P3D Re: Spicer vs. RBT

[Steve Spicer <s.spicer@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

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>From: Paul Talbot <ptww@xxxxxxxxx>

> But my
>preference will continue to be to use RBTs for my best images, even
>though I will probably use far more Spicers than any other mount.
>
...
>I just don't think they
>should be hyped into something a lot more than they are, or were
>meant to be.


Hi Paul

The "Spicer" stereo mounts are a reasonably "full-on" attempt by me to make
the best possible stereo mount using cardboard as the stock. I believe that
I have achieved that goal - I have not seen a better cardboard mount of
past or current manufacture. (Of course these comments are extremely
biased, as I am the producer of these mounts!) 

I do recognise that it is possible to go even better with cardboard, but
the die costs (the die is the lump of metal that actually does the cutting)
to do that are many, many times or more the cost of the current die. The
accuracy of cutting could probably be improved from the current 0.1mm or
so, but I would become a charity, instead of a viable entity supporting the
stereo hobby we enjoy. Also, cardboard changes its dimensions with
humidity, so the increased accuracy from an expensive die would be lost to
some extent.

Mounts made from metal or plastic are made using expensive dies, that are
in general very accurate, and that the metal or plastic substrate will hold
the tolerance in the manufactureing die better than cardboard. On that
basis, the any cardboard mount is at a disadvantage. But the platstic or
metal mounts are at a disadvanatage on price. 

You should not experience any difficulty in projection with the Spicer
mounts. I was pleased to see that JohnB had done some measurements on
various mounts (thanks for taking the time John). Measurements always make
me nervous for fear of failing, but the cardboard mounts did really well I
thought:

>I'm going to go measure some mounts.  I have an Albion 5P, an RBT 5P, 
>and a Spicer 5P and a Spicer 7P since Spicers are the emphasis today.  
>The extreme range of variation for the Albion is < .001" (< .025 mm), 
>for the RBT it is .004" (0.1 mm), the Spicer 5P it is .004" (0.1 mm) 
>and the Spicer 7P is .005" (.125 mm).

These stereo mounts are used extensivley in Australia, and the photos in
them regularly get accepted into PSA stereo exhibitions overseas, or gain
awards. 

I think your approach of using the Spicer cardboard mounts most of the
time, and putting your best slides into you favourite expensive mounts is
fine, and is an approach also used by some others.

Best Regards
Steve (0.1mm) Spicer    ;-)
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