Trouble Closing Speed Graphic

[JADoss23]

Hey gang,
Probably a stupid question but I have sort of a Frankenstein speed graphic that had the curtain focal plane shutter removed and such that I have been using for over a year now with no issues. I love the camera but this past week I was taking a photo with it and when I tried to close the camera the rail won't go back quite far enough to clear the door to close and I can't figure out what is going on for the life of me. Any body have any idea what may have happened? thanks

 

[glbeas]

Is the lens standard seated on the infinity stops? If its back by any distance it may constrict at the bellows and cause this problem.

 

[shutterfinger]

Front standard not fully on the rear section of the yoke, or is the yoke link not over the bed hinge? Pacemaker or earlier Speed Graphic? They were made from 1912 until 1970.

 

[removed account4]

sometimes, if you slide the lens standard back in the box of the camera ...
and you don't manually crank the focus back all the way it obstructs the bed from folding up.
often times you find the rail bed (guides? / what the focus rails slide in to secure them ) broken because
its easy to attempt to close the camera with the focus rail not completely retracted
and it prys /cracks them. was told an old trick by a repairman/tinkerer to make broken ones
less broken/extend their life if you can't find a replacement ... you just unscrew it and flip it 180º ..
good luck !

 

[E. von Hoegh]

Check for something caught in the teeth of the focussing rack, near the front - it's exposed when you run the rack out for close focus.

 

[JADoss23]

I've tried to look at all of these things but still unsure. It's an odd camera to begin with because it's sort of two that I think were put together at some point. A sort of Frankenstein Speed graphic. It no longer has the shutter curtain either. I've been using it for over a year or so and one day after using it I tried to close it and it didn't go back all the way. I can't find anything restricting the bellows to go back all of the way so very baffled.

 

[EdSawyer]

post pics

 

[JADoss23]

 

[JADoss23]

Here's some photos I tried to take of my Speed Graphic. That's the furthest back it will go

 

[removed account4]

it looks like the guide that holds the front standard to the rails
( left side ) isn't under the rail .
turn the thumb key so the front standard can slide back and forth
pullit forward and see if it sides out onto the rails and back in the case...
don't lock the standard leave it unlocked and take the focus and turn it back
towards the camera so the standard goes into the box even more.
make sure the focus lock is not on ...

when you press the struts to put the bed down can you pull the standard out
of the camera box and see if there is anything obstructing it ?
can you take the ground glass off ( graflock back ? ) and see if something is back there keeping the
bellows from compressing and the standard pushing back into the box ?

it is probably something simple seeing you said it worked fine and then all of a sudden stopped ..

 

[sly]

I have a Crown Graphic and something like this happens to me regularly. The back section of the rail is displaced, and the camera can’t slide properly. I rack the camera out, so that section of rail is out of the box of the camera, and then slowly rack it back. Sometimes I need to keep a bit of pressure on that back section to ensure it sits properly as it goes back into the box. Don’t know if this makes sense, but hope it can help you out.

 

[shutterfinger]

The rails are called yoke in the service manual. http://www.graflex.org/manuals/45-Pacemaker-Speed-and-Crown-Graphic.pdf
The yoke slides into the block, case with shims under them so that the guide slot sits at the same height as the bed. The blocks are aluminum and break if the bed is forced closed with the yoke not fully retracted. Broken case blocks can be switched if the fronts are broken out.
There are two styles, one with screws and with pins and screws. If the blocks are not in correct alignment they will block the yoke from fully retracting into the body.
Fold down the infinity stops, with the yoke retracted as far as it will go slide the front standard off the rails. Holding the front standard out of the way inspect the case blocks for breaks and proper alignment. Adjust as necessary. Attach the front standard to the rails and return to normal operation.

 

[JADoss23]

Thanks for all the help! You guys helped me fix it! Life savers! Thanks so much!