Xenar 135 in a Copal 0 how to ?

asp.artist · Dec 1, 2008

Hi, I have a Crown Graphic with a Xenar 135 in a Copal 0 that has developed some intermitent stickies. On closer inspection I have discovered a hair (domestic shorthair tabby, I presume) in the shutterblades. I'd like to remove it. And I've been unlucky in finding information on how to separate the lens and the shutter. And then how to open the shutter. And hopefully remove the hair. Can someone point me in the right direction? Websites or books that would help?

Thanks,
Anne

BrianShaw · Dec 1, 2008

The lens elements, both front and rear, screw into the shutter. Therefore, all you need ot do is unscrew them to get them out. Honestly, I think you might have a furball more than just a hair. I seriously don't think one hair would make the shutter operate intermittantly. But with the lens off the shutter you can reach in real carefully (I'd use tweezers) and pluck the hair.

It is more likely that the shutter is in need of a good cleaning due to old oil/grease and years of usage. I don't know if you really want to get into the guts of your shutter or not, but take a look a this and you'll see (sort of) what your potentially getting into.

http://daniel.mitchell.name/cameras/copalmxv/copalmxv.html

David A. Goldfarb · Dec 2, 2008

Oh, one hair will do it. I can recall an expensive shutter repair on my Canon New F-1 to remove a thread that frayed from a film canister. I'd think leaf shutters would also be subject to them.

But yeah, the shutter probably just needs a routine cleaning.

Ian Grant · Dec 2, 2008

Copal's are far more prone to sticking, slowing down etc than than Compur's. Even 20 year old Copal's can become sticky through lack of use while 80 year old Compur's often work as well as the day they were made.

It's not advisable to try doing your own shutter repair, it will cost you far more in the long run if you make a mistake. If it is just the hair you might be lucky if not a CLA is relatively inexpensive.

Ian

BrianShaw · Dec 2, 2008

David A. Goldfarb said:
Oh, one hair will do it.

OK. Thanks for the correction. But I now wonder, how did the kitty hair get in there? [I mean into the OPs shutter, not your SLR... I know how junk gets into SLR shutters Been there... done that.]

asp.artist · Dec 2, 2008

I've only had the camera for 2 months. It's my first large format with a lens. So, the cat hair came from Florida. (I have no clue, but around here we blame everything on the cats). I'm not into learning shutter repair. But to send the shutter in for a CLA I have to remove the lens. And I don't know how to do that.

Anne
(surrounded by tabbys in Philadelphia)

Ian Grant · Dec 2, 2008

You can send the lens for a CLA with it fitted to the lens board. There are two sliders top and bottom on Crown Graphics that release the lens board, the top one says "Crown Graphic". It's very quick & easy.

Ian

Martin Aislabie · Dec 2, 2008

Help me out here guys

CLA = ???

Martin

Ian Grant · Dec 2, 2008

Clean Lubricate and Adjust

A good repairman (woman) will strip the shutter and rebuild it.

Ian

Martin Aislabie · Dec 2, 2008

Thanks Ian

Martin

edtbjon · Dec 2, 2008

As Brian says above, the front and back elements of the lens are screwed into the shutter. Just get a good grip of e.g. the front element and the shutter in the other hand, then twist as you would normally open a can. If you cannot get a good enough grip, try to push down the lens on a mouse-mat or similar rubber mat, then twist. (Not so good if the lens glass gets in contact with the rubber mat.) Or, an 1/2 " wide rubber band around the front/rear barrel will also improve grip.
If you can see the kitty hair, you can use a pair of pliers to carefully pull it out. Shutter blades are delicate, but not that delicate so that you cannot do this.
Apart from the feline intrusion, it's quite probable that your shutter needs a CLA anyhow, so as Ian says, it the shutter doesn't work properly once the cat is out of the calculation, have the shutter CLA'd. (You can do a search on this forum for "CLA" and you can find recommendations for someone nearby from the search results.)

//Björn

asp.artist · Dec 2, 2008

Success! Opened easily and the hair left with a bit of a fight - but gone. The lens is responding well. It will need a CLA, but, as usual, I wanted to buy some time.
Thank you all for your help. I do need to find some books to help with this learning process. I'll be reading the archives looking for titles.
Thanks again,
Anne

Ian Grant · Dec 2, 2008

3 essential books are by St Ansel, the only US Saint - The Camera, The Negative & The Print.

Ian

Xenar 135 in a Copal 0 how to ?

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