Frozen Graflex XL

whlogan · Feb 15, 2014

I picked up my Graflex XL only to find the focus ring frozen nearly solid! Does anyone have any idea and/or suggestion as to how to free this baby up ? It was very tight when it came from KEH a while back and apparently has grown tighter as the days have slipped by. It will only move about 3/4" in my old arthritic hands now and I'd like to use this beauty with its Planar lens, but, alas can't if it won't focus. Need some help here, please,
William H. Logan
whlogan@loganphotographics.com
828-243-2453
Thanks, so much

Whiteymorange · Feb 15, 2014

Just a thought, but you might try a little gentle heat. I use a hair drier on low for massaging lots of old gear. It also works wonders for the occasional old piece that needs just a bit of warm-up and exercise...like your arthritic hands! (On me it's the knees)

Truzi · Feb 15, 2014

Pipe wrench? Just kidding.

I've no good ideas, but you could just spend some time working it back-and-forth and hope it slowly loosens more.

Sirius Glass · Feb 15, 2014

Post your problem on www.graflex.org forum. Consider getting someone with stronger hands to work it back and forth.

Tom1956 · Feb 15, 2014

I have never worked an XL, but just pulled it up for a little look-see into the focus mechanism. This is a situation that will not get better in time, or with any "working back and forth"; at least to any pleasing degree. The mechanism need a clean and re-lube, which should be a fairly simple undertaking for anybody who has done some small amount of camera work.

smithdoor · Feb 15, 2014

What type of metals are frozen

Dave

mgb74 · Feb 15, 2014

That focus ring is the Achilles heel of the XL - so be careful. The usual issue is the plastic tabs breaking. IIRC you have to extend the lens all the way (closest focus) in order to remove it.

My gut instinct is to put some lithium grease in the lens barrel helical and work it back and forth. Once removed, clean it out.

I'm sure many will advise against the grease out of fear that it will "spread". But I don't think it will (at least while removing the lens) and cleaning that helical is a lot better than dealing with a broken focus ring.

Of course, the issue could be a broken tab that is "stuck" in the helical.

Sirius Glass · Feb 15, 2014

As a fall back, if you cannot get help from www.graflex.org, you can send it to KEH for a repair/lube.

mandoloid · Feb 15, 2014

Does it make a difference whether you have your planar mounted vs un-mounted? I have some XLs and the focus drag is different depending upon which lens I have mounted indicating some variability in the barrels' machining. But if the focus ring is tight without the lens barrel mounted then your problem may lie inside the mechanism. You pretty much have to track down where the tightness is and remedy it, possible with a little judicious sanding. But they usually can be loosened up if nothing is broken. BTW heating with a hair dryer might be a great thing to try; they do become stubborn when cold.

summicron1 · Feb 15, 2014

try warming it gently -- my XL would get tight and hard to focus -- and hard to mount/remove lenses -- when it got cold because the focusing collar is a plastic that shrinks when it is cold. When I took it camping and it was near freezing the damn thing was impossible. That plastic also shrinks with age, so being hard to focus is a very common problem with these.

A coupla minutes with a hair drier won't hurt it, might help. Then remove the lens and, with some fine sandpaper, sand the inside of the focusing right BUT NOT THOSE TABS LEAVE THE TABS ALONE the ones that fit into the groves on the lens barrell.

sanding the inside of the ring will loosen it up. Hold the camera upside down so the grit doesn't fall into the camera. Be gentle, always gentle.

Frozen Graflex XL

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