Converting Speed Graphic spring back to Graflok

[IanG]

Has anyone converted an early Speed Graphic spring back to Graflok ?

I have a spare back missing the focus frame and springs and a spare Pacemaker Graflok focus frame so am thinking of converting the back to take the frame. The back is actually metal and wood, two wooden strips either side of the frame so relatively easy to dodify or even make new parts.

This is an identical back I restored a few years ago.

http://www.lostlabours.co.uk/photography/cameras/images/rear_speedgraphic.jpg

http://www.lostlabours.co.uk/photography/cameras/images/back_speedgraphic.jpg

Really I'm after suggestions on what to use for the arm to locate in.

Ian

[Drew Bedo]

Not sure what parts you have . . .

The spring back and the Grafloc back should swap-out just by removing the screws. The screw holes should be the same.

I have done this a couple of times. Right now I have a pre-anniversary beater with a Grafloc back on it.

Maybe you don't have the right parts.

[Jim Jones]

Drew's solution worked for me except the peephole for the Graflok sports finder is too high to work on the Pre-Anniversary's sports finder frame.

[IanG]

Drew, yes a Graflok back is swapable with any of the spring backs on Speed/Crown Graphices even pre-Anniversary Speeds. A couple of years ago I bought a box of Graphic parts and a Graflex reflex from a fellow member here in Paris, so I'm using up what I can.

What I have is essentially the aluminium panel shown (gray primed) in the first photo plus the two wooden parts either side of the GG focus panel (in the second image) and nothing else of the original back, this is from a pre-Anniversary Speed Graphic. And then I have a spare Pacemaker Graphic Graflok GG focus frame, it's a plain one not machined for a fresnel as well as the screen. As both mismatch and are orphaned the plan is plan to adapt to put them together.

I do have a Pacemaker Speed Graphic with a Graflok back back which should help enormously.

Jim, the Sports finders changed - the pre-Anniversary had no distance adjustmen. I have some Anniversary Speed parts the adjustment was on the rear piece. I'd need to do some see if it fits but have a spare Anniversary front wire finder, and the adjustable rear.

I regularly use the wire finder on my Super Graphic or Crown Graphic when working hand held often with a touch of tilt and also with a 90mm Angulon on occasions and find these Sports finders very useful.

My problem here in the UK is Graflex cameras aren't common, spare parts are virtually no existent because very few cameras were imported, Kodak Ltd sold them before WWII for a while but after WWII all imports were heavily restricted until the mid 1950s, so at the high point of Pacemaker production almost no camera were being imported. Graflex & MPP got around this with the MPP MicroPress a supposedly British made camera but effectively a Speed Graphic, parts could be imported getting around restrictions,

Ian

[Drew Bedo]

Iamg: If you want to buy a Grafloc back, send me a PM and we can talk it over.

[IanG]

Iamg: If you want to buy a Grafloc back, send me a PM and we can talk it over.

Thanks Drew, I'm not after a Graflok back. I have one on my Pacemaker Speed Graphic. In truth I'm quite happy with spring backs it's years since I used a 6x9 back on a 5x4 camera. I also have a few spare backs, I just want to use up a box full of parts I bought from a fellow LFP Forum member Miguel Coquis 2 or 3 years ago. I'm doing quite well as I've just put some really nice bellows in the box on my WA Special Speed Graphic :D

Ian

[ValoPeikko]

Just wondering, where could one buy single graflock back? I have a cambo wide styled camera (not sure on manufacturer), the back is spring loaded and seems to have correct screw holes for graflock back. Getting one would make life easier and perhaps I could convert it into 6x17 camera with one of those chinese backs :) Besides using it with my Sinar Zoom back would be easier with out fiddling with spring back (most of the time camera is fixed focus to infinity due to wide angle lens, but when not, graflock would be easier to operate then spring back).