Nikon 14-24mm F2.8 DIY filter holder (In progress)

[Bing Chow]

I decided to build a filter holder for Lee 150 system. I don't have the 150x150mm ND or 150x170mm grads yet so the filter is in progress. I used 3/4 MDF because I figured it might be more dimensionally stable than wood, and I have tons laying 'round.




Here are my drawings





I screwed the work to a piece of scrap to enable cutting thru the work and to help stabilize the work to the table. Using a router, I cut the centre hole and thin the sides to minimize weight.




Here is it separated.

At this point, the dimensions are larger than the final size. Once I make the rails to hold the filters, i'll cut off the excess. Now the moment of truth.........




Perfect fit! I really lucked out! Just the right amount of friction to keep it from spinning. Too tight is better than too loose. I can always sand it bigger.





MDF is pretty easily damaged by water so once it's done, I will paint a sealer over it, followed by matte black paint. But next up, I will order a couple filter and get the rails made.

Stay tuned!

 

[john Clinch]

Beautiful engineered. But are you sure that you won't be blocking light that should be getting to the lens. though that the cut aways in the hood were to prevent corner darkening



I hope I'm wrong

 

[Bing Chow]

Thank you John. Yes, there is currently obstruction at 14mm. I can slide the holder further up the lens collar and cut out the appropriate areas. Back to work..........

 

[GaryThorpe]

Very nice work and good thinking. Looking forward to see how the finished article works out for you.

 

[Ian Stuart Forsyth]

I have used melted down bread ties and machined out parts from plastic blank instead of using MDF

Bottle caps work good too

 

[SpaceDoc]

Great work, and thanks for sharing this with us!

SpaceWork

.

 

[rcower]

beautiful piece of work.

 

[Bing Chow]

So taking John's advice into consideration, I enlarged the opening to slide the holder further down the lens collar. Now, there is no obstruction all all focal lengths!







Time to make the rails. I have tons of maple hardwood flooring left over so that's what I used. A dado blade was used to cut the slot to match thickness of the holder. The slots for the filters I just cut with a thin kerf table saw blade, using multiple passes to fine tune width and depth. Rounded edges on the router.


I can't see me using more than 2 filters at once.




tightening screw for the filters. One per slot.




tightening screw close up. Oops! burn mark!

I sanded the end of those screws so they won't scratch the filters.








didn't glue it yet.



I have a Lee 4"x6" soft grad set. The long edge is 150mm, which should be the same as the SW150 filters. Lee is a reputable company so I trust their QC. I put a filter in horizontally just for sizing anf for pics.











So here it is for now. I've seen some people build custom baffles to extend the holder to prevent light from entering from the back. So, I figured I will leave the holder shape rectangular. Thanks for everybody's kind words and keep the critique coming!

 

[Apewithacamera]

Very little effort to break.

Nice design and idea btw cheers.

 

[Bing Chow]

That's one thing I never learn how to do: read the grain and orientate the work to take advantage of it. Good thing this isn't a high stress application.

Ideally, for this purpose, which way would you want the grain to run?

 

[Apewithacamera]

Bing Chow wrote:

That's one thing I never learn how to do: read the grain and orientate the work to take advantage of it. Good thing this isn't a high stress application.

Ideally, for this purpose, which way would you want the grain to run?

If your maple flooring grain pattern is all same, you may have to go and get some maple where the grain direction for strength is opposite what you have there.

You have a nice design on the go there but if your filter holder got dropped on those sides, they'd be prone to breaking.

I have done a bit of wood working myself and grain direction for strength I learned early on.

Regards

 

[Apewithacamera]

With the router and dado blade work you are doing the wood grain should be like this for max strength.


This is strong.

 

[Apewithacamera]

Apewithacamera wrote:

With the router and dado blade work you are doing the wood grain should be like this for max strength.


This is strong.

Weak

 

[lickity split]

Apewithacamera wrote:

Bing Chow wrote:

That's one thing I never learn how to do: read the grain and orientate the work to take advantage of it. Good thing this isn't a high stress application.

Ideally, for this purpose, which way would you want the grain to run?

If your maple flooring grain pattern is all same, you may have to go and get some maple where the grain direction for strength is opposite what you have there.

You have a nice design on the go there but if your filter holder got dropped on those sides, they'd be prone to breaking.

I have done a bit of wood working myself and grain direction for strength I learned early on.

Regards

I believe he is using MDF (medium density fibreboard) there is no grain.It's compressed dust.

 

[Bing Chow]

I suppose I could have used MDF for the sides as well.

 

[Bing Chow]

Thanks! I get it. (i think)

 

[Apewithacamera]

[No message]

 

[lickity split]

My bad, I thought it was milled out of one piece of MDF.... It's lookin good.. )

 

[vidrazor]

Is it possible to use your tools to do this with plastic? If not, ready-made plastic pieces may be able to be glued/screwed together with a good polymer adhesive to make a similar mount that may be more compact and wouldn't need the weather sealing treatment. Nice work tho.

 

[Bing Chow]

vidrazor wrote:

Is it possible to use your tools to do this with plastic? If not, ready-made plastic pieces may be able to be glued/screwed together with a good polymer adhesive to make a similar mount that may be more compact and wouldn't need the weather sealing treatment. Nice work tho.

Don't think so. I think cutting plastic would require slower speeds and different cutting blade geometry to minimize heat. You saw the burn marks on the wood. That would melt plastic and gum up the teeth on my blade and would be impossible to remove.