Arri Matte Box Identification?

Jay Young · August 19, 2016

Can anyone identify this Arri Matte Box?

I just bought it for way cheaper than new.

Its an older version, but I wanted a 6x6 so I got this.

It looks like an MB-14 - well it actually looks like an old Studio Matte Box but the pictures were a bit deceving.

I guess I'll find out when it arrives. I also hope it comes with the side L-bracket for rod mount, otherwise that's one more part I'll need to find.

Edited August 19, 2016 by Jay Young

Michael Rodin · August 19, 2016

Can't see the pictures, but I guess I have the same mattebox. It's called 6x6 Production Mattebox. No longer supported by ARRI. I had a talk with one of their engineers a year ago, he said they don't even have complete documentation (i.e. tech drawings) for it.

The trouble with them is that they were sold with 15mm studio rod arms and it's almost impossible to buy a 19mm arm. I wanted to cast a couple of 19mm arms, but at the moment no one else needed them and it was too expensive to cast just one. I will be machining 19mm-studio15 (the Chinese don't make 'em) adapters this year though.

Edited August 19, 2016 by Michael Rodin

Jay Young · August 19, 2016

Can't see the pictures

Sorry! Here's a hosted picture.

Michael Rodin · August 19, 2016

Looks like mine. Does it have 3 rotating filter stages? Seems the so-called adjustment rod is missing.

One of the rod holders on the side of Production MB was larger than 15mm in diameter. You put an adjustment rod there. It was a two-part rod, one end 15mm (goes into the arm), the other end was larger in diameter (goes into the MB), and the parts are not coaxial but eccentrically mounted. You cold rotate that rod to finely adjust the position of MB so it's horizontal and in line with the lens.

Jay Young · August 25, 2016

Looks like mine. Does it have 3 rotating filter stages? Seems the so-called adjustment rod is missing.

One of the rod holders on the side of Production MB was larger than 15mm in diameter. You put an adjustment rod there. It was a two-part rod, one end 15mm (goes into the arm), the other end was larger in diameter (goes into the MB), and the parts are not coaxial but eccentrically mounted. You cold rotate that rod to finely adjust the position of MB so it's horizontal and in line with the lens.

Got the box in today.

Yes, you are correct. I also did not get the arm, but for $60 its a great start! This thing is AWESOME, I love it! Also came with a Tiffen 81EF 6x6 filter, so.. not that I have any reason to use one but, YAY!

I assume (havnt measure yet) that the spacing on the matte box support rod side is 100mm? Seems that way. I wonder how much it would cost to have a another one of those plain 15mm rod mounts made, so I don't have to worry about finding rare parts.

Secondly, any Idea where I might be able to source an arm? I guess I could have one machined, but surely someone makes a 100mm matte box support arm??