How to work a compound shutter

[Sylvester Graham]

I've got a compound shutter I'm scared to touch. I have found a resource, but I really don't want to "fiddle" with this baby. Seems like it's already on the edge of death.

"B" is for bulb, yes?

Then what is "M" and "N"? It came from europe so these might be german abbreviations?

There doesn't seem to be a button to open the shutter for focusing, either.

Thanks

[E. von Hoegh]

M is moment, or normal timing, B is bulb and Z is zeit or time. To focus set to B or Z, on Z you can open the shutter by depressing the release, close by depressing again. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO MOVE THE M-B-Z BUTTON IF THE SHUTTER IS @#!*% . DO NOT ATTEMPT TO @#!*% THE SHUTTER IN ANY OTHER THAN THE M POSITION.

Set the shutter speed before cocking. If the shutter speed is a long one, wait 10 or 20 seconds after cocking before tripping the shutter, this lets the pressure in the timing cylinder equalise. American versions made by B&L were marked "I-B-T"

These are great shutters, I use a few of them, the oldest is well over 100 and still reliable.

[cowanw]

Oh goody, a word puzzle. Five letters, can be used as an adjective or verb, has to do with shutters, is important.

[cowanw]

This from SK Grimes site.
http://www.skgrimes.com/library/used-obsolete-discontinued-shutters/compound
"These well made shutters suffer a poor reputation for two reasons that have nothing to do with their excellent design:First, their odd operating ergonomics require that the cocking lever not be used when the shutter is set to the “B” or “T” functions. Forcing the cocking lever (and thereby damaging the mechanism) happens frequently when these are up for inspection at buy/sell shows or in the hands of uninstructed assistants or other users."

[Sylvester Graham]

Alright guys, with your help, I was able to get the shutter to fire on M. But when I set it to B and pulled the release without cocking the shutter, the shutter is still open and I can't get it to close again. Any ideas?

[premortho]

That sk grimes link that's up the page has a tutorial on how to work on these shutters. I just read of this same problem on another thread, and it turned out the shutter closing spring was tired.
Alright guys, with your help, I was able to get the shutter to fire on M. But when I set it to B and pulled the release without cocking the shutter, the shutter is still open and I can't get it to close again. Any ideas?

[Sylvester Graham]

Hm. Not sure I've got the skills to disassemble this. Think you could toss me a link to the thread on the other forum?


That sk grimes link that's up the page has a tutorial on how to work on these shutters. I just read of this same problem on another thread, and it turned out the shutter closing spring was tired.

[E. von Hoegh]

Alright guys, with your help, I was able to get the shutter to fire on M. But when I set it to B and pulled the release without cocking the shutter, the shutter is still open and I can't get it to close again. Any ideas?

The shutter needs a CLA.

[Tim Deming]

The shutter needs a CLA.

+1

These are excellent shutters and can almost always be brought back to working condition, unless someone without the proper skills tries to "fix" it

[E. von Hoegh]

Hm. Not sure I've got the skills to disassemble this. Think you could toss me a link to the thread on the other forum?

If you're not sure you have the skills, you likely don't have the skills. Sorry to be a @#!*% , but that's about the way it is. Send it to someone who knows how, it will be cheaper and you'll be happier in the long run.

NB some of these have composition (treated paper?) aperture blades. They are extremely fragile.

[Sylvester Graham]

If you're not sure you have the skills, you likely don't have the skills. Sorry to be a @#!*% , but that's about the way it is. They are extremely fragile.

Um, yeah, that's why I said I don't have the skills. And that's also why first thing I did when I got this off ebay was send it to John at Focal Point. It's attached to a Xenar 300mm. He originally was just going to fix the severe separation on the lens, but said he'd fix the shutter too. Did he not know what he was doing? Hopefully it isn't totally ruined.

[E. von Hoegh]

So the shutter has been serviced, and it's still not right?

I've never heard anything bad re. Focal Point, quite the contrary.


Are you sure the M-B-Z selector is correctly positioned? it can be fiddly until you get used to it.
It was the aperture blades of the earlier shutters I warned about, not the shutter blades which are of steel.