Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Shutterbugs!

Hi Folks,

Well, that magic day has finally arrived...these little tools have been on the drawing board for 3-4 years and this winter I finally got around to actually starting the project. There have been so many delays that it's been beyond ridiculous but at long last I have them ready to go and I must say it is a big relief. I sure hope the next batch goes a little easier.

Anyhow, many have been asking the question, what exactly is a Shutterbug? The Shutterbugs are the third in the Superbug series, basically a mutation of the Original Superbug and the Weevil. I wanted to make a tool that was specifically geared towards photographers, and as many of you know, I am a very serious photography enthusiast and camera collector.

So what features might a photographer's tool have on it and how could I also make it such that it would also appeal to a broad group of non photographers?

We'll start with the "nose"....

Old school FILM cameras, which is what I mostly collect and use, often have button batteries or, in the case of the great point and shoot cameras of the 1990's, a lithium battery. These cameras usually have a little screw on battery cover with a coin slot on it. The Shutterbugs have a rounded nose bevel that will fit coin slot grooves and also double as a tool for tripod bushings which often feature a similar groove. It can also be used for all sorts of general prying and scraping tasks as well.

Next is the "eye" of the tool. Here I have reamed the opening to fit PC flash cord ends. This tool can help the pros who use flash cables to repair an end that has become out of round which appears to be a common issue with these cables.

I include a phillips bit and 1/4" hex opening for the captive bit portion of the tool. For those pros and totally gonzo gearheads such as myself who use RRS ballheads and brackets, I do have a few hex bits on hand that fit the screws...while supplies last. You will have to email me and ask for them though as I only have a couple dozen and they are quite pricey...don't know what RRS is? Don't go there, your wallet and your wife both send their thanks! :)

(Note: Darn it! I just double checked the hex bits which only just arrived yesterday and I have the wrong size. Will have to reorder and send the bit separately later this week to those who have requested for RRS. Sorry about that...thanks.) 

To complete the tool and round out the universal appeal, the "butt" end features a flathead screwdriver/prytool and the lanyard opening doubles as an O2 wrench. And of course every photographer and non photographer alike needs a handy cap lifter. ;)

The Shutterbugs weigh 30 grams with the bit. They are 3 inches long and .70" wide, .160" thick and are made of CPM 3v Steel at 58 Rockwell. Concerned about your 3v Steel tools developing patina, ie. rust? Give them a periodic wipe with WD-40 or any kind of oil. This is a pure tool steel that is highly wear resistant and incredibly tough but to achieve that kind of performance it must sacrifice stainless qualities. Also, the O-rings will leave a bit of residue when you roll them on so a little wipe down beforehand will optimize appearance. I did not apply any oil yet as I did not want to stain the insert cards.

There are no variations in this batch. No stamps or special grinds.

The Shutterbugs will be $70 each plus shipping and it is a one per customer sale please as the batch is not very large. I have a second batch that I will be making in titanium later this summer but they will be flat, so an ultralight thin version is in the works.

Thanks for stopping by today and happy clicking this summer!

Shutterbugs are sold out for now, thank you so much!





 
      

15 comments:

Snake Man Bone said...

pRETTY SWEET pETER nIce WORK!!1

Slim said...

Must have been a server overload :-). I got it to work.

TMedina said...

Took a couple of frantic refreshes, but it worked for me too.

Unknown said...

Thanks Peter. Today is my Birthday and this is my First " Atwood From Atwood"....lol. While not a major photographer, I do have many digital cameras and most have this large screw slot that you never seem to have the right tool when you need it. Now I do.
Thanks Again Peter....!!!

steve prue said...

yay! As a working photographer, I've been waiting on this one. Now I can rationalize my upgrading to a RRS ballhead. LOL! Thanks Peter! I'm pretty sure I have a hexbit that fits the adjustment screws on my Custom Bracket folding flash bracket that I use when shooting events.

Unknown said...

love the shape. I have a weevil and I find this so nice... Want one but too late... :((

Unknown said...

....these, are, AWESOME!!!!

Framemaker said...

These look great, sold out too quick for me to grab one though... as usual!

Unknown said...

This one is going right on my work keychain! Thanks Peter!

docfink said...

Damn! I missed these by minutes. Hopefully I'll have a chance in the future. :(

axolotl9 said...

Going to keep an eye out for the next batch - I have many cameras with which this will be quite helpful!

Anonymous said...

Surprised to see an XPAN as your demo camera. Great camera for panoramic photos. I have a TX-1.

Alex said...

Lovely design. Well worth the years of development I would say.

Kemtitec said...

Hats off to you Mr. Atwood.
You do know your cameras and watches.

Steve said...

High my name is Steve and I am a Peter Atwood addict!It is not enough that Peter tempts us with his metal works of art, but years ago he mentioned a flash light called the Haiku by Mcqizmo. Thanks Peter because I have wanted one ever since, and now, I have one too.=D