The Econo LF Camera

Well it's done. I didn't bother with staining the wood or anything. Just wanted to get it together and check the functions.
I used Eastern white pine. Why? Because I had a piece from the loft of a very old house laying in the shop. It's very stable old growth. But, just about any wood could be used.
The most expensive purchase was the aluminum. I couldn't find any in the machine shop dumpsters. :)
The plans call for bakelite knobs. I wanted to see how cheaply I could build it for. So I used metal wing nuts instead.
It has all the movements of an expensive factory camera. The front and rear plates will move up, down, tilt forward and back and swivel from side to side.
It can use a lens up to 240mm.
The bellows was very easy to make using Mr. Hoover's instructions. I used very thin upholstery vinyl and cereal box cardboard for the stiffners.
The ground glass was made from a piece of window glass. I used fine grinding compound to give it the texture I wanted.
The film holder is a wood Graflex holder. Obtained in a box of traded goods.
The springs to hold it tight, were made from 1/2" metal banding strap from a machine shop dumpster.
So, what did the total come to? A whopping $50.00USD. And that includes the Super 77 spray glue for the bellows.
I now have my Ilex shutter/ lens from my other 4X5 mounted on it for checking the ground glass.
And as usual. Mother Nature has decided to remind me who's boss. Every time I finish a project, the weather gets really nasty. :( So the test pics will have to wait for her to relent a bit.

It does not take big dollars to venture into the world of photography. With a little scrounging and some basic skills, it can be done on the cheap. Put your money into film, not gear. ;)