Toyo 45a-help

[Dvenosa]

Hi,

you guys have been wonderful helping me with my problems, thank you very much.

Now, Im facing a problem that maybe is silly.

I happen to think that the front standard of my Toyo 45a is kind of wobbly and I don't know how to lock it completely parallel to the back...is this normal ( the lock is working fine)?. The front seems to be too loose in the rail till I lock it, and Im having a hard time keeping it parallel.


thanks for any advice,

Dan

sorry for my english

[Jean-Marie Solichon]

Hi Dan,
Ther are 3 locks on the front standars : one for shift+swing+locking it on the rail, another one for tilt and the two knobs for rise/fall.
If all are locked the front standard sould'nt be "loose" at all.
There also are two levers yous have to press simultaneously in order to give way for back tilt.
There are zero detents on swing and tilt. If front standard is locked and zeroed it must be parallel to the back.

[Dvenosa]

Jean,

when the front standard is locked it keeps tight and doesn't move, but there is some kind of "play" in the rails and I have to carefully lock it to keep it completely parallel to the back.

[false_Aesthetic]

I have the same problem.

If someone gives you a fix please pass it on.

T

[Ralph Barker]

Don't forget that the front standard assembly and the base of the camera ride on two rods that are affixed to the back. There are two knobs on the bottom of the base that are loosened to allow the extra extension. If those are loose, or the rod bearings are worn, there could be some "play" between the front standard and the back.

[Ted Harris]

Thinking .... assuming that the everything, including the two knobs on the bottom that Ralp referred to are tight, this is one of the most rigid field cameras on the planet. If that is the case then some wear in the rod bearings is the likely cause .... note how the rods slide back and forth inside a houseing (from memory as I sit here with my coffee). Remember that you are dealling with a camera that has to have a bit of age on it and if it was heavily used before it bceame yours then wear is possible.

You should also be able to get some good assistance from the folk at MAC, Mamiya America Corp. who ae the US distributers for Toyo (assuming you are in the US).

[tim atherton]

I'm having a bit of trouble understandign exactly what the problem is?

On the base of the front standard, where the little label "Toyo 45A" is, there is a lever that controls the tension of the standard on the rails When it's in the centre, it's loose and you can slid the standard back and forth along the rails. When it's flipped to the left (or right?) then it's tight.

Do you mean that when this is tight there is still play and you can slide the standard along the rails?

This can be adjusted by a service centre

Or.... you can do it yourself. I've done this, but my memory of how I did it is vague. You either remove the front rail stop and slide the standard off the front of the rails and adjust the tension of the locking lever from below... or you remove the two little tin panels left and right of the the "Toyo 45A" and can make adjustments in there. But you have to pry the panels off carefully and then glue them back on (I think toyo just replaces them if they do that).

Or a combination of the two.

It's not rocket science, but if you aren't happy fiddling and poking around in the innards of stuff, don't do it!. But if you enjoy that sort of thing, give it a try. (I think mine had a similar problem when I got it - they had loosened off over a number of years of use. I readjusted them several years ago and haven't had to touch them since).

[Dvenosa]

No, when this lever it's locked the front standard keeps tight, but when the lever is in the center position it slides back and forth( as it should) but not completely straight, I have to carefully move it so it travels paralell to the back. This is the problem.

thanks

[tim atherton]

No, when this lever it's locked the front standard keeps tight, but when the lever is in the center position it slides back and forth( as it should) but not completely straight, I have to carefully move it so it travels paralell to the back. This is the problem.

thanks

ahhh - it's supposed to do that! Otherwise you wouldn't be able to have any left or right front swing.

You basically have to set it parallel by eye.

Toyo sells "infinity" stops that you can screw into the rail chanel. You get a pair, set them at the right distance for a particular focal length making sure they are square, flip them up and slide the standard along to them.

Mine came with a pair -I used them at first, but now just do it by eye and haven't used them for I don't know how long. It's not too hard to judge

(actually, I say it's supposed to do this - the couple of toyos I've used have always had this bit of play before you push harder and get the full left and right swing - I'm not sure if a brand new 45AII, say, would have it - I'm thinking probably yes?)

This is generally the price you pay for one control running two or three different functions - simplicity, less weight and space, but usually not Arca Swiss precision

[Jean-Marie Solichon]

On my 45 AII there is a stong (I mean VERY strong) zero detent for front swing and almost no play at all. It is so stiff that adjusting small amount of swing is quite difficult.
I'm wondering if Dan's front standard standard didn't loose its detent or was removed by a precedent owner.

[dbriannelson]

I just noticed this on a 45 A I may buy which currently a rental camera. There is some slop before the front standard is locked down. The front standard can be locked with a tiny bit of swing. The solution is to press one side or other of the front standard slider onto the rail, then use the lever to lock it.

I think this is a design feature. If the front standard were tightly fitted to the rails it would bind on sliding.

-Don