Packard Shutter advice?

[carynorton]

I've recently acquired a Packard Shutter for one of my older lenses and, as it is my first Packard, I've got a couple of questions.

First, it doesn't appear to be a newer model with the instant option. I purchased a bulb and tube from the same person (ebay) but all the bulb does is open the shutter. The bulb seems like a modern style bulb taking blood pressure or something because, by design, it sucks air back through a hole at the bottom upon releasing the squeeze. If I cover the hole with a finger and work the bulb hard enough, I can the shutter to close again, but that's after a few seconds. Otherwise the shutter opens and stays open.

Am I missing something or do I just need a different bulb with proper suction? Is there a reasonable way to mod the shutter to have some sort of spring action? I'd thought about adding a contact sync anyway.

Incidentally, this will probably (in theory) be used for wet plate and will be used with 1908 Zeiss Tessar 400mm brass barrel lens. 99% sure I'll have to front-mount the shutter, at least unless I build a camera that can accommodate the flange size of the lens. Currently mounted on a DIY, quasi top hat board on a Calumet C1.

I've attached a photo of the lens and the piston. The shutter opening is 3.5".

I did find this thread (http://www.largeformatphotography.in...ackard-shutter) on adding a spring, but I'd love to find a way to mod it that is non-destructive.

Thanks!

[Jac@stafford.net]

Show us the other side. The side you show is usually the back, towards the film, ground glass (unless, sometimes mounted to the front of the lens.)

Looking for a small hole top-left where a pin is put in to force it to close with one bulb squeeze. If there is none, I defer to others who have modified to add the pin.

EDIT: Great post here. http://www.largeformatphotography.in...ll=1#post71540

[carynorton]

The back is covered in felt. I'll post the photo from the auction of the back, but I'll have to check for the hole when I get back to the shutter. That's a good start though! I'll update when I get home.

Thanks

[cowanw]

With regards to your bulb action, are you plugging the hole when you squeeze the bulb; then when you unsqueeze the bulb the vacuum created pulls the plunger back.

[carynorton]

Yes, that's the only way I can get plunger to come back down other than manually pushing it back down with my finger. If I don't plug the hole, when I release the bulb it just sucks air in from the bottom. Even if I do get it to close again with just bulb vacuum, it takes quite a while (the aforementioned few seconds).

[Tracy Storer]

Buy bulb and hose from Packard Shutter Co. (http://www.packardshutter.com/) Your bulb may be too small, and /or, your shutter might be dirty inside, which will make things sluggish.

If you are handy, carefully open the case and clean the blades and piston. Everything should be clean and dry for proper function.

[cowanw]

Have a look here.
http://dougkerr.net/Pumpkin/articles...rd_shutter.pdf
and here
http://tonopahpictures.0catch.com/Ar..._Shutters.html

cleaning is easy, but perhaps digital photos at each step will help with the reassembly if you are not a good reverse engineer. Removing and checking the piston is a good idea, particularly if the previous owner has gooped it; wash it well and polish it. Q tip the chamber, maybe some solvent to clean, fit it dry. (although I did use a few strokes of a pencil once for lube on a unusually recalcitrant one.)
I expect if your bulb is big enough to open the shutter, it should close it if there are no air leaks; bigger bulbs are easier but don't squeeze more than needed to open the shutter, are you operating it so that gravity assists the falling of the plunger, not rusted inside, not squeezing the case to tight, no dried goop, no wet goop. There are a few common sense things.

[carynorton]

So I opened it up and I see no place for a pin (ie Latch Pin from the Doug Kerr link). I think there was a production date inside of 1927. The piston *seems* to move quite smoothly, but it will stay up (open) all day without pushing it down. The bulb opens the shutter with ease but makes no headway with closing it.

Looking into ordering from Packard directly. Hoping to return the bulb and tube that I've already got.

[Jac@stafford.net]

[...] Looking into ordering from Packard directly. Hoping to return the bulb and tube that I've already got.

Is it not just wonderful that Packard, which according to 'modern' tech mavens should be long obsolete, but is still alive and so useful?

Go for new if you can afford it and be happy forever.
.

[cowanw]

One last check, does the piston fall on its own if the bulb is not attached?