Does anyone know a cheap send-away place that can do a very basic CLA on a Wollensak

[RLangham]

Hey, so I've mentioned in the past that the front shutter (standard Wollensak-made "Graphex" in an Optar 135mm) on my Pacemaker Speed Graphic is gummy--as in, the slow speeds don't work at all, the high speeds all look like about 1/125th, and the dial is literally painful to turn.

I'm on a very tight budget but I'm too afraid to CLA it myself. I was going to replace it with a Compur #1 rimset in a 135mm Xenar, but I realized that the Compur won't work with a standard solenoid, and I did want to do flash sync. Also I think I'd miss the 1/400th top speed of the Graphex.

I genuinely don't think there's anything damaged about this shutter, just old lube/lube washed away (the camera seems to have been in water momentarily.)

Is there anywhere in the U.S. that I can send it that'll give me a basic CLA for a really economic price? $100 plus shipping would be my absolute ceiling. Am I crazy to think that that might be doable?

[Kwatson]

In my (limited) experience with shutter repair, usually the timing escarpment just needs to be flushed with alcohol (or put in a Ultrasonic bath if you're fancy). Get a set of jeweller screwdrivers, some tweezers and a magnifying glass and try it yourself, it will save you quite a bit of money for basic work.

In copal shutters at least, the timing escarpment is held in by 3 screws, remove it and flush the whole escarpment assembly, sparingly place some sewing machine oil on the hinges and you're good to go.

[RLangham]

In my (limited) experience with shutter repair, usually the timing escarpment just needs to be flushed with alcohol (or put in a Ultrasonic bath if you're fancy). Get a set of jeweller screwdrivers, some tweezers and a magnifying glass and try it yourself, it will save you quite a bit of money for basic work.

In copal shutters at least, the timing escarpment is held in by 3 screws, remove it and flush the whole escarpment assembly, sparingly place some sewing machine oil on the hinges and you're good to go.

I've looked into it, but I... I can't. I've ruined a shutter before. Thankfully it was just a little tiny Compur on a Certo Dollina 2 35mm folding rangefinder, but I don't think I will trust myself to open a leaf shutter again.

[Bob Salomon]

Hey, so I've mentioned in the past that the front shutter (standard Wollensak-made "Graphex" in an Optar 135mm) on my Pacemaker Speed Graphic is gummy--as in, the slow speeds don't work at all, the high speeds all look like about 1/125th, and the dial is literally painful to turn.

I'm on a very tight budget but I'm too afraid to CLA it myself. I was going to replace it with a Compur #1 rimset in a 135mm Xenar, but I realized that the Compur won't work with a standard solenoid, and I did want to do flash sync. Also I think I'd miss the 1/400th top speed of the Graphex.

I genuinely don't think there's anything damaged about this shutter, just old lube/lube washed away (the camera seems to have been in water momentarily.)

Is there anywhere in the U.S. that I can send it that'll give me a basic CLA for a really economic price? $100 plus shipping would be my absolute ceiling. Am I crazy to think that that might be doable?

Not if they are fully experienced at that price.

[RLangham]

Not if they are fully experienced at that price.

It does perilously approach minimum wage, doesn't it? Eh, maybe I can save up for a couple of months and go higher. Do you have someone you use regularly?

[Bob Salomon]

It does perilously approach minimum wage, doesn't it? Eh, maybe I can save up for a couple of months and go higher. Do you have someone you use regularly?

Virtually any camera repair person can do a CLA. That is repair 101.

[RLangham]

Virtually any camera repair person can do a CLA. That is repair 101.

The only one in my city is about 85 and is essentially retired. She's nice but she's probably forgotten how to do it. Sending it away looks like my only option.

[Tin Can]

It occurs to me you may be young enough, maybe have good hands and eyes to learn CLA

The problem is parts, as there are none and the same parts break all the time

Depends on how you want to spend your time

Almost all shutter repair folk are old

I would look up that 85 year old woman and have a chat, but I am old, have bad hands and can't see tiny things

I do have repair books, that are not that great, but many learned from those same books


Time or money, we seldom have both...


The only one in my city is about 85 and is essentially retired. She's nice but she's probably forgotten how to do it. Sending it away looks like my only option.

[rjbuzzclick]

While I can certainly understand being hesitant to do the cleaning yourself, the service manual for Graphex shutters is available online and is quite good. I stripped down a Graphex #3 shutter following the manual and taking pictures every step of the way. I use a plastic 'bead box' container for all the parts, and every piece that came off was put in order in one of the compartments with its associated screws and springs. I also took my time and picked at it over the course of about two weeks. It wasn't all that difficult, but I do have a comfort level with such things.

Sometimes a flush with naphtha and exercise of the shutter is all that's needed. The risk there is that the flushing can also move some of the grit and grime to other parts of the shutter where it can cause more problems.

[RLangham]

It occurs to me you may be young enough, maybe have good hands and eyes to learn CLA

The problem is parts, as there are none and the same parts break all the time

Depends on how you want to spend your time

Almost all shutter repair folk are old

I would look up that 85 year old woman and have a chat, but I am old, have bad hands and can't see tiny things

I do have repair books, that are not that great, but many learned from those same books


Time or money, we seldom have both...

Ah, well, I have poor eyes for my age (astigmatism with double vision) and I am terminally clumsy. You know how on 35mm you're not supposed to shoot handheld below, say, 1/60th for a 50mm lens, 1/30th for a 28mm lens and so on? I generally round up by a stop or two because I'm so bad at keeping the camera still.

The first two times I opened a leaf shutter, it wasn't a good time, so I'm gonna play it safe and not open any more. Thanks for the advice, though!

[Kwatson]

If you don't mind the hassle of dealing with shipping and customs I would be willing to try my hand at it for free. If the manuals are as available and to the quality people say then it shouldn't be too difficult. For reference I'm a 4th year apprentice Millwright by trade.

Send me a pm if you're interested.

[jnantz]

try zack's in providence or midstate camera repair in warwick (rhode island )
they both have websites and do fantastic work.

[John Kasaian]

Cheap? Or fair?
Would you trust a once in a lifetime photo road trip to cheap tires, or cheap untested film?:rolleyes:

Carol Miller at Flutot's has always treated me fair.
And I'm good with that :D

[Dan Fromm]

Hey, so I've mentioned in the past that the front shutter (standard Wollensak-made "Graphex" in an Optar 135mm) on my Pacemaker Speed Graphic is gummy--as in, the slow speeds don't work at all, the high speeds all look like about 1/125th, and the dial is literally painful to turn.

I'm on a very tight budget but I'm too afraid to CLA it myself. I was going to replace it with a Compur #1 rimset in a 135mm Xenar, but I realized that the Compur won't work with a standard solenoid, and I did want to do flash sync. Also I think I'd miss the 1/400th top speed of the Graphex.

Hmm. You cry poverty but want to use bulb flash. Electronic flash doesn't need the solenoid. I will never understand people.

An alternative that will take a little patience to find at a really good price is the 127/4.7 Tominon in Copal Press #1 (self-cocking, top speed 1/125) sold for Polaroid CU-5 and DS-34 cameras. Fine lens and a great value.

Yes, I know you said you want higher flash speeds but people who shoot 4x5 rarely use 1/500. Remember that with ISO 100 film Sunny 16 ==> 1/100 @ f/16. We usually shoot in dimmer light and at smaller apertures.

[Tin Can]

I might add, it does depend a bit on what type of flash is going to be used and for what

I have used flash BULBS with slow shutter speeds as they burn slowly

I also use Nikon SB800 or Studio strobes, Their high speed flash stops motion regardless of shutter speed

I mostly use 1/30 shutter as I sometimes use a Packard shutter with DIY sync for portrait and don't need a fancy shutter

So I don't damage my old brain, I often just use 1/30th for all flash

There are many ways to do any of it

Wet Plate is so slow they just take off the lens cap and count seconds, that can also be done with any camera with some thought

Open Bulb shooting...

[Bob Salomon]

Hmm. You cry poverty but want to use bulb flash. Electronic flash doesn't need the solenoid. I will never understand people.

An alternative that will take a little patience to find at a really good price is the 127/4.7 Tominon in Copal Press #1 (self-cocking, top speed 1/125) sold for Polaroid CU-5 and DS-34 cameras. Fine lens and a great value.

Yes, I know you said you want higher flash speeds but people who shoot 4x5 rarely use 1/500. Remember that with ISO 100 film Sunny 16 ==> 1/100 @ f/16. We usually shoot in dimmer light and at smaller apertures.

Except for some electronic shutters no mechanical shutter actually reaches 1/500.

American Traffic Systems needed lenses for their traffic cameras that actually fired at 1/500. They had bought Hasselblad ELX cameras and they tighten the springs so the shutter would actually fire at a 500th. After about 100 exposures the springs broke.

They then used Rollei 6008 cameras the have a true speed of 1/500 or 1/1000 with their PQ and PQS electronic linear motor shutters.

[RLangham]

Except for some electronic shutters no mechanical shutter actually reaches 1/500..

Wait, so what about the stock shutter on the Super Speed Graphic?

[RLangham]

Hmm. You cry poverty but want to use bulb flash. Electronic flash doesn't need the solenoid.

I mean, that's really my business.

Anyways, the Xenar/Compur I have is unsychronized, so I would need to to do solenoid to synch an electronic flash too.

Also, as few flash pictures as I take in a year, the old Press 25 bulbs aren't that expensive. I once got more than 20 for eight bucks.

[Bob Salomon]

Wait, so what about the stock shutter on the Super Speed Graphic?

That only hits maximum speed, whatever it really is, at small aperture openings.