Studio Shutter Info Needed (Conley Portrait)

[Chauncey Walden]

Diane, that was me, not Mark, whom I'm sure would never deface a fine piece of equipment;-). I am happy to report that I now have a functional pneumatic Studio shutter converted to cable release actuation. I carefully used a 1/8-44 tap to put some threads in the opening of the air bulb connector. The 44 TPI matches the cable release and by just using the tip of the tap got a tapered receptacle. I took a piece of .060 aluminum sheet and made a "plug" that filled the slot of the open/close mechanism and kept it in the closed position. I folded the sheet 90 degrees and used the existing screw hole to keep it in position. I did have to go up to a 4-40 screw because the old hole was stripped - probably why the open/close lever had departed. I think the original lever would have put quite a load on a 2-56 screw. Now, about the reversed piston... I didn't use it. Since the cable release didn't require a tight fitting piston, I made a new piece from a small bamboo stake that moves freely in the cylinder. I cut the stake at a joint so that the cable release tip would have a solid surface to bear on. This works great and the shutter has a much snappier closing action. I did have to find a cable release with just a little longer throw for full actuation, but it turned out to live in the proper camera bag anyway. So, the first semi-organic Studio shutter?

[Jim Galli]

I have both styles and although I rather shyed away from the pneumatic ones at first, I've grown to like them. They work fine when they're cleaned up and bulb and tubing never fail to please any onlookers. (although we're in a generation that considers a cable release just as obscure) I think perhaps the bulb operated ones have a little different dynamic. The air/piston thing definitely has a threshold to overcome and when it does, it moves more quickly than the cable. Maybe I'm dreaming. I have a lovely 18" Verito that's missing the actuator. I'm thinking about grafting a Packard piston onto it. Can't think of any reason that wouldn't work.

[Diane Maher]

Sorry about that Chauncey. I will attach some pictures of one of my pneumatic Studio shutters. It also has a Packard shutter mounted behind it. I've never quite managed to get these Packard things to work properly. I suppose I might need some new tubing.

So I don't get a bunch of questions of "What lens is that?", it is a Wollensak Varium 19" f/4, in a Studio No. 5 shutter.

[Jim Galli]

Sorry about that Chauncey. I will attach some pictures of one of my pneumatic Studio shutters. It also has a Packard shutter mounted behind it. I've never quite managed to get these Packard things to work properly. I suppose I might need some new tubing.

So I don't get a bunch of questions of "What lens is that?", it is a Wollensak Varium 19" f/4, in a Studio No. 5 shutter.

Just to let the folks know how BIG that thing is, that is a 9X9 inch lens board, correct? The 19" Varium is a street car headlamp.

[Diane Maher]

Yes Jim, it is on a 9 inch board. It was one of the many lenses I got when I bought the Century No. 7 studio camera on its stand. If it is possible to use this thing with the only the Studio shutter and without the Packard shutter which is on the back, I would love it.

The front element on this lens was originally slightly cross threaded and the guy I go to for cleaning and repairs was able to un-cross thread it and get it properly put back. He told me the whole story, but I won't get into it here.

[Chauncey Walden]

One of the references that someone posted showed that by 1916 they had abandoned the pneumatic release for the mechanical one. So my lens is pre 1916. It had its first outing yesterday and looked interesting on the GG in the field. Mark, I'm not as fast as you, I'm only getting 1/8 consistently on the "quick flick". It turns out that this is a reasonably handy speed to have available.

[Ernest Purdum]

Why would a cable release be better than a bulb? As was mentioned, a cable release would have to have a very long throw in order to work.

[Chauncey Walden]

Ernest, it wouldn't be except that because of the way I had to modify the shutter, I would need a "locking" bulb for focusing. Also, the bulb I had was not powerful enough on the suck back to consistently do short exposures. The cable release only had to be about 1/16 inch longer than the run of the mill ones to give me full travel at maximum aperture.

[Paul Fitzgerald]

Chauncey,

"One of the references that someone posted showed that by 1916 they had abandoned the pneumatic release for the mechanical one."

Not quite, I have the same Varium with the same pneumatic release piston, the Varium was released 1925-26. I also have a Voigtlander petzval that was retro-fit with a Studio shutter in 1924, pneumatic release. Wollensak changed over to cable because the pneumatic is really TOO powerful and can break off the internal linkage pieces. No, they don't sell replacements any longer.

[Chauncey Walden]

The 1916 Wollensak catalog states in the shutter section introduction "All Wollensak shutters are now operated by wire release, although should a bulb and tube be desired, a "bulb attachment" can be supplied which screws into the release socket and to which the bulb and tube is attached." The Studio shutter description says "A modern three-foot wire release replaces the bulb and tube and is supplied with each shutter...". Maybe your Voigtlander was put in an NOS shutter. The 1919, 1922, and 1928 catalogs all show wire release for all shutters with an optional bulb attachment that could be screwed in.