Who can fix crunchy gears in a Graflex RH-20 roll film back?

[Donald Qualls]

What it says on the tin. I've got an RH-20 (bought by accident, both the seller and I thought it was an RH-10 because it's in an RH-10 shell), and just finished my first roll of GP3-220. The advance seems to work well, and when there's no load on the gears it's almost silent -- but when its pulling film through, there's a crunchy feel and sound.

Yes, I know, these haven't been made in thirty or forty years so there probably aren't any factory parts -- is it likely this just needs cleaning? Who works on these (if anyone)?

 

[ags2mikon]

I think the gears are under the top plate of the lever. I have the manual.

 

[Donald Qualls]

As I understand it, the Graflex RH-* models were all lever wind. I have a couple knob-wind backs, they're the 22 and 23 (and I also don't think there ever was a knob-wind 6x7 from Graflex).

 

[BrianShaw]

The repair manual is downloadable from the National Camera site. Parts show up on eBay occasionally but probably not the part you might need. The last repairman that I knew for these died about 15 or more years ago... I can't recall what happened to his store of parts but I think they were widely dispersed long ago. I suspect that you are on your own at this point in time. Check the winding spring... that's what it was when mine made grinding noises. Soon thereafter the lever stopped working until it was repaired.

 

[Donald Qualls]

Well, springs, at least, one has some chance of recreating if the original is still present. I'll try to grab the manual and see if something obvious shows under the lever.

 

[Mamiya_Repair]

When you get it apart and figure out what part(s) you need, DM me as I still have all my NOS parts for the RH series backs.

 

[Donald Qualls]

When you get it apart and figure out what part(s) you need, DM me as I still have all my NOS parts for the RH series backs.

Excellent.