large format focal plane shutter curtain care

spoolman · Sep 7, 2010

I've recently purchased a Folmer and Schwing #3A Graflex that has a focal plane shutter.I'm wondering what steps I should take and what materials to use to keep this curtain in good operating condition.

Thanks,

Doug

juan · Sep 7, 2010

Go over to graflex.org, register, and look through the help threads. Those folks are the experts. If you don't see what you're looking for, ask them. They are very helpful.
juan

Sirius Glass · Sep 7, 2010

I am working on an article on repairing Graflex and Graphic focal plane shutters.

Steve

spoolman · Sep 8, 2010

Hello Juan:Thanks for the info.Im heading overthere in a half an hour.

Doug

spoolman · Sep 8, 2010

Steve: Thats great.I'll be looking for when you're done.

Doug

fotch · Sep 8, 2010

Steve, where will you publish or release the info and when do you expect to be finished?

Sirius Glass · Sep 8, 2010

I would like to post it on APUG, graflex.org and largeformatphotography.info.

Steve

removed account4 · Sep 8, 2010

steve

do you have experience repairing these cameras ?

john

Sirius Glass · Sep 9, 2010

I am corresponding with Bert Saunders and following his instructions. I have been collecting and editing everything he writes. I have patched the curtain, adjusted the tension and now I am working on getting the "O" aperture centered. The pin in the H level is part way out but it will not move. When I have completed the repair and I am sure the instructions are both correct and clear, I will ask Bert to read and correct it before posting.

Steve

removed account4 · Sep 9, 2010

Sirius Glass said:
I am corresponding with Bert Saunders and following his instructions. I have been collecting and editing everything he writes. I have patched the curtain, adjusted the tension and now I am working on getting the "O" aperture centered. The pin in the H level is part way out but it will not move. When I have completed the repair and I am sure the instructions are both correct and clear, I will ask Bert to read and correct it before posting.

Steve

if you are in bert's hands, you are in good hands !

good luck with your article !
john

jon koss · Oct 2, 2010

Serious question, Steve - are you sure you are tapping the pin in the correct direction?

J

Sirius Glass said:
... The pin in the H level is part way out but it will not move... Steve

Sirius Glass · Oct 2, 2010

The pin came out after I put WD-40 on it to soak in for 24 hours. Today I found that the trigger-mirror-shutter linkage is not always working and that the H lever wobbles. I am waiting to hear from Bert before I decide to tape the pin in further or make another adjustment first.

Steve

Ian Grant · Oct 3, 2010

Tomosy has a good section on repairing Focal plane shutters in his Camera Restoration/repair book. I found it after I'd successfully restored a pre-Anniversary shutter.

Ian

jon koss · Oct 3, 2010

Hi Steve - The pins need to be well-seated for sure. Make sure everything is clean and free of burrs. If your pins did not survive the extraction process intact, then you may get play in the mechanism. This is not good because it will greatly accelerate wear, and of course, the dang thing will not fire reliably. If you are worried about your pins, please drop a PM. I purchased a bunch of pins a while back and I could probably dig them up with enough time and encouragement.

Good luck,
Jon

Sirius Glass said:
The pin came out after I put WD-40 on it to soak in for 24 hours. Today I found that the trigger-mirror-shutter linkage is not always working and that the H lever wobbles. I am waiting to hear from Bert before I decide to tape the pin in further or make another adjustment first.

Steve

waynecrider · Oct 3, 2010

Has anyone found curtain material that will work? Last I read a few years back was that there was something out of Japan I believe, but I think the thickness was a little more then what was used in the OEM stuff.

jon koss · Oct 3, 2010

Hi Wayne - The Japanese material was offered by one Aki-Asahi at aki-asahi.com. I found the thickness to be no problem. I measured it myself and it was extremely close in thickness to the Graflex fabric in my camera. If memory serves both were bang-on at 0.008 inches. The actual avoirdupois weight per area of the Aki-Asahi (AA) was greater than the Graflex stuff, but that did not create any problems. In short, it works.

I believe there are now two varieties of AA material. One is rubber-coated fabric and the other is a sandwich with fabric on the outside and rubber in the middle. I am only guessing that the tri-layer is thicker than the bi-layer but this is pure speculation - I have never handled the tri-layer.

Incidentally, the AA fabric oozes quality and happens to be gorgeous. It drapes beautifully, has bombproof opacity and is possessed of a lovely hand as well.

Hope that helps a bit.

Jon

waynecrider said:
Has anyone found curtain material that will work? Last I read a few years back was that there was something out of Japan I believe, but I think the thickness was a little more then what was used in the OEM stuff.

large format focal plane shutter curtain care

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