P3D Re: Med. Format viewers: options?

[Brian Reynolds <reynolds@xxxxxxxxx>]

Greg E wrote:
> 
Lefty wrote:
> >
> > Does anyone out there have any completely different solutions
> > they'd care to share? How does this King Viewer work? Does it
> > accept mounted pairs, and if so, is there such a thing as a
> > Med. format RBT?
> 
> If building isn't your cup of tea
> you have three choices:
> 
> 3) Alan Lewis's MF viewer kit, sold
> by Rocky Mountain Memories. Go to:
> http://www.frii.com/~rkymtmem/viewers/satslide.html
> 
>   It uses the 40x84 mm achromats,
> costs $125, and is available "soon".
> Maybe Joel can tell us how soon.
> 

I'm currently in the middle of building one of these kits using an
early draft of the instructions.  I just have the final paint and
finishing left to do.

The best reaction to this viewer is "Wow!"  Even without blackening
the inside of the viewer (the painting I haven't done yet) the images
are great.  I've seen details in my honeymoon slides that I've never
noticed before (e.g., people at the top of one of the castles we
visited).

Construction is straight forward, and I think it could be done by
someone with little or no woodworking experience and minimal tools
(sandpaper, carpenters' glue, rubber bands for clamping,
stain/polyurethane, flat black paint, and a brush) in about three days
time (allowing for glue, paint and finish to dry).  I've built mine
on several late  nights over the last couple of weeks when I was
pretty zonked from working late (and most prone to doing something
stupid) without any problems at all.

I have a Bender 4x5 viewcamera kit that I wish was as well thought out
and executed as this kit is.

Joel has said that these kits would be generally available after the
early testers got back to him and he had a chance to polish up the
instructions.

> There is a semi-standard MF mount
> (80x132 mm outside dimensions) based
> on the King Inn ones. The ones I use
> are from RMM at:
> http://www.frii.com/~rkymtmem/mounts/spicer.mf.html
> 
>   Joel sells three types: 50x50 mm
> window openings and 40x50 mm portrait
> and landscape openings. They cost
> $18 per 100.
> 

I've used the 50x50 mounts with no problems (other than mounting my
first set upside down) and no experience.  They are nice mounts, no
fuzziness around the openings.

-- 
Brian Reynolds                  | "Humans explore the Universe with five
reynolds@xxxxxxxxx              |   senses and call the adventure science."
http://www.panix.com/~reynolds/ | - Edwin P. Hubble


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