And yes, it's again time for another contraption!
But this one is very easy so anyone can do it.
Have you ever shot a Polaroid or an Instax, put the print in your bag only to find oud later that some piece of gear accidentally damaged it?
Well, it did happen to me. And I instantly thought I had to do something about it. And the fun thing is, this was so easy anyone can (and should) do it!
All you need is an empty film pack and the black card that covers it, an X-acto knife and a bit of Super Glue (if you opt for adding a cover to the top).
For the Polaroids, things are somewhat easier since the plastic used is quite soft. Start by taking off the reinforcing band near the film exit slot. This is easy since I was able to pry it using only my fingernails. Then, using the X-acto blade, delicately cut open the top of the pack. You will notice once this is done that you can pull both the spring and the battery out. Now, all that is left to do is finish cleaning off the burrs that prevent pictures from dropping in freely. If you opt for the hard cover version, take the lightproof card, put drops of instant cyanoacrylate (crazy glue) all along the edge of the card, slide it into place and push it up against the opening.
For Instax prints, the concept is similar but you need a better quality blade since the plastic is a lot thicker. On mine, I gutted all the insides of the case but I now realize that only removing the long "center spoke" would have been enough. For that, you simply take a pair of pliers and bend it at the base until it snaps.
So there you have it. Simple, easy and essentially free.
Now, for one last builder's trick. If you always find your instant glue drying in the tube or always have to use a needle to puncture a hole in the tube, there is a very simple solution to that problem: keep the crazy glue in the fridge! Makes it last forever and glues just as fine.
[Sorry, image deleted during forum software upgrade. Please re-upload if so inclined.]
