What is covered in a Full CLA of a Graflex SLR?

[EASmithV]

I have found someone who is able to do a CLA on my Super D, but I was wondering what to expect from a CLA of a camera of this type? Does it mean what I think it means, with the cleaning / lubricating / adjusting & accuritizing of the shutter, auto diaphram, and moving parts, or does it also involve cleaning of the lens as well?

 

[summicron1]

you should ask the repairman. all we can do is speculate.

 

[fotch]

You may want to ask for references as well.

 

[E. von Hoegh]

You may want to ask for references as well.

Excellent idea.

 

[removed account4]

if you go to graflex.org, look for bert saunders he is a retired expert and
can advise you about what you might do. you can also search there
for mr lustig's address / phone number. he doesn't have internet service
but will gladly talk to you on the phone about repairing your slr ...

there are others as well, you will have to search around to find them.
but those 2 come to mind first, and they have very good reputations when it
comes to graflex repairs.

 

[Rhodes]

Here: http://lommen9.home.xs4all.nl/ It has a good section about repairing graflexs! Will be send mine next week to see if he can repair the focal shuter!

 

[Sirius Glass]

Bert Sanders no longer does Graflex or Graphic repairs. He will walk you through the steps of repairing or building cloth shutter as well as other repairs.
Fred Lustig is expensive however I have never heard a negative [pun intended] word about his work other than to say he can be slow due to a backlog or the extra care he exercises.
45PSS at www.graflex.org is very helpful and does repairs

What others do for a CLA, you will have to ask each one.

 

[Dan Fromm]

Steve, I had a nasty collision with Mr. Lustig some years ago. Short form, I sent him a Speed that needed some work and a lens that I wanted the RF calibrated for. Not long after Fred called me with the news that the work was done and that he'd be away for three months. The bill would be in the box. Someone in Reno tossed my gear and the gear in a box, slapped a small address label on the box, didn't remove the large label from me to Reno from the box, and dropped it on Fed Ex Ground. I watched my parcel's progress. It got as far as southern NJ, then went back to Reno. I screamed, Fed Ex tried again to deliver it to me. When it arrived I found that the camera and lens had beat each other up in transit. Lens board destroyed, lens damaged, ... Valuable lens, of course.

I called Reno and screamed into the answering machine. A person who represented himself as Fred's son called back, told me that Fred was off doing something for the CIA that he couldn't talk and that I'd have to deal with Fed Ex myself. Fred would not be back before the Fed Ex "open a claim" window closed. So I dealt with Fed Ex. Getting them to pay for damages, including repairing the lens, took over a year. Oh, yes, I withheld payment to Fred. It was nice of him to trust me to pay, not nice of him to pack my gear so badly.

Turns out that while he was off being mysterious Fred had had aa stroke. He eventually came back, called me about payment. I explained, no payment until I was made whole. Some time later he called, demanded payment, blamed everything on Fed Ex. I asked how much, he gave a figure, I paid. And then the SOB called me and berated me because the amount he'd quoted on excluded his cost of shipping to me.

Oh and by the way, the RF wasn't calibrated for the lens. The links between inner and outer bed rails that he replaced because, he said, they were bent, came back with the camera. They are perfectly flat.

I wouldn't use Fred Lustig for anything.

 

[BrianShaw]

Fred is an elderly man who does repairs "on the side", so to speak. I had a roll film back repaired by him back when he had the stroke and needed time to recover. It felt like it took forever and the dealings were very informal... so informal that I thought I'd never see my gear again. When dealing with old men who are frail... there are "problems" to be expected.

But he is a very sweet guy and I really liked talking to him. I'm glad he continues to support the remaining users of Graflex gear. But one must set their expectations very differently when using someone like him versus using a full-time repair shop.

How about Steve Coi, at Steve's Camera Repair in Culver City CA. He is doing this kind of work as a primary occupation and might be a decent alternative.

 

[Dan Fromm]

Brian, age and frailness are no excuse for bad packing and negligence. They're also no excuse for work charged for and not done.

 

[BrianShaw]

Brian, age and frailness are no excuse for bad packing and negligence. They're also no excuse for work charged for and not done.

I wasn't talking specifically about your situation, just the situation of using a retired guy in general.

But having the experience for several years now of working with several old and frail people (for some reason I seem to be a magnet for the old tymers who just can't retire)... the incidence of forgetfullness and error is indeed much higher than one would expect. The benefit, though... these guys have "seen it all" and have a wealth of historical inforamtion in their heads.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Ok, Fred Lustig is off my list for everything.

 

[BrianShaw]

Wow, Steve... you are easily influenced.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Wow, Steve... you are easily influenced.

My parents did not raise any stupid children.

 

[Old-N-Feeble]

My parents did not raise any stupid children.

Mine did. Fred installed a Maxwell screen on my Chamonix 45N-1 a few years ago and did a great job. Bill suggested Fred due to proper shimming needed. Fred did it properly.

 

[EASmithV]

Fred Lustig worked on my speed a few years back, and did a great job, though was a bit expensive.
However, dealing with him was a bit informal, and while I have nothing against him, and he did a really great job for me,
I was worried that he would die halfway through the repair of my gear or something.

I plan to use 45PSS for the Graflex SLR overhaul.

 

[Roger Thoms]

I've had two Century Graphics CLA'ed and repaired by 45PSS and they both came back working great. One had a badly bent bed hinge and he was able to straighten it out and get everything aligned perfectly. Prices were very reasonable, and communication via email was excellent, turn around time was less than estimated. You can find 45PSS over on Graflex.org.

Roger