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Funded! This project successfully raised its funding goal on February 20.

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      Creator Kevin Kadooka about 21 hours ago

      Mike: Just to clarify, the Deluxe kit only comes with the adapter, not the actual roll film back - are you sure there isn't a zip-top bag marked "roll film adapter?" If not, I am more than happy to send you one.

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      Creator Mike Ruiz about 22 hours ago

      Hi Kevin,

      I got my camera parts in the mail, thanks for sending, but I noticed that the kit did not ship with a film roll back and adapter.

      My pledge was the DELUXE DUO KIT, which per the pledge description should come with that. Please let me know if this is to be shipped separate.

      Thanks.

      - Mike

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      Creator Kevin Kadooka 6 days ago

      USPS tells me 6-10 business days. If that's getting close to your deadline, it's probably safer to change your address. Message me with the details and I'll make note of it!

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      Creator Daniel Gaddi on June 12

      I may need to change address then - how long does it take to ship to Europe?

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      Creator Kevin Kadooka on June 12

      @Daniel: 15 every week, but hoping for a shipment of 20 this Saturday or the following Monday.

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      Creator Daniel Gaddi on June 12

      Sorry, just to get it clear - are you shipping 15 every week or are you shipping 15 every day for 5-7 days?

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      Creator Kevin Kadooka on June 5

      Here are the complete instructions, for your reading pleasure!

      http://bit.ly/15JJJkS

      Expect an update soon.

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      Creator Kevin Kadooka on June 3

      Everything is in stock and ready to go, and I have 13 kits (all of the Deluxe kits), in boxes and ready to post tomorrow or Wednesday (by USPS Priority, 3-5 days domestic). The remaining kits will go out in batches of 15 every 5-7 days, in order of pledge date. Detailed instructions are complete and being formatted as we speak, and will be posted shortly. Thanks everyone for your patience!

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      Creator John c Hieber on June 3

      Any update on where your at on the process?

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      Creator Daniel Gaddi on June 3

      Is it possible to get the kit to Denmark before July?

      Because i'm at a boarding school and i may have to change the shipping address because of the summer break.

      Regards.

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      Creator Alyson leffel on June 3

      Anyone want to buy my camera? Please contact me at Ajleffel@yahoo.com. i pledged $209

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      Creator Kevin Kadooka on May 24

      Very soon, I promise! I am compiling the instructions, video guides, and templates at the moment - can't ship until those things are complete.

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      Creator Daniel Gaddi on May 22

      Glue stick it is then !
      Have you started shipping yet ? :)

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      Creator Kevin Kadooka on May 21

      You can use a glue stick, although it will be a little less convenient (you may have to rush to cover the whole surface before it begins to dry).

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      Creator Daniel Gaddi on May 21

      Haha, i'm thinking of ordering some titebond from Amazon, but the sprayglue seems quite expensive compared to how little i'm going to use. Any alternatives? :)

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      Creator Kevin Kadooka on May 21

      It might be helpful - personally I prefer to use my fingers :)

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      Creator Daniel Gaddi on May 21

      Did you use brushes to spread out the glue for the wood assembly?

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      Creator Kevin Kadooka on May 21

      I recommend a spray adhesive like 3M 77, Elmer's Spray Glue, etc. for tacking the fabric to the backing paper (for even coverage and to avoid bleeding), and a more substantial glue to seal the edges. Then to glue the bellows to the camera assembly, I use a little bit of wood glue.

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      Creator Daniel Gaddi on May 21

      I think the brand name is "Relief" and i just bought it at a hobby/bookstore where i also bought the brush.

      What type of glue should i use for the bellows? Or will the construction guide tell me all about it?

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      Creator Kevin Kadooka on May 20

      @Daniel: As far as glue for the wood assembly, I would recommend a dedicated wood glue like Titebond or even Elmer's wood glue. What is the name of the glue you're speaking of? As you as you can remove the web, I think you'll be fine. I am working on the construction guide, which will be downloadable coinciding with the first shipment of cameras - that should help everyone out on adhesives and tools.

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      Creator Daniel Gaddi on May 20

      Any recommendations on any glue?
      I recently bought paint, brush and an all-round glue that i'm not so sure about.

      The glue is a very sticky adhesive and leaves some 'web' when using. I think that's okay for the wood assembly but i'm not so sure about the bellows.

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      Creator Alyson leffel on May 9

      Anyone interested in buying my $209.00 to Duo: A DIY twin lens reflex camera for instant film by
      BASIC DUO KIT: Everything you need to build Duo (laser cut parts, mirror, ground glass, bellows materials, hardware, and detailed instructions). Just supply a lens and Polaroid back.

      I bought it for my boyfriend who is no longer my bf and would like it to go to someone who could appreciate it! Email me at ajleffel@yahoo.com if interested.

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      Creator Daniel Gaddi on April 23

      That would be great !
      Thanks :)

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      Creator Kevin Kadooka on April 22

      @Daniel: I can make a note to include an empty pack with your package.

      @Joey: Expect an update in the coming days to address progress on the project, and the shipping date. I would say at the very latest, the second or third week of May.

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      Creator Joey Miller on April 20

      Any better estimation on when the kits will ship?

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      Creator Daniel Gaddi on April 18

      I dont happen to have an empty film pack - any alternatives to calibrate the focus or should i just 'sacrifice' one pack of film for the sake of calibration?

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      Creator Kevin Kadooka on April 17

      Matt: There is a pretty significant difference in field of view between pack film and roll film (about 40mm on pack film to 50mm on roll film, by my estimation). However, there are framelines for 120 film for 6x9, 6x7, and 6x6 formats in the viewfinder that accommodate the crop factor.

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      Creator Matt Ronan on April 17

      Kevin, I plan on using Duo pretty equally between pack film and 120, so is there a major crop factor when using a roll film back that i should be worried about? or is it irrelevant?

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      Creator Kevin Kadooka on April 12

      You won't need the screw unless you plan to reattach the feet for use on a 600SE. Let me know if you have any trouble with the lenses - a visegrip is very helpful for removing the retaining rings.

      Putty should be fine, as long it it's totally opaque. I'd go over it with a marker just to be safe.

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      Creator Daniel Gaddi on April 12

      I managed to fix it by finding a 'stubborn' screwdriver and drilling it all the way to the point where it didn't fit anymore, not much of a mess, only the screw is pretty ugly now - Is it something that will be used later to build the Duo?

      I hope the same thing wont happen when i try to extract the lenses.

      Also, if i put some putty in it instead of black tape (the putty is white)
      Will i still need to cover it with something black or just find a black marker to draw over.
      Or is filling the putty in the holes OK?

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      Creator Kevin Kadooka on April 11

      @Daniel: A couple of things you can try:

      a) It really helps to have the right screwdrivers. I'm not sure if the heads are Phillips, or JIS Type-S - but I have a cheap set of the latter, and they work like a charm. This might help you in the future.
      b) Dab a little bit of penetrating oil/lubricant around the screw, and let it sit for 10-15 minutes. If this screw is stripped or stuck, this can help lessen the torque needed to extract it.
      c) For really troublesome screws, I lock a screwdriver in the jaws of a visegrip. This gives you extra weight to keep the screwdriver in the screw, and more torque to break it loose.
      d) As a last resort, you can always cut or drill out the screw using a Dremel tool and abrasive wheel. This is guarantee to work, but it won't always be pretty. . .
      e) There are special tools for extracting stripped screws, but I've not had any experience with them.

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      Creator Daniel Gaddi on April 11

      Kevin, i was trying to make my 600SE Back compatible to the duo but one of the screws are in pretty bad condition and it wont get off, any ideas on what to do?

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      Creator Daniel Gaddi on April 9

      @Satoru: Do they ship to Denmark? :o

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      Creator Kevin Kadooka on March 18

      @Joey: It shouldn't be too difficult to add an angled brace to each side of the front standard, if you're concerned about the extra weight.

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      Creator Joey Miller on March 18

      Well, I did it. I bought a second Mamiya 100mm f/2.8. I guess I should've thought about this before, but is the front standard going to be able to support the weight of two of those lenses? I know I'm going to have to widen the hole for the viewing lens, but i don't want anything to sag or break. Suggestions?

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      Creator Satoru Murata on March 14

      @Daniel: Go to your local art supplies store and grab one of these (or similar): http://www.dickblick.com/products/clear-styrene-sheets/ the "non-glare" side is pretty much like GG :-) Very easy to cut & break into a desired shape. I fashioned my own "3x4 Polaroid Back Ground Glass" using one of these. like $1.50 a sheet :)

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      Creator Kevin Kadooka on March 11

      @Daniel: The easiest way is to stick a piece of matte Scotch tape (the kind in the green dispenser) over the film gate. It acts very much like a ground glass. Having a ground glass at your disposal is certainly a luxury, but it's not strictly necessary :)

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      Creator Daniel Gaddi on March 10

      It is possible for you to include the glass you use to calibrate the focus?
      Because i really dont know where to get a piece of glass unless i need to break something and try to sand it without cutting myself !

      Or are there other materials i can use?

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      Creator Steve Prue on March 8

      lens on the way, polaroid back about to be "borrowed" from my RB67...very excited to start building!

      finish...hmmm...i think it's gonna be the red fabric with a natural finish with my hot-rod buddy making it all bad-ass with red/black/white pinstriping. it's gonna be used to mostly take pictures of tattooed girls, so might as well make it pretty. LOL!

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      Creator Kevin Kadooka on February 24

      @ Mike: Yes, the 600SE backs are 99% identical to the Mamiya backs, and the instructions for modifying the back also apply. I've been using two 600SE backs on my prototypes, and they work flawlessly.

      I'm glad people are having luck finding lenses and backs!

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      Creator Mike Ruiz on February 24

      Thanks Kevin,

      I'm happy to say that I just got my 600SE Polaroid back for my Duo! Do the instructions you posted for preparing the back apply to this model as well?

      If anyone is having a hard time finding Mamiya backs for their cameras (like I was), eBay has a much larger selection of the 600SE's at a typically cheaper price point.

      The lenses were a little bit harder to come by and were a little more than I would have liked to pay, but again, the set I found on eBay came in perfect working condition with just a few scratches on the outer metal casing.

      Can't wait to start putting this all together!

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      Creator Kevin Kadooka on February 20

      @Satoru: I'll be messaging the laser engraving information to all Deluxe backers in full detail in the next day or two, but here's what I have so far:

      VF hood: 1.5" x 1.5" (38mm) square area, centered. For reference the VF hood is just over 4" x 4" square.
      Bottom: 3" x 1.25" (75mm x 32mm) area, aligned to either the "front" or "back" of the bottom piece.

      Designs are preferred in a vector format, like DXF, DWG, Illustrator (.ai), Corel Draw (.cdr), or Illustrator-compatible PDF. The area to be debossed should be shaded or otherwise noted. All engravings will be roughly 0.5-1mm deep.

      I can also trace the design from a raster image format like JPG, PNG, etc.

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      Creator Kevin Kadooka on February 20

      @Option8: Ground glass in an empty pack film is definitely the best way. I used this method while calibrating the last prototype:

      http://duo-tlr.blogspot.com/2013/02/prototype-3-build-day-7-8.html

      @Mike: The bellows will not come folded and assembled, but it's a not a very difficult job. Unlike big view cameras that have bellows over a foot long and with dozens of folds, Duo's bellows are only 4 inches long. Folding them takes only an hour or two - and a considerable amount of that time is spent waiting for glue to dry.

      That said, the kit will come as "complete" as possible - all of the channels for light seals, baffles, etc, are routed, beveled edges sanded, and viewfinder supports shaped, all by hand.

      The RZ67 backs have a different flange design than the RB67 backs. They won't work with the adapter plates supplied with the kit, but they might with some modification.

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      Creator Satoru Murata on February 20

      Congrats again on the successful funding, Kevin.

      Regarding finish, I'm thinking of oil-finish (http://www.woodcentral.com/bparticles/oil_finishes.pdf).

      Kevin: do you have a better idea about the laser etchings? Doesn't have to be rock-solid, but enough so that I can start thinking about the design, and scale in the end if need be? And regarding the bottom, can the laser etching be patterned designed rather than lettering? :D

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      Creator Mike Ruiz on February 20

      Big congrats on the funding! This is going to be an awesome project.

      A couple of quick questions -

      Will the bellows for the camera come already folded and assembled? The walkthrough on your site looks pretty involved and for the backing cost, this might be something you think about providing with the build kit.

      I've been researching Polaroid backs and have found a number of RZ67 backs in addition to the RB67 model you've specified to use. Do you know if these are compatible?

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      Creator Option8 on February 20

      Stain, probably something dark but natural.

      Ground glass inside an empty packfilm pack is a more elegant solution for getting the focus at the film plane. I would think using anything else would be prone to error.

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      Creator sixsixty on February 20

      Congrats!!!!!

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      Creator Matt Ronan on February 19

      Is anyone planning on staining their Duo? I'm debating on it and wanted to see what others were doing.

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      Creator Daniel Gaddi on February 18

      So awesome !
      I really can't wait :D

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      Creator Kevin Kadooka on February 18

      @Daniel: Not a silly question at all - yes! Those blog entries were just to provide a little window into the development of the camera, and how it's made. A full set of instructions will be released with far more detail.

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Funding period
Jan 11, 2013 - Feb 20, 2013 (40 days)

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See full bio

  • Pledge $9 or more

    23 backers

    An instant print of a camera, taken by the camera itself(!). Each photo will be unique, and I'll scribble a note of thanks on the back.

    Estimated delivery: Feb 2013
    Ships within the US only
  • Pledge $209 or more

    61 backers

    BASIC DUO KIT: Everything you need to build Duo (laser cut parts, mirror, ground glass, bellows materials, hardware, and detailed instructions). Just supply a lens and Polaroid back. Add $20 for a Roll Film Adapter.

    Estimated delivery: Apr 2013
    Add $48 to ship outside the US
  • Pledge $299 or more

    13 backers All gone!

    DELUXE DUO KIT: Similar to the BASIC DUO KIT, but Includes stainless steel focus knob and custom engravings of your design. Comes with a Roll Film Adapter. Just supply a lens and Polaroid back.

    Estimated delivery: Apr 2013
    Add $48 to ship outside the US
  • Pledge $649 or more

    2 backers All gone!

    READY-TO-USE DUO: For your support, you will receive a ready-to-use camera. Just send in the Polaroid back and lenses of your choice. Comes with a Roll Film Adapter, stainless steel focus knob, and custom engravings.

    Estimated delivery: Jun 2013
    Ships within the US only