Do-It-Yourself Dark Slide??

[shotz]

I need a dark slide for my Mamiya Universal's 6x7 roll film back. I

have a couple that are close - stainless steel - but don't quite

fit. Has anybody ever cut one of these steel slides? If so, what

tool did you use? Is there any other material I should consider

using to make my own dark slide? Something easier to work with?

[jay_de_fehr]

A sheetmetal shop can cut a lot of slides for a few bucks. It doesn't pay to try to do it yourself unless you already have the tools (heavy duty tin snips and files), but even then, the snips can warp the sheetmetal, making for an ill-fitting slide. Good luck.

[jose_angel]

I have made some replacement 4x5" dark slides cutting ordinary office black plastic folders or document wallets. I have found a material that is moreless the same used by original Lisco/Fidelity ones, a bit thinner but it works. Absolutely light proof. Mine can be easily cutted out with sewing scissors. Look for it in a office supplier shop. Great cheap material to make a slide kit for LF film testing. Good luck,

[john_galuszka]

The Mamiya dark slide is .009 thick and 2 3/8" wide. You can get brass .008" strips from K&S Engineering (Chicago) at hobby shops or hardware stores. Use a paper cutter to minimize distortion when cutting. The ends should be rounded and longer in the corners than the center. (1/16" is about right for the dished end.) A 1" belt sander works well for this. A paper punch can cut the lock hole. Fold the end over as a handle to grip. (Make sure you have no sharp edges.) Test before using with film.