless you need a hole drilled right away, I'd send it off.

 

<p>

 

If you want to stay in the city, you might also try Lens and Repro.

I've never asked, but they handle a lot of LF and might be able

to drill a lensboard for you.

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I drilled a Calumet lensboard for an Ilex #5 a couple of weeks ago. I centered the retaining ring, measuring with a ruler all around, and

drew around with a pencil. I sawed around with a coping saw, and filed to finish. It took a little over an hour. The Ilex also needed 4

screws, spacers, and light sealing, but most lenses only need the hole.

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<p>Sean-- I mistyped. It's a Betax #5. (Gundlach 300/4.5)

 

<p>James-- was it a metal one? This thing feels like cast iron! It's

also completely blank, the Betax requires 4 screws as well as the

hole, and I have no drill or coping saw-- I'm just an undergraduate,

I don't exactly have a machine shop in my dorm room. :)

 

<p>For the archives, Lens & Repro said they only offer mounting

services for lenses bought from them.

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It was cast aluminum. If you have no tools, it is a problem. I drilled a hole first with a drill, large enough for the coping saw blade.

I got the coping saw for $1.98 in the bargain barrel at my corner grocery store. You can buy single drill bits for a dollar or so, and turn

them with pliers. It will take a while, but you can do this sort of thing with very little, if you have the patience. Of course a machine shop

changes it from an evening project to a few minutes.

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<p>for the record: SK Grimes, $15 plus return shipping.

 

<p>I *did* make trips to a few machine shops here at Columbia (I

almost forgot we had a mechanical engineering department) but I had a

hell of time finding a machinist to actually DO it for me. They were

rather rude, actually, so I gave up and sent it to a pro.

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