dobla
Hello!
I read on your website that it’s possible to ream out the Axomat 4 to M39.
What’s the best way to go about this, and what do I need to bear in mind?
I was thinking of removing the circuit board and reaming it out with a step drill, but I’m not sure how to cut a thread back in afterwards – or does the circuit board itself not have a thread?
Many thanks!
Gast
... the easiest way to do this is on a lathe. Take the original part to a metalworking shop, along with a sketch of how you want it to look, and it shouldn’t be a problem.
Best regards,
Ronald
Gast
You can also buy a board like that from Onkel Mirko. It’s listed in the catalogue for €16.24, anyway.
dobla
First of all, thanks for the replies!
Unfortunately, the circuit board in the catalogue is only for the Axomat 5, although I actually reckon it might also fit the Axomat 4; however, I read somewhere that this isn’t the case.
Maybe I’ll ask Mirko ;-)
cfb_de
Hello,
Asking Mirko is definitely the first thing you should do. Every now and then, he actually gets his hands on suitable parts from some secret sources that were forgotten after the fall of the Berlin Wall. And before he scraps them just because he’s no longer allowed to run a second-hand business, he could pass them on to you cheaply in return for a small fee. (Guess where my first Opemus 5 circuit board for the 35mm lens for Pocket/Minox came from, or where my Opemus 5 got its M39 circuit board...)
The other option is actually to go to the nearest metalworker/plumber/car/tractor mechanic, take an ‘original plate’ and your lens with you, and tell them: ‘Please make it exactly the same, but with an M39 mount for this lens in the centre’. They’ll do it too; with a good machinist at the lathe, it certainly won’t take ten minutes (that’s all the time I need, even though I haven’t trained in the trade – I’m a chemist), provided he has the right tool (I’ll be corrected in a moment on what the part is actually called...) for the thread. It’ll probably cost around 20 marks for the coffee fund. You can paint it black yourself; Revell makes a decent matt black for that. If you want it officially blued, with an order number, delivery note and invoice, it might end up being a bit more expensive.
The prerequisite for the latter is, of course, a lathe. But the first company you ask will refer you on if they can’t do it themselves.
Just a few quick notes on the part: The bevel on the outer edge of the board, where the thing is clamped into the enlarger, doesn’t really matter which way it’s angled. It just needs to fit under the two brackets opposite the clamping screw. The screw does the rest, with a bit of cardboard underneath if necessary. The diameter is more critical there.
A slightly recessed lens thread (about fifteen millimetres) works quite well, because then you can also use the 40mm WA and get larger dimensions on the base plate. After all, the Axomats can’t be extended that much. When turning the tube inwards, pay attention to the outer diameter of the lens and feel free to turn it out to the limit. A bit of space around the lens element doesn’t hurt. That’s my experience with my second self-turned 35mm plate (which, of course, on the Opemus as an MF part doesn’t just go fifteen mm inwards, but almost 50).
No, I don’t have any measurements. Just put a chunk of aluminium on the bench, turn it a bit, cut the thread, done. Made entirely based on my imagination, a rough idea and gut feeling. Surprisingly, it actually fits :-)
Best regards,
Franz
Gast
I don’t want to discourage anyone from learning more about machining technology.
But just to reiterate: catalogue p. 69, last line of the price list
Gast
I have to say, this is a great forum.
The catalogue mentioned circuit boards for older devices on the next page, but there was nothing there; instead, it was in the table on the same page (thanks to Der König der Buchhalter).
But the fact that there’s no part number there makes me fear the worst...
I’ll place an order for the circuit board with Mirko this evening and hope he still has it in stock or can get hold of one.
If not, I’ll probably have to go back to the DIY solution.
Thanks again!
MirkoBoeddecker
Franz,
Thanks to my time in prison and your consumer-driven madness, I’m no longer allowed to sell second-hand goods with plugs attached.
Circuit boards are no problem and are available. The same goes for metal inserts and glass panels, but we only sell the glass panels in Berlin because it’s too much hassle to prepare the stock for dispatch.
The circuit board should fit in the 4-slot Axomat if it already has a black circuit board inside.
BUT a thick, new plastic Rodagon won’t screw in properly in ‘hat-on’ mode (i.e. not in ‘pot’ mode, where the circuit board curves downwards, but when it faces upwards into the unit like a hat sitting on top), because it’s so thick that the aperture ring gets stuck against the wall.
Regards,
Mirko
dobla
Hello!
I’ve now ordered the circuit board from you via email, amongst other things.
I already have the black circuit board.
Am I right in thinking that in ‘pot’ mode all lenses fit because there’s nothing in the way, whereas in ‘hat’ mode only the slimmer ones do?
I’ve got hold of a Rogonar-S – what are the chances it’ll fit in the ‘hat’ mode too?
I don’t think the lens is that huge.
What exactly is the advantage of this shape? The original board is flat, so there’s no pot or hat.
Regards,
Daniel
MirkoBoeddecker
Hello Daniel,
You need the ‘Topf’ and ‘Hut’ attachments to compensate for the difference in focal length between 50mm and 80mm.
Otherwise, you wouldn’t be able to focus to infinity with the 50mm lens, or on smaller formats with the 80mm lens.
The circuit board was designed to be compatible with both the Opemus (6x6) and the Axomat (35mm).
With the Axomat, you don’t actually need it because it only requires one lens (the 50mm), but you’re just stuck with the system.
With the pot, you might not be able to take large pictures, and with the hat, the lens might get stuck...
An S model requires a few extra millimetres for the aperture ring lighting compared to a non-S model :-(
Best regards,
Mirko
dobla
Hello!
The circuit board has arrived and:
It fits the Hut too!
The lens doesn’t screw all the way in – it’s really too big for that – but it engages after about four turns. The aperture can still be adjusted, though, as only the ring moves; the rest of the lens doesn’t (I’m not sure how to describe it).
From what I’ve seen, an APO-Rodagon, for example, has the same dimensions, so that should fit as well.
I might get round to taking some enlargements on Sunday, then I’ll finally be able to enjoy the ‘quantum leap in quality’ ;-)
Thanks again for all the replies.
Regards,
Daniel
