Graflex Super D [X-sync] at high Tension

[Ramiro Elena]

Excuse me for not asking this at Graflex.org but I didn't want to register there just to ask a simple question as I know there are very knowledgeable people here too. I am trying to get my Graflex Super D 3 1/4 x 4 1/4 to work with studio strobes.
I wasn't getting the circuit to close as it should so I opened it up and revised the contacts. Finally got it working on Low tension and 0 setting.
Since the curtain is having a hard time doing the whole travel I thought of switching to high tension but I get no contact at all.
Is this normal? I thought you could fire flashes on 0 setting either on High or Low.

If unable to use High tension... any tips on getting the curtain to properly work on Low tension?

I've tried placing a rubber band from one of the ears of the winding knob to the tension knob. I know...

[LabRat]

Everything has to move/roll correctly in the FP shutter assy to be able to use low tension/large slit settings... All bearings, roller pivots, etc have to move perfectly freely...

Then check the speeds to see if you have to re-tension the shutter...

Good Luck!!!!

Steve K

[mdarnton]

Yes, it should fire from O at high tension. If it isn't, something is still wrong.

[EdSawyer]

clean the contacts?

[Sirius Glass]

I recall discussions on www.graflex.org about the flakiness with the focal plane shutter firing the flash. Bert Sanders cautioned me not to bother to use it on the two cameras which I bought from him.

[mdarnton]

It seems a pity to give up on a feature that worked well enough for the company to be able to sell it just because someone on the tubes has given up. Try this: http://www.tobiasfeltus.com/site/cam...ex-rb-super-d/

[Ramiro Elena]

I lubricated the gears when I opened the plate. All speeds seem nice and snappy and everything moves freely.
Contacts cleaned.
Now the mystery is why would the flash work on low tension and not in high.

I actually followed Tobias directions and checked everything made good contact. In my case there was a problem between the outside pin an the inner plate. I already solved that.

[mdarnton]

You can wind the tension up in single clicks--it doesn't have to be L or H only. Does it consistently quit at some particular spot in the span of clicks? It might indicate that under tension something is being sprung apart, and shouldn't be.

[Jim C.]

Your problem may be where the tab on the FPS shutter passes over the contacts,
the shutter curtain might be out of square or missing the tab on the curtain.
On lower speeds it 'just' makes contact, higher speeds it floats past the contacts.
You'll have to remove the camera back to see. The fingers on the contacts might
have to be bent a tiny but to make contact with the tab on the curtain

Off topic, but I recently helped a member on Graflex.org with measurements for a
Pacemaker FPS curtain and I noticed that three of the four openings had a tab contact.
Anyone have a clue as to why ?

[Jason Greenberg Motamedi]

Jim C's idea about the contact makes sense to me. I had a 3x4 Super D on which one of the metal curtain-opening frames was bent and wouldn't sent off the shutter at any speed.I bent it back to square and it worked perfectly.