Very weird seeing this here! This is my site and my projects. Happy to answer any questions about them.
Never really saw it as a fit for the hn audience as the quality of the code and site aren't very good and as other people have mentioned it's a very niche space to be working in.
If you are interested in this kind of thing, I think there are some cool projects out there aimed at reducing the cost of development [0] and scanning [1] analog film.
It looks a very interesting project! I notice there looks lots of 3D models you've created, I'm wondering if there's a picture of the assembled physical system? (Sorry if I missed something).
I just had a little look at the second link you posted too, I'm kind of curious if you could hack an old 35mm film scanner to scan 35mm or smaller cinema film.
I've got the Canon CanoScan FS4000, you normally have to load the film into a plastic caddy, and push it in, but I was thinking if you cut a hole in the casing, if you could maybe feed the film through (I've not looked at the internals though, as maybe there's something in the way that prevents that).
No, you haven't missed anything; I have. The minolta16 tank, minolta16 cartridge, lomo spindle and bolex rewind key are intended to be assembled. The other files are odds and ends that mainly exist as OpenSCAD files to be incorporated into more complex machines.
I should add gifs of the assembly with links to zips containing all the parts.
Hacking 35mm or flatbed scanners to scan movie film cheaply and at high quality is something that would fill a real need for several labs and experimental filmmakers who would tolerate a longer scanning process for "free" scans.
What a great idea! I wonder how big the 16mm film communities are in these days of pervasive digital, given the costs of developing film and the risks associated with processing.
It's tough to gauge exactly how many people are involved, but the filmlabs.org site[0] lists 50 artist-run labs worldwide where people are developing movie film. These range from single-person operations to large non-profits with considerable funding, but were are out there!
I think cost is certainly a barrier but I'm self-interested enough to let people think it's bigger issue than it is because paradoxically that attitude has led a lot people to give away equipment and filmstock for virtually free (to me).
If you're looking at the used cine camera market, the cost of Bolex cameras has climbed recently and I think that's due at least in part to Kodak re-issuing Ektachrome.
It's a fantastic project to open source this design and fabrication files. I hope it can be done for old cars and mechanical designs when we didn't have that much electronics involved.
Thanks! I really hope to see this kind of project in other areas where releasing designs could really do some good. This collection is terribly unfocused because I just design and release parts or apps as I need them, but a more engineering-focused hobby or industry could probably put together open repositories of parts and specs that would lower the point of entry others.
the point is to tell a story, so unless you have a budget that can accommodate analog don't waste your time with analog. tell your story the easiest way possible, don't complicate things unless you can afford it or, or you lessen your chances of success significantly.
Never really saw it as a fit for the hn audience as the quality of the code and site aren't very good and as other people have mentioned it's a very niche space to be working in.
If you are interested in this kind of thing, I think there are some cool projects out there aimed at reducing the cost of development [0] and scanning [1] analog film.
[0] https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3076876
[1] https://mepler.com/Kinograph