Speed graphic shutter slider not movable?

[m1tch]

Hi all,

I have just got myself a nice Pacemaker speed graphics, its got a Kelart rangefinder so i'm guessing its pre 1955, thing is the slider for the shutters doesn't have a marking on them to switch between the 2, they usually have front, back and trip. Mine doesn't have any markings, just the slider (that doesn't move) although it has the lens shutter release all hooked up but the slider doesn't move at all, im not sure if its ment to move or not. I did check on the graflex site and apparently some custom ones only had the rear focal plane shutter rather than the front leaf shutter as well.

Here is the side of the camera showing the 1/1000 shutter speed and the slider (that doesn't)

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l49/m1tch_2006/20100621-DSC_1102.jpg

Is mine a custom one that doesn't have a front shutter? Why is the lens shutter all 'plumbed in' so to speak, the only way I can use the lens shutter is via a cable release it seems.

[Dan Fromm]

Go to www.graflex.org and read the FAQs. Go to www.southbristolviews.com and look around. I think there's a user's manual there, could be mistake. Same goes for www.butkus.org (or is it .com? Try both and then you'll know).

Press in on the slider and it should move. Don't force it.

[jnantz]

hope you payed with paypal if it is not what it was sold as ..
or if you bought it "local" ask the seller to give you a demonstration ...

dan is on the money ( as usual ) read the stuff so you can un ravel the mystery ..

good luck !
great camera, i have one too ..

[jp]

You can take it apart and clean things up; that slider and other parts get gummed/crudded up and don't move like they used to. Lacking that, wiggle the slider a little bit.

When using a front shutter, I just use a cable release or my finger to trip it.

[Bill_1856]

You have to push IN on it REAL HARD before you can slide it.

[adamc]

It looks like its in the "front" position. Try to push in and up to get it to the center position (the "back" position). You might have to use 2 hands, one wiggling the fp advance winder thing to get it to move. Sometimes my focal plane shutter gets caught at the top or bottom end, it's a 2 handed procedure getting it unstuck. When you get it to the back position, you should be able to cycle through the shutter speeds until you get to zero. Good luck!

[m1tch]

Right, this is all sorted now, the seller sent me over the details on how to reset the switch - its very simple to do, basically remove the and then loosen the cover to allow the slider to move freely to the correct position then retighen. It seems that I am missing a screw on the plate which is why it might have come slightly loose in transit and slipped, its all sorted now! Im glad its quite a simple camera to work on, its firing perfectly now.