For all of you DIYourselfers, what are the parts/components/materials you need ...

[sv@diycamerakit.com]

... but can't find or make? What was the part you had the hardest time procuring or manufacturing?

[Steve Smith]

I can make just about all I need except a rack and pinion for focusing. I can't find a supplier in the U.K. either.

Whilst I have made bellows myself, your DIY bellows kit looks interesting if you can ship to the U.K.

I think there could be a market for just the brass parts too with the customer making all the wooden parts.


NOTE: When I go to the 'Camera Parts' section of your website I get 'There are no products to list in this category' for all sections.


Steve.

[Sully75]

graflok back kits. But you know I want that!

[Steve Smith]

graflok back kits. But you know I want that!

Good idea!


Steve.

[sv@diycamerakit.com]

Steve, the camera parts section doesn't have any parts listed because there aren't any for sale currently ;-) If you subscribe to the news feed (RSS) on the site or blog, you will get notified when new parts/kits become available. I think I will remove all the folders without items though. And yes, any kits can be shipped anywhere. I was planning on offering a "hardware only" kit as well, as soon as my new CNC plasma cutter is operational. Cutting the brass parts on the CNC mill is too slow.

[BradS]

as above, rack and pinion sets, spring backs - these can be made but, the one critical dimension in a camera is in the back...

the little clippie rivet things that are used to hold down leather handle brackets on Deardorff and Kodak 2-D (for example).

Machined brass / stainless / aluminum parts of all sorts - especially rear bellows hosing corners with integral back spring retainer clips.

Ground glass retainers, leaf springs for backs, stainless wood screws with gently rounded heads...yeah, I can find these but, I do not need / want 100 pieces of each size.

[Steve Smith]

as soon as my new CNC plasma cutter is operational. Cutting the brass parts on the CNC mill is too slow.

And I thought I was lucky having the use of a CNC drill/router!


Steve.

[sv@diycamerakit.com]

And I thought I was lucky having the use of a CNC drill/router!

You are, you CAN make the parts, it's just expensive and slow.

[Steve Smith]

You are, you CAN make the parts, it's just expensive and slow.

Slow - yes.... expensive - no. It's free as I use it at work at lunchtime.

It's a drill router intended for printed circuit board manufacture. I can't cut metal on it. At least, I can't cut aluminium as the spindles rotate too fast. I am going to try brass though.

It does make very nice finger joints in wood though - See the panoramic camera link in my signature line.


Steve.

[sv@diycamerakit.com]

By expensive I mean in machine time. If you need to make one part and you can wait an hour for a little bracket, sure, but I can't use it for anything more then prototyping.