OT: Remote shutter release thread grumble

[colinh]

Don't know where else to post this.

What with having a lathe, I thought I might try making my own soft-release button for my M7.

The blasted thread is conical. How am I supposed to cut that? The pitch seems to be 0.5 mm - so I could try manual advancement of 1 mm/s (ie. 1 rpm) at 120 rpm. ?

Sorry if this too off-topic?

colin

 

[Xmas]

Colin

Copy the end of a shutter release or scrap the end of a release and embedd the end in RTV rubber for a 'squiggy' soft release...

Not a real engineer here but impressed that you lathe has a feed mechanism...

Noel

 

[Sparrow]

You need NC to do that, or an engine on the saddle, not an easy task on a hobby lathe

 

[colinh]

Damn. Now I need to get NC for my lathe. 🙂

Hmmm, upgrade kits (spindles, motors, controllers, interface cards and program) cost less than a Leica lens...

colin

 

[dadsm3]

Just like cars...they do everything they can to prevent home solutions.

 

[Bryce]

What? Your lathe hasn't got a taper attachment? Well, that's what you'd need to do the job. Or an N.C. control, that is.

 

[Bryce]

You're bringing back bad memories for me. I've cut more pipe threads (yes, tapered), double lead lefthand acme threads, etc. on manual lathes than I care to remember.
Anyhow, no taper attachment, no tapered threads for you.
Maybe you could alter the threaded end from a dead cable release?

 

[dll927]

Is there something new to this? Haven't cable release sockets always been conical? Without going to look, I have a couple of old Minoltas with 'soft release' buttons on them, and I think they are conical - and they've been on there for at least 30 years.

 

[colinh]

What? Your lathe hasn't got a taper attachment?

You guys are great 🙂

No, it doesn't have a taper attachment (yet) - only an adjustable tailstock. But a quick google on taper attachment yielded some excellent hits. Even though my machining skills are (obvioussly) limited - I may try and make one.

Tools to make tools to make widgets to help with a hobby.

colin

 

[colinh]

Is there something new to this? Haven't cable release sockets always been conical? Without going to look, I have a couple of old Minoltas with 'soft release' buttons on them, and I think they are conical - and they've been on there for at least 30 years.

I'm sure they've always been conical. Probably also a good thing too. It's just that I've never tried to make one myself before. That's all.


colin

 

[dll927]

That would make a difference, and I have to hand it to you guys who can do that type of work. Somehow I never had much talent for working with tools.

So-called cable release sockets have long been one of the few "standard" things you could depend on from one brand of camera to another. So let's not go and change them at this late date. To me, from the time the first one was ever put on a camera, there should have been a law passed to require them on ALL cameras.

I had an interesting experience. Years ago I bought a Minolta X-700, which has aperture priority auto exposure. The way the shutter button is constructed, I long thought it didn't have a cable socket. I mentioned such in one of these forums one time, and somebody informed me, yes it DOES have a socket - it's on the side of the lens mount. Presto, he was correct. Strange place, but it's there.

 

[Robert]

Colin, you are giving yourself a lot of hassle. Give up, admit defeat and buy a soft release.