The Project

How about a storage box for your Realist format slides!.  For an outlay of £10 you will be able to get a storage box that includes six 2" x 2" slide magazines, with a total capacity of 300 slides.  Only a small modification is required to convert these to accept 150 Realist format stereo slides. 

Figure 1. shows an 'Else' box sold by Wilkinson Cameras photographic retailers at £9.99p complete with six magazines.  The magazines may not be the highest standard available, but this is of little importance when they are not being fed into a slide projector.

To carry out our modification, we will remove the magazines from the box so that we can pair them off Figure 3. and glue them together as seen in Figure 4.  I used a Universal clear adhesive by Bostik for this purpose.  Rubber bands were wrapped around the pairs for an hour or so 'til the glue set.

You will find that when you place Realist slides in the paired magazines at this stage, the will tend to pivot on the central gusset.  Rather than fashion the plastic parts causing this effect, I cut six trips of heavy card with dimensions of 11" x 1/2" (276 mm x 12.5 mm) Figure 5.  These were glued into place to form support for the slides, away from the centre gusset Figure 6.  Double sided sticky tape will do the job also.

A nice finishing touch is to use a Chinagraph pencil to fill in the slide numbers on one side of the paired magazines Figure 7.

You will find that when returning the magazines to the box, that alternate strengthening gussets inside the box have to be removed Figure 8.  This can readily be done with a pair of stout pliers.

Figure 9. Job done.  A low cost means of keeping your precious slides free from dust and easily retrieved for viewing or projection.  

Barry Aldous - October 2004

Note:  Wilkinson Cameras only have outlets in the north of England.  Similar boxes may be available from Jessops.

Click on Figure to enlarge

Figure 1.

Figure 2.

Figure 3.

Figure 4.

Figure 5.

Figure 6.

Figure 7.

Figure 8.

Figure 9.