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Building a Photo Copy Stand

shim

I originally built this stand for copying old photographs using a film camera. These days with the advent digital photography, and other equipment, it is much easier just to use a flatbed scanner, burn the photos to a CD-ROM, and take them to your local Walmart. This stand is still usefull for photographing items that can't be scanned, such as antiques, or stuff you are selling on eBay, or whatever. It works just as well with a digital camera as it did with a film camera.

In addition, I use two small flood lights, one on each side, to light the photograph; you will want to play with the position of the lights so that you aren't picking up glare, or shadows. To verify that the camera is level with the photograph, I lay a small piece of mirror (3"x3") on the photo...the reflection of the camera's lens, should be centered in the viewfinder. I also use an '18% gray card' to set the exposure before snapping the picture. For small pictures, I have a +3 closeup filter, and for larger photos, I use a zoom lens, with a macro feature. I think it is best to use 100asa film (a small grain), and to use the smallest appature possible (for best depth of field). For more info, many photography books have articles on copying photos.

Parts:
2 pieces 3/4" plywood 16"x24" (for base)
1 piece 1 1/4" pipe 32" long, threaded at one end (for column)
1 flange for 1 1/4" pipe (for column)
4 flathead bolts 1/4"x1 1/2" (for mounting column)
4 nuts 1/4" (for mounting column)
4 washers 1/4" (for mounting column)
2 pieces 1/4" hardboard 11"x4" (for sides of sliding arm)
1 piece 3/4" pine 2"x6 1/2" (front of sliding arm)
2 pieces 3/4" pine 2"x8 1/4" (top & bottom filler blocks of sliding arm)
2 pieces 3/4" pine 1 3/4"x4" (for back of sliding arm)
2 carriage bolts 5/16"x 3" (clamping the sliding arm)
2 butterfly nuts 5/16" (clamping the sliding arm)
1 bolt 1/4"-20x2" (camera mount screw)
1 butterfly nut 1/4" (camera mount screw tightener)
glue

1) Cut two pieces of 3/4 inch plywood to 24" by 16". Glue these together to form a 1 1/2" base. Also screw in some 1 1/4" flat head screws through the bottom (use about 6 or 8 screws evenly spaced) to hold the two pieces securely together.

2) The column will be made from a 1 1/4" pipe about 32" long (threaded at one end only!), which will be mounted to the base with a flange. The flange should be located about 1/2" from one of the 16" ends, and centered. Mark where the bolt holes should be, and then drill a 1/4" hole for each bolt. On the underside of the base, you will want to widen and deepen the bolt holes so that the washers, and nuts will be inset. Now mount the flange to the topside of the base using the 1/4" bolts, washers and nuts.

3) Screw the pipe into the flange.

4) Time to build the sliding arm...take the two pieces of 2"x8 1/4" pine. At one end of each, make two 45 degree cuts, forming a concave V . Take the two pieces of 2"x4" pine, and bevel one edge of each at 45 degrees. Glue these pieces together as shown in picture. After it has dried thoroughly, drill two 3/8" holes through the clamp end of the sliding arm (about 1" from the top & bottom, and 1/2" from the end). File the holes square on one side so carriage bolts will sit flush. Slide arm onto column and clamp with carriage bolts, and matching washers & wing nuts.

5) In the extended part of the 6 1/2"x2" piece of pine (should be glued at one end of sliding arm), drill a 9/32" hole. Screw the 1/4" wing nut onto the 2" bolt with the wings facing toward the head of the bolt. Slide a washer on, and slide bolt though the hole....this is where the camera mounts...screw bolt into bottom of camera, and tighten wing nut to secure camera to sliding arm.


Copy Stand Picture


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