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Thread: Ilex No. 4 Acme Synchro Shutter - Troubleshooting

  1. #1
    Contented Amateur Photographer Kimberly A's Avatar
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    Ilex No. 4 Acme Synchro Shutter - Troubleshooting

    Hello friends,

    It's been years since I've posted, and now I come back to this fount of knowledge looking for a bit of help.

    I have recently 'inherited' a Calumet C1, and have completely stripped and restored it to fully functional condition with the intent of starting wet-plates soon. Along with the C1, was a lens mounted on an Ilex No. 4 Acme shutter. I've stripped it down, cleaned it out, gotten it working well...EXCEPT FOR the B and T settings. I have 30+ years of experience with all kinds of shutters, both contemporary and historic, and this one has me befuddled.

    The B and T settings are behaving more like a 1/100 speed and neither operate properly via the shutter lever. I have looked up and down for a manual for the shutter and can only find ones for the No. 3.

    If anyone has any suggestions/tips/videos etc., I would *love* to figure out these two settings.

    Thanking you all in advance for help both past, present, and future.

  2. #2
    Tin Can's Avatar
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    Re: Ilex No. 4 Acme Synchro Shutter - Troubleshooting

    Welcome!

    Perhaps you don't need the shutter to work, just get it open and use a lens cap
    Tin Can

  3. #3
    Contented Amateur Photographer Kimberly A's Avatar
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    Re: Ilex No. 4 Acme Synchro Shutter - Troubleshooting

    Hello Tin Can,

    Thank you for your response.

    I absolutely *do* need the shutter to work. I am very familiar with the 'Top Hat' method and would choose not to use that if possible.

    I have called Frank Marshall this morning and emailed him several images of the shutter. It appears the shutter I have and his knowledge of them (which is vast), indicates I may be actually *missing* the B and T lever.

    I wait with bated breath for his assessment. I will follow up with this thread what I discover.

    Thanks again.

  4. #4

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    Re: Ilex No. 4 Acme Synchro Shutter - Troubleshooting

    Missing the B and T lever ?

    Typical ACME shutter has B & T on the shutter speed dial. Does this ACME# 4 have the shutter open button on top?

    Possible to post a picture of this shutter?

    Much like the Ilex shutters ACME has similar internals, if B&T is not working it is likely due to the B&T linkage being out of adjustment or the spring related to that linkage is died.


    Bernice


    Quote Originally Posted by Kimberly A View Post

    I have called Frank Marshall this morning and emailed him several images of the shutter. It appears the shutter I have and his knowledge of them (which is vast), indicates I may be actually *missing* the B and T lever.

    I wait with bated breath for his assessment. I will follow up with this thread what I discover.

    Thanks again.

  5. #5
    Tracy Storer's Avatar
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    Re: Ilex No. 4 Acme Synchro Shutter - Troubleshooting

    Welcome Back Kimberly !
    Funny, the first #4 I grabbed (I have several) is doing the same thing. If I push the release JUST RIGHT and very gingerly, I can get the shutter to stay open as if on B when it's on T. Haven't had one open in a whiile, so, I don't remember what the issue might be. Frank M. will set you right.
    Tracy Storer
    Mammoth Camera Company tm
    www.mammothcamera.com

  6. #6
    Analog Photographer Kimberly Anderson's Avatar
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    Re: Ilex No. 4 Acme Synchro Shutter - Troubleshooting

    Hi Tracy!

    Thanks for your comment above friends. I posted and realized I was posting from an old account and so I'm reposting again.

    Here are some images of the shutter both open and closed. Any ideas/thoughts are appreciated. I have not heard back from Frank M. yet.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails IMG_5272.jpg   IMG_5275.jpg   IMG_5276.jpg  

  7. #7
    Contented Amateur Photographer Kimberly A's Avatar
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    Re: Ilex No. 4 Acme Synchro Shutter - Troubleshooting

    I think I am understanding the B and T mechanism and relative controlling spring.

    I cannot figure out if this is set up properly, and if it is not, where the spring actually connects to on the short/bend end.

    Click image for larger version. 

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  8. #8

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    Re: Ilex No. 4 Acme Synchro Shutter - Troubleshooting

    Is there a place near the body, or otherwise that the curved end can be secured? It appears to me it is doing nothing as it is.

  9. #9
    Contented Amateur Photographer Kimberly A's Avatar
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    Re: Ilex No. 4 Acme Synchro Shutter - Troubleshooting

    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Noel View Post
    Is there a place near the body, or otherwise that the curved end can be secured? It appears to me it is doing nothing as it is.
    EXACTLY. I hunted and swung the spring around to all the 'potential attachment sites' and couldn't figure out any of them that would actually *do something*.

    For now, I've reassembled it and am going to start to make some images using the shutter speeds and I'll create/find some sort of Top Hat.

    Thanks for looking.

  10. #10

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    Re: Ilex No. 4 Acme Synchro Shutter - Troubleshooting

    If I compare that to what I found in my Ilex 4 Acme, then that spring sits differently:



    The rest if taking it apart is also on the site somewhere.
    Expert in non-working solutions.

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