By gerardpanoramic

DIY: a refurbished cassette for the Russian FT-2 panorama camera.

As known, only four cassettes are included, when buying a new FT-2 camera, years ago, now. (1958-1967)
These cassettes, are not available on the photographic market, nor a source known to order. Hence I try to a DIY cassette.
It is amazing simple to constructing it, but needs very accurate working!

Materials:
-Two refilling plastic standard cassettes, with reloadable lid, 35 mm film (darkroom filling)
-black drawing paper
-strong adhesive
-ONE 120 spool (120 film)
-thin transparent flexible sheet of plastic (eg. document folder is fine)
pair of tongs, fine file, fret-saw.

Refurbished cassette for UNEXPOSED FILM:

Remove from the refilling cassette the removable lid and inner spool.
Keep this in a box.
You obtain now a tube with a bottom with hole.
CAREFUL remove this bottom by means of a pair of tongs.
You obtain a tube only, this is correct. Remove possible burrs with fine file.
Apply adhesive at bottom edges of the tube and pressed tube on a small black drawing paper. After drying, measure the height of the cassette at: 38 mm exact. Use a fret-saw to remove the top of the cassette. Remove burrs with fine file. Apply adhesive at the edges, and pressed it to another small black drawing paper. You obtain a "sealed" tube, that is correct!
Remove careful with scissors, the superfluous drawing paper.
Now take the standard spool out of the box, and saw 2 mm of the ends of the top of the spool level. Remove with fine file burrs. It must be fits the tube, now.
Measure a height of the cassette of 19 mm exact. Easiest way is use a white tape for the saw cuts. Use fret-saw to obtain TWO halves, each 18 mm height.
Take ONE stroke of drawing paper, cut at sizes: 3,2x 6,2 cm.
Apply adhesive on this stroke and pressed this on the transparent sheet,
cut at 3,2x6,2 cm. After drying, curve this stroke, black paper side outside and insert it in a film box, for a day. The spool must be inserted between the caps. Next day, inserts the stroke in the two halves, and closed the halves. Use of a little tape, for safety reasons, is advisable. The cassette must be fitted in the camera.
Maximal height cassette: 38,5 mm.


The Refurbished cassette for EXPOSED FILM:
(rewind spool)

Remove from the refilling cassette the removable lid and inner spool.
Keep this in a box.
You obtain now a tube with a bottom with hole.
CAREFUL remove this bottom by means of a pair of tongs.
You obtain a tube only, this is correct. Remove possible burrs with fine file.
Apply adhesive at bottom edges of the tube and pressed tube on a small black drawing paper. After drying, measure the height of the cassette at: 38 mm exact. Use a fret-saw to remove the top of the cassette. Remove burrs with fine file. Apply adhesive at the edges, and pressed it to another small black drawing paper. You obtain a "sealed" tube, that is correct!
Remove careful with scissors, the superfluous drawing paper.

Now take the standard spool out of the box, and saw the ends of the top flange of the spool level. The bottom flange must also be level. Now make the flange as thin as possible.
Remove with fine file burrs.
Measure a height of the cassette of 19 mm exact. Easiest way is use a white tape for the saw cuts. Use fret-saw to obtain TWO halves, each 18 mm height

Most difficult now, take the 120 spool (120 film) and use the fret-saw to saw the flange of the spool. Using of a fine file, to making the flange as thin as possible. Measures the diameter of the Standard spool,(35 mm) the diameter of the 120 spool must be the same. Apply adhesive to the flange of the 120 spool and standard spool, careful in the middle of the spool, and pressed firmly both parts. Make a opening in the middle of the black drawing paper of the TOP cassette for the rewind mechanism of the camera. This spool must be fitted easy in the camera, Try and error! Turning the spool smoothly.
Take ONE stroke of drawing paper, cut at sizes: 3,2x 6,2 cm.
Apply adhesive on this stroke and pressed this on the transparent sheet,
cut at 3,2x6,2 cm. After drying, curve this stroke, black paper side outside and insert it in a film box, for a day. The spool must be inserted between the caps. Next day, inserts the stroke in the two halves, and closed the halves. Use of a little tape, for safety reasons, is advisable. The cassette must be fitted in the camera.
Maximal height cassette: 38,5 mm.
Use a old test film, to see how its works.
Success!