A Cambo SC 4x5 and an Ilex 190/4.5

[Sanjay Sen]

So, I was bitten by the LF bug after I saw an upside-down laterally-inversed image on the GG for the first time! It happened at David's place, on his Sinar 8X10 at the Traveling Portfolio gathering a few weeks back. So what did I do? Of course I went and got myself a Cambo SC 4X5! It was in pretty good condition too. And then Jim (Galli, who else?) had to put up some lenses for sale. So, that's how I ended up with the Ilex 190/4.5 in an Ilex #3 Universal shutter.

My question to all you LF experts out there is this: what options do I have to mount the Ilex #3 (rim set) on the Copal #1 or Copal #3 lensboard that I have? I contacted SK Grimes and they said they could drill the Copal #1 to mount the Ilex #3 if I send them the lensboard and the lens. Before I send these out, I would like to find out if there are other options that I could try.

I appreciate any and all help with this.


Best Regards.

[User Removed]

Hole saw in a drill should do the job just fine. Save you alot of money also.

[Ole]

Holesaw, jig saw, file, knife, Dremel - I've used them all.

[Ian Grant]

Not sure of the lens board for your Cambo, but miine (originals) are just a piece of square aluminum with the corners removed and the hole drilled in the appropriate place.

I bought a great Paragon 183mm / Illex Acme shutter (from Bob Fowler) and rather than modify the two existing lens boards I'm going to make a new one as it's ever so simple, and cheap to do.

Ian

[Sanjay Sen]

Thank you all for the sugestions.

I did think about using a blank lensboard (from SK Grimes) and having it drilled for the appropriate size. My problem is that I do not have the tools or the necessary skills to drill an aluminium plate, so it has to be done by a shop and the only one that I know of is SKG.

[Dave Parker]

Sanjay,

Actually any machine shop should be able to enlarge the hole for you, even a local High School metal shop should have the tools to enlarge for you, I use the high school metal shop for quite a few little things here, and have actually had the local college metal shop do machine work for me, at very little cost. Of course Grimes would do a great job as well.

Dave

[Sanjay Sen]

Thanks Dave, I did not think about that!

[Ole]

Holesaw, jig saw, file, knife, Dremel - I've used them all.

I've used all of these on aluminium too - not just wood.
I prefer to drill a slightly smaller hole with the hole saw in an old manual drill (crank-operated! Like LF photography, it forces me to slow down and think about what I'm doing), then adjust it with first the file and finally the knife. I don't recommend using a knife on aluminium unless you know exactly what you are doing, and have been using knives as precision tools for your whole life.