Linhof Tek lensboard dimension question

[keith_anderson7]

I found this from an old post:

 

>Linhof lensboard dimensions:

>

>For the scientists among us: exactly 96.55 x 98.75 x 2 mm :-) Otherwise 97 x 99 x 2 mm.

>

>Good luck!

 

Can anyone give me a sense of how much play there is in those? I'm asking because in the US, the closest

thickness I could get to 2mm in english measure is 1/16", which is just shy of 1.6mm. Will that be an issue? Of

course I can probably get metric thickness aluminum but it appears to be surprisingly less common and it's more

expensive, which kind of defeats the purpose of me making my own. In my case, it'll go on a Chamonix 45n-1.

 

Thanks in advance!

[bob_sunley]

80 thou 6061-T6 sheet is real common stuff, and only 1.25 thou or 0.00125" thicker than 2mm. try http://www.metalsupermarkets.com for pricing.

[bob_salomon]

How will you make the light trap and ground contact points on the back of the Technika board?

[keith_anderson7]

Bob #1, thanks for the metal fabrication link, I'm requesting a quote right now.

 

Bob #2, I don't know anything about ground contact points, what does that mean? When you ask about the light trap, I assume you mean making the back of it anti-reflective? Hopefully I'm not missing something about that (I'm new to LF stuff) but I plan on getting anodized metal and then spray coating it with anti-reflective matierial that's tough as nails and should prevent reflections. Of course I'll have to see if it works as desired once the metal arrives.

[michael_briggs2]

The Linhof Technika board has a complicated design, being much more than a simple rectangle. Besides the

obvious slots that a front view shows, on the back there are some contact points to set the depth of the board

and a circular projection that is supposed to closely fit into a hole on the camera to function as a light trap.

I don't know if Chamonix cameras use these features. Linhof Technika lensboards and clones are usually made

from castings to cost-effectively produce some of these features.

[bob_salomon]

Linhof lens boards for the Technika IV, V, Master and the TK are extremely common (after all they have been available for

over 50 years)! I would suggest that you invest in a used one to see how a Linhof board is actually made. As Michael

pointed out, it is not just a rectangular board.

[bohdan_pryszlak]

Some years ago, I made a board from .063 aluminium sheet for my Technika III. Essentially, it is a rectangle with a hole and a circular channel around the hole into which the felt light seal from the Tech III body's front standard fits. I was unable to mill this channel and settled with a completely flat board (properly sized of course but without this channel cut). It worked fine. Keith, you will not be able to make a lens board for any Tech IV or later. They are far more complicated and unless you are a machinist or tool and die maker, you won't have the hardware to do it. Just buy one. I have bought them on the auction site in excellent shape (sometimes mint) for $35. It really ain't worth the trouble.

[keith_anderson7]

Bohdan, thanks for the feedback. I thought the Chamonix board was indeed the simple rectangle with a hole and a groove. I'd appreciate any authoritative feedback on whether or not that's correct. Indeed if the board is like the newer Linhof's my plan isn't worth thinking about, but I was under the impression that it was similar to the III.

[keith_anderson7]

Oh, and I have access to extremely cheap machining so I'd guess the metal, the hole, and perhaps a groove and seal might altogether cost $50-$60. Compared to $30 each for one from the manufacturer, I'll still take that deal. Plus, I kind of enjoy the process of doing it myself, so it's more than just the money. That said, there's a point where duplicating something is too difficult to enjoy so I was hoping I could gleen something about where to draw that line based on feedback from you all.

 

Thanks again

[michael_briggs2]

Current Linhof Technika boards have two rectangular notches, a narrow notch, two cutoff corners, a bevel along

the lower edge, three projecting contact points on the back (two above the rectangular notches and one centered

at the top) and a two-step raised circular light-trap. It doesn't make sense to try to make this when you can

get one for $30 unless your camera doesn't use these features. I suggest buying one and observing how it

interfaces to your camera.

[keith_anderson7]

Michael, the camera arrived today and the board is indeed just a rectangular metal piece with a hole. Although I might have to round the corners for safety, it's pretty much as simple as that.

 

Thanks!

[bob_salomon]

Keith,

Then from your description it is not a Linhof board. At lease not one made for Linhof cameras that have been made since

1952. Have you looked at the back of the board? If it is perfectly flat then it can't be a Linhof board at all.

 

And no current manufacturer would make a camera that accepts Technika III boards. Have you looked at the back of the

board?

[keith_anderson7]

Wish I had seen this sooner:

 

http://www.chamonixviewcamera.com/lensboard.html

 

Saying "perfectly flat" isn't quite correct (but also not really what I meant) but it's much more similar to a "flat" board than the current Linhof is, and even if we disagree about what flat means, the Chamonix style can accept edges that don't the cutouts and bevels that the current Linhof has. The one in the picture is well within my machining capability and much more affordable than used ones if I just make several of them.

[stuart_goodman3]

<p>this is millions of years too late for this discussion BUT...<br>

linhof changed their lensboards after the 111<br>

the originals were flat rectangular boards with none of the sexy stuff agonised over in this thread.</p>

<p>the linhof/wista board is from a 1V onward, but pre the motor drive auto focus version.</p>