Building parts
I haven’t posted for quite a while, due to vacation (a working spring break), a cold (shop can’t be used while coughing, and sneezing), and a new baby (my first, and he is cute)! I have been slowly chugging along on the ULF, though. I also figured that posting more pictures of milled wood, wouldn’t be all that useful to anyone, until they started to look like parts. I have pieces cut for just about everything made of wood now, except for the lens mounting plate, and mounting base for the lens, and the back for the rear standard. The rear standard box, base and rails, standard pivot, sliding bases, and front standard rise/fall base are all cut to dimension and awaiting joinery.
I pretty much finished the parts for the base of the camera, and even have the Aluminum slides for the base rails. I have the slippery Rulon tape, and mounting screws (both from McMaster.com) for it now too. All that is needed for the base before I can assemble it, is a 1/8 inch slot for the Al rails.
The Al slides where originally cut out to be the posts of the front standard, but I have realized that 1/8″ Al just wouldn’t be able to support that large lens I have, and the standard itself, so I ordered 1/4″ Al bar, which seems it will be up to the task. This little setback didn’t prove to be too troubling (though, I had to shell out a little more money for the beefed up Aluminum), since I planned on using he same dimensions for the slides. I cut them out for the front standard, but I am using them for the base slides. No big deal.
I have also built the front standard “U” shaped support, and cut out the joint for it, a double mortise and tenon, which took a while to get right. The fit isn’t as perfect as I had wanted, but I think once I add the glue, it will seal up nice and tight.
The joints are the most difficult part of the build, so I am trying to get those done first. The saws in the shop have become pretty heavily used, so there is a lot more to set-ups than just measuring. Getting everything to 90 degrees is critical and often takes more time than the cut.
I’ll post pics and more drawings next.