It’s another cold, snowy winter at MIT–perfect for spending your days in the warmth of the MIT Hobby Shop.

I’ve been working away at the next camera for the past month, starting with the base and the front standard, then moving to the back standard. In the meantime I’m teaching a medium and large format photography class at the Student Art Association. Teaching is fun, and with the MIT crowd I’m free to be as physics-geeky as I want. Heh.

As far as specifics of the construction, I’m using three different aluminum alloys, aluminum 2024, 6063, and 6061. Aluminum 2024 is the hard stuff, and I’m using it where I need threads. Apparently it’s harder than brass. Of course, the final anodizing process will harden it even more.

Anyway, here are some highlights of the construction thus far:

That’s a lot of clamps for a relatively small base.

Machining the focusing rails.

The base I made was a little too small in dimension, so I added the necessary (and decorative) mini mitered frame around the edges.

The base with the channels cut.

One of the sides of the focusing rack. It’s a bit more complicated this time.

Of course while I’m building this camera, there are tons of other awesome projects popping up around the shop. Apparently there is a guitar building class going on (note to self: build a guitar sometime). Here’s Hayami working on his guitar:

I’m taking a break for a couple weeks, as the term is starting and the SAA is acquiring an 8×10 enlarger. So…um, hang in there.

Posted under Camera Construction.
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