This is the fourth and hopefully final iteration of my printed wet plate holder. In this version, I've replaced both the mechanical lid closures and the foam light traps with magnets. The lid simply attaches to the back by magnetic attraction, and two printed light traps use magnetic repulsion to spring back into place when the slide is withdrawn.
The folders in this listing include the six separate versions available--4x5, 5x7, and 8x10 in both short and long sizes. The long version of each size is roughly the same length as a typical plate/film holder, and if space isn't as issue I recommend the long versions as they'll be easier to handle. If, however, the long version doesn't fit on your print bed or into your camera bag, you can use the short version instead which is the minimum possible length to accommodate the plate and light traps. FreeCAD files are provided for each size, and you can easily modify the holder for different sizes by altering the DImensions spreadsheet.
For every size you will need two copies of light_trap.stl, one copy of every other STL file, adhesive and magnets. All magnets will be round and 1mm thick, but the different holder sizes require different diameters and quantities. The magnet requirements are listed below:
Size | 3x1mm Magnets | 4x1mm Magnets | 5x1mm Magnets |
4x5 | 6 | 31 | 0 |
5x7 | 6 | 0 | 31 |
8x10 | 0 | 6 | 35 |
Note that you will also need to fashion a dark slide out of aluminum, plastic, or another suitable material.
For complete assembly instructions, see the assembly video:
The author marked this model as their own original creation.