Where do you get your materials and parts for these projects? The sources for specific parts and materials are listed within the posts. I don’t keep up with these so if a link is dead I won’t have other sources.
Where do you get material for bellows? See above.
The material you used did not work for my project. I often use materials outside their intended purpose, and small variations in the manufacturing process might have an impact on the quality that made it suitable for that use. Garolite XX is a good example of this. I use it for dark slides in film holders, but as far as I know the product is not specifically made to be opaque. It’s always a good idea to test materials to make sure they are suitable.
Will you send me some plans? Other than some very rough sketches I don’t have any. I don’t enjoy drafting so I rarely make formal drawings.
Will you provide some measurements? Sorry, no. Relaying accurate measurements is not a trivial task. Anyway, measurements are pretty much useless without a formal drawing.
Why do you publish this DIY blog if you won’t provide more details? The entries on this site are project diaries, not how-to articles. I write these to help me remember how and why I did something in case I ever want to attempt an improved version. The diary-style format on this blog is useful for this, but it’s rather limited as a teaching resource.
Will you make me a camera, film holders, Jobo motor base, etc? No, most of these projects are very time consuming, and my tiny shop isn’t set up for production runs. Also it’s doubtful that we would agree on a price that was both fair to me and reasonable for you.
Will you do custom manufacturing or repair work? No, there are far more qualified shops that are already providing these services.
How about some advice on how to [repair, adjust, clean] my [camera, shutter, film holder]? Offering advise on how to repair an item that’s not in hand can be risky, even irresponsible. Look for a qualified repair shop.
I don’t have any power tools, is there any way to make a large format camera/ film holder/ etc. from basic hand tools? Yes. Large format photo gear really is pretty straightforward stuff. Designs can vary enough to accommodate almost any skill set or tool kit. A pin hole camera can be made from a shoe box, a film holder from poster board and tape, etc. But even highly refined work with very close tolerances can be achieved in wood and metal with nothing but good quality hand tools. Only you get to decide what’s possible in your circumstances.
What paper do you use for _____ process? I buy paper in bulk, so I have some pretty old stock and won’t know which current batches are suitable for which processes. The last batch of paper I bought was in 2015. For current info ask around the alt-printing forums.
To ask a question not covered above, send me an email here.