[photo-3d] Re: Belplasca Stereo

[David Glick <xid@xxxxxxx>]

On Mon, 16 Oct 2000 (Digest 329 message #10),  Tony Alderson asked:

>I just acquired a Belplasca Stereo camera. Anybody out there have a
>repair manual or exploded view drawing?
...
>I am especially interested in attaching strap lugs to the camera body (I
>don't trust antique leather cases). Are the screws on the top cap strong
>enough for that purpose? Anybody else do such modifications? I have
>access to machine tools to make the lugs, but I don't want to put stress
>where it can't be handled.

Tony, 
I went through the same thing when I got my Belplasca, and have never found
any published repair information.  In 1997 I e-mailed Alex Klein, who's in
Germany, has a Belplasca, and keeps track of a broad variety of stereo
topics.  He replied that he had never heard of any parts list/ drawing, and
also said that all the original documentation at the factory had been
destroyed a few years earlier.

If you're asking about the very small screws through the top cap on each
end of the camera, I'd say NO, they are not adequate to support strap lugs.
They are small in diameter and have fine threads.  As a matter of fact, one
of the two on my camera has stripped its hole.  The good news is that it's
no problem to take the top off and examine the situation, if you're
considering enlarging those holes to get stronger anchors for strap lugs.  

There are other possible solutions.  One could make a bracket which anchors
at the tripod screw and comes up each end of the camera, terminating in
strap lugs.  My solution was to make a harness out of nylon strapping
intended for backpacks.  It attaches with Velcro across the back of the
camera, avoids modifying the camera, and eliminates any possibility of
catching the back's latch and popping it open with film in the camera.  It
is a bit of a hassle when reloading film, but I'm happy with it.  Feel free
to contact me off-list if you want more information on disassembly, the
harness, etc.

Dave Glick
State College, Pennsylvania, USA