How to repair "lazy" Speed Graphic focal plane shutter?

[Bogdan Karasek]

Hello, So far, only leaf shutters have been mentioned. What about focal plane shutters, in particular lazy Speed Graphic focal plane shutters? I have several Speeds and the shutter spring needs to be tightened. When I try and close the curtains after using a T setting, the curtain comes down very slowly, if at all. Most of the time it slows down and just stops half way down.

Can somebody point me in the right direction to get instructions on how to remedy the problem?

Thank you!

[Oren Grad]

Since Graphic FP shutters are an entirely different animal from leaf shutters, I'm going to move this to its own thread.

The discussion forum at graflex.org might be a good place to look, or to ask.

[Jim Noel]

My problem with these shutters has been accumulated lubricant, not a weak spring. I generally only open them up and clean out the dried and hardened lubricant, then lightly re-oil.

[Michael Cienfuegos]

My problem with these shutters has been accumulated lubricant, not a weak spring. I generally only open them up and clean out the dried and hardened lubricant, then lightly re-oil.

+1.

Another way to care for the "lazy spring" is to be sure the shutter tension is at "1" and the aperture is at "O" when not in use. This pretty much removes all the spring tension. Those springs are quite old, anywhere from 60 to 90+ years.

m

[Jim C.]

+ 1 on all the suggestions posted so far, one thing I'll add is there are slight design changes in the way the
FPS cloth runs, earlier designs ( Anniversary, Graflex ) had free spinning idler roller bars that are the curtain
guides, later Pacemakers had a stamped aluminum curtain guide that the FPS rides over, you may want to
clean and lube the pin ends of the idler rollers, or clean and dry polish, no wax, the stamped curtain guides.
I used a dry teflon lube, make sure the carrier for the teflon has evaporated completely and buff the stamped
aluminum curtain guide.

The stamped aluminum curtain guide is poor design, since the FPS cloth rubs against it, refurbing my Pacemaker
I had a slow shutter at the higher speeds and once I treated the stamped curtain guide it cured it, I still have to
tune the shutter speeds.

[EdSawyer]

Agreed with the above. Overtightening the spring can be part of a longer-term problem, best to open and clean the bearings and then retension. SOmetimes "packing" the shutter by full windings and firings helps speed it up a bit too. Also, it has to be unstretched, and run evenly, if it's binding on the sides or canted/slanted in the path it runs in, it will slow it down.

[IanG]

I agree with the last 4 posters, I've serviced both my Speed Graphics and one for someone else and it's more a case of cleaning and very light relubricating. although I have had to re-light proof one or two as well.

Ian

[Jim Graves]

Is anyone performing this service for pay? ... for those of us who are frightened by the very idea of disassembling a focal plane shutter?

[Michael Cienfuegos]

Is anyone performing this service for pay? ... for those of us who are frightened by the very idea of disassembling a focal plane shutter?

You can contact "Shutterfinger" on APUG, aka 45PSS on graflex.org. He still repairs old Graflex cameras.

m

[EdSawyer]

The problem with doing it for pay is that there few if any replacement parts available, short of salvaging them from another camera. I have patched curtains before but not replaced an entire one. I am not sure if material is even available... possibly.

speaking of focal plane shutters, anyone have experience working on the ones in an Arca Swiss Reflex ?