Posts Made By: Mark Eschbacher

Kreig,

I built a wood tube for a 6" f/8 by using 1/4 x 1 inch oak strips with edges cut to the proper angle on the table saw and finishing with polyurethane. Jigs and feather boards were used to obtain consistent and safe cuts of the small pieces. I used a gluing form composed of two plywood discs joined by a 1" dowel in a "axle and wheels" type setup (cover the "wheels" with wax paper for proper release). Glue all but the last slat and use a staple gun to attach them to the form. Once dry, remove the staples and gluing form before gluing the last strip and wrap with string or straps as clamps.

I found construction relatively easy but then I wasn't trying it with a 12". It seems to me that it could all be scaled up (wider and thicker slats) but weight and strength would become an issue. If it were me I would probably use spruce for its strength to weight ratio, glue with fiberglass epoxy, and finish with a very light weight epoxy fiberglass cloth to provide strength. With the fiberglass you could probably still use 1/4" thickness slats. Do not use plywood for the slats if you use carpenters glue because the end grain is a very poor gluing surface.

Perhaps those with more experience in fiberglassing than I would be able to comment on if this sounds like a viable plan.

Good luck and keep us informed of your progress.

Mark Eschbacher

Jon,

I have not tried time lapse photography yet, but I have been researching it since receiving a suitable camera as a gift. I recall reading that to avoid strange flickering of frame brightness you need to set your exposure to "manual" mode and take a test shot or two before begining. I'd give that a try, if you have only been using a program mode up to this point.

Mark