PDA

View Full Version : Grafmatic confusion.


jonreid
28-Jun-2014, 21:58
Really sorry to post what might be something very simple but...
I've just cleaned, lubed & loaded 3 Grafmatic 4x5 film holders.
I've no used them for about 2 years.
After loading each in the dark tent 2 have the red dot showing, but the darkslide is in front of the film, and one doesn't have the red dot showing (with the darkslide in front of the film).
So now I'm confused. In fact I've always found Grafmatics confusing and wished they had a three level alert rather than two. Ie; film is not ready to be exposed, film IS ready to be exposed (current red dot), film HAS been exposed.
But back to my issue, do I just need to mount the two holders in the camera & cycle
them once, then re-set wheel to 1?

Jon
Thomas Greutmann
29-Jun-2014, 04:01
It might be that you have not reset the mechanism for the exposed marker (red dot) before you inserted the Septums with the film.

I suggest the following procedure (of course, everything in the dark tent):
- Open the holder again and take out the Septums with the film
- Then verify that the exposure marker is pushed back (a little lever/slider inside the space where the septums go). It should click in place and stay.
- Insert the septums with the film back in place and close the holder

Greetings, Thomas
Bill Burk
29-Jun-2014, 11:02
It might be that you have not reset the mechanism for the exposed marker (red dot) before you inserted the Septums with the film.

That's probably it... You should find the darkslide difficult to close over the loaded set of septums if you forget to reset that little finger, because the space is designed to barely hold all 6.
jonreid
30-Jun-2014, 04:59
Yep, that was it gentlemen, thank you. I wonder why I can't remember manually resetting that before?
And I do remember the darkslide being a bit of a squeeze at times [emoji16]
Thanks,

Jon
Bill Burk
30-Jun-2014, 18:27
Yep, that was it gentlemen, thank you. I wonder why I can't remember manually resetting that before?


You do not always have to reset it manually, because normal operation often leaves it pushed in when you go to reload.