Bought a 14" Goerz Red Dot Artar the other day for far less than they seem to be listed for, in the box, in a barrel. It arrived almost translucent, it was so full of fungus. I spent the time to clean it carefully, and the result is a nearly undamaged lens-the coating has a tiny etched spot on the very edge of one of the center lenses, and I doubt it will be a problem.
But, then I mentioned it at work and my co-worker brought me another! This one is the 9.5" F9 RDA, and fit into one of the Ilex #3 shutters with a little room to go. It came to me mounted on a horseman lens board, but I don't have a horseman, so I figured I'll remount this one into the shutter.
I managed to get the front bushing on the first try, and set the front lens to iris distance to exactly the same as the original barrel. I neglected to take photos of it, but I'll make a few more sets of bushings now that I know what their approximate dimensions will need to be. I was doing good with the photos, and then I managed to delete the in-process pictures. The rear bushing, which should have been easier, I managed to scrap 3 times before I made one that placed the rear lens cell the correct distance from the front cell.
So, here's the finished lens mounted in one of my rough looking, but nicely timed and working, Ilex #3 shutters:
I will need to find some replacement front plate screws for this shutter, the ones that came in it are obviously not the correct screws, and they're flat-head countersunk types to boot, so the front cover shifts very slightly. You can see where I put a new dot and an "F9" mark on the front plate with a sharpie, after measuring the original barrel to start working out the F-stop markings. The shutter hits the end stop for the aperture at 0.132" diameter, and the F64 aperture would be at 0.123" diameter. I do not know if I can get it all the way there.
But, then I mentioned it at work and my co-worker brought me another! This one is the 9.5" F9 RDA, and fit into one of the Ilex #3 shutters with a little room to go. It came to me mounted on a horseman lens board, but I don't have a horseman, so I figured I'll remount this one into the shutter.
I managed to get the front bushing on the first try, and set the front lens to iris distance to exactly the same as the original barrel. I neglected to take photos of it, but I'll make a few more sets of bushings now that I know what their approximate dimensions will need to be. I was doing good with the photos, and then I managed to delete the in-process pictures. The rear bushing, which should have been easier, I managed to scrap 3 times before I made one that placed the rear lens cell the correct distance from the front cell.
So, here's the finished lens mounted in one of my rough looking, but nicely timed and working, Ilex #3 shutters:
I will need to find some replacement front plate screws for this shutter, the ones that came in it are obviously not the correct screws, and they're flat-head countersunk types to boot, so the front cover shifts very slightly. You can see where I put a new dot and an "F9" mark on the front plate with a sharpie, after measuring the original barrel to start working out the F-stop markings. The shutter hits the end stop for the aperture at 0.132" diameter, and the F64 aperture would be at 0.123" diameter. I do not know if I can get it all the way there.
