Modifying Calumet C400 back

[paul ewins]

Hi, I want to modify my C400 so that a grafmatic will fit. The only reason it won't, as far as I can tell, is that the leaf springs aren't long enough. I don't have the facilities to work with spring steel, so I'm looking for other ideas. Coil springs can be easily found, but the leaf spring also keeps the moveable part of the back square to the rest of it (i.e. allows movement in one axis only - in or out). Has anybody attempted this modification before?

Before anyone points out the obvious (use a DD, not a grafmatic) the various advantages of the grafmatic have wone me over and I would rather not use DDs at all if I can avoid it.

regards,
Paul

 

[bobfowler]

Hmmmm... Interesting...

Graphmatics fit the 4X5 back for my C-1 just fine. I thought that they used the same GG frame and springs.

 

[Dave Parker]

There is not reason the grafamatic should not fit the C400 back, the grafamatic was designed to be the same thickness as a double sided film holder, and hence should fit the back..

Dave

 

[glennfromwy]

A Grafmatic is 1 1/2 times the thickness of a normal film holder. I haven't used my view camera in a long time but I remember that these have quite a long throw on the back and the Grafmatic should fit. If not, do what I do to make it work on a Busch Pressman - put washers under the springs, to shim it out to the proper position.

 

[Dave Parker]

A Grafmatic is 1 1/2 times the thickness of a normal film holder. I haven't used my view camera in a long time but I remember that these have quite a long throw on the back and the Grafmatic should fit. If not, do what I do to make it work on a Busch Pressman - put washers under the springs, to shim it out to the proper position.

Sorry Glen,

It has been a long time since I used one and I guess in my old age, my memory is failing, I remembered them not being much thicker than a standard film holder..

Back to making glass for me I guess! LOL

Dave

 

[paul ewins]

Of Course! I should have thought of simply shimming the springs out further from the back. That should do the trick nicely.

If grafmatics fit under the C-1 back OK, maybe I've ended up with shorter springs.

Anyway, problem solved and many thanks. On to the next project....

Paul