Toyo 45A wont close

[amey]

I got this camera 2nd hand and in the first few weeks it closed all fine with latch engaged but now it wont. All knobs are loose prior to folding. What am I missing?

[Ulophot]

I don't have one, only a wooden Tachihara, but I had the same problem once, and it was because I had not fully retracted the focus and/or had moved the front or rear standard.

[toyoboyo]

Amey, can you add a photo of the camera when you're trying to close it? Some things that caught me at first were
* the "rail" needs to be fully retracted
* the front standard needs to be fully lowered
* the front tilt needs to be unlocked

[amey]

Amey, can you add a photo of the camera when you're trying to close it? Some things that caught me at first were
* the "rail" needs to be fully retracted
* the front standard needs to be fully lowered
* the front tilt needs to be unlocked

Apologies, should have added pics.

So I am undoing all these (in the pic) then shown halfway down the fold but right at the end it stops just before the latch. I dont want to use force but it looks like something is stopping it. I also properly undid (and pushed back) the bottom plate. Its annoying because it used to work just fine and seems like I have done something to prevent it closing properly :(

[rfesk]

I once had one of those cameras a long time ago. And recently purchased a Toyo Field 4 3/4 x 6 1/2 that collapses in the same way.

Probably not the solution but in photo 1 the bellows are wrinkled. You should make sure that they are properly folded before completing the folding procedure.
They may be not allowing the front standard from being in the proper position for collapsing the camera.

[Paul Ron]

the rise on the front looks too high. lower it and lock it n place. the front standard looks like its tilting as you close it too.

[Merg Ross]

I'm guessing the problem is with the bellows fold. Can you remove the back and check the fold?

[Chuck Pere]

Try sliding down the lensboard lock slider.

[Benjamin]

Try sliding down the lensboard lock slider.

This.

Should be in the low position:

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[Merg Ross]

This.

Should be in the low position:

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Yes!

[amey]

lowered the front standard (I was doing this anyway to begin with), checked the bellow, looks fine??

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[Chuck Pere]

Not the front standard. The lensboard locking slider needs to be pushed down. Your photo shows it still raised.

[amey]

Not the front standard. The lensboard locking slider needs to be pushed down. Your photo shows it still raised.

it wont go any further down than the 2nd pic ^^

[Benjamin]

This thing. It should slide down.

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Like this:

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[amey]

This thing. It should slide down.

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oh yeah thats down as it locks the back, I only un-did it to take the back off and show :)

[Benjamin]

Try putting it like this and closing.

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[Chuck Pere]

Apologies, should have added pics.

So I am undoing all these (in the pic) then shown halfway down the fold but right at the end it stops just before the latch. I dont want to use force but it looks like something is stopping it. I also properly undid (and pushed back) the bottom plate. Its annoying because it used to work just fine and seems like I have done something to prevent it closing properly :(

Look at the first picture in this post. The lensboard locking slider on the camera front standard should be slid downward as if you are attaching a lensboard.

[amey]

ah, just tried that, same thing :((

[Merg Ross]

In the #3rd original photo the bellows appear to being pinched. Just maybe?

[thornhill]

Are both your infinity stops out front and out of the way? I can't tell from the photos.
I've got my 45A right here and I don't see anything that you're doing wrong. The lens board slider position makes no difference, my bellows were possibly worse than yours before I changed them, and I had no troubles with them. (Harder to close now with the new set.)
Would a bit more pressure help? That one photo looks like you're so close.

[DG 3313]

Try sliding down the lensboard lock slider.

+1

[Chuck Pere]

Are both your infinity stops out front and out of the way? I can't tell from the photos.
I've got my 45A right here and I don't see anything that you're doing wrong. The lens board slider position makes no difference, my bellows were possibly worse than yours before I changed them, and I had no troubles with them. (Harder to close now with the new set.)
Would a bit more pressure help? That one photo looks like you're so close.

This is correct. The lens board slider position makes no difference. Just tried it on mine. I've just always kept it down when closed. Mine does close easily to the latch point but you have to push it to snap the latch closed. A new OEM bellows has been installed in mine. Is yours some type of universal bellows or have the front pleats been damaged?

[woodlandSerenade]

Try sliding the front standard further back into the body once it's horizontal.

[Rod Klukas]

Low position is close, but if you just leave the front rise knobs loose when folding, it should then close easily.

Rod

[Ulophot]

Amey, did you ever get this resolved?