After much hemming and hawing, I actually got a little work done today. Two things need to be fabricated on the 8×10 – a new front bellows frame (the camera was missing this when I bought it) and an extension rail. I scoured the shop for some time today, and finally found a piece of appropriately-sized oak to make the bellows frame. It needed dimensioning, which was done solely with the thickness planer. I didn’t take note of any dimensions, though, rather fitting the piece to the space needed:
After cutting the pieces to length (5-1/2″ each) I laid them out to make sure the opening would be sufficient:
The pieces are joined with my favorite half-laps. Quick to set up with the horizontal router table, though a little dicey cutting on thin pieces:
I ended up nibbling away the waste in small bites, taking four or five passes to cut the entire joint.
The joints, cut:
And with the pieces mated. Everything looks good.
I’m a big fan of polyurethane glues for most applications where strength and permanence is paramount. I always wet the surfaces a bit, as the glue needs moisture to cure. Small joints like these only require spring clamps to hold them tight while the glue sets:
After a few hours, I’ll remove the clamps and let the frame sit overnight. Poly glue creates a foaming squeeze-out which cures hard. It’s easily removed with a sharp chisel.
Now I need to measure exactly the final draw with the extension gear racks in place, and ship the frames off to Wales for bellows fabrication.
Great story, the kind that keeps me from giving up on finding a 10×8″ fjord camera to go into the forest with rather than my full Sinar Norma 10×8″ kit, all 36Kg of it
John