Graflex.org
Get help with your Graflex questions here

Closing the camera
Graflex.org Forum Index -> Speed Graphic Help
AuthorMessage
mcguireek
Joined: 13 Jan 2010
Posts: 10
PostPosted: Sun Jan 17, 2010 10:41 pm   Post subject: Closing the camera

when I want to close my crown graphic I can't slide the lens into the body if I want to keep it on the rails. I have to pull the lens and front standard all the way off the front of the rails and just place it in the body. When I do this the lens and front standard are left to bounce around inside the body when I transport it. Any ideas why this is so or what I can do to fix it?
Dan Fromm
Joined: 14 May 2001
Posts: 2165
PostPosted: Sun Jan 17, 2010 11:34 pm

Hmm. If your Crown is complete and in good order it will have bed rails on the door -- you've confirmed that -- and inside the box. The two should be linked and it should be possible to slide the front standard from the outer bed rails straight back to the inner bed rails.

First question: does your camera have inner bed rails?

Second: If so, do they line up with the outer bed rails when the front door is open normally?

Third: Is it possible that the infinity stops on the outer bed rail are up and the front standard is in front of them? If so, flip the stops down and slide the front standard back ...

Whatever you do, if the camera has its inner bed rails don't force the front door shut.
mopar_guy
Joined: 07 Aug 2008
Posts: 126
PostPosted: Sun Jan 17, 2010 11:36 pm

When you close the camera:

1) Rack the Focusing Rail all the way back.

2) Unlock the Standard and push it into the camera body.

3) Lock the standard.

4) Push down on the Bed braces and close the bed.

If you don't rack the Focusing Rail all the way back, you will damage the rails/linkage.
45PSS
Joined: 28 Sep 2001
Posts: 4081
PostPosted: Mon Jan 18, 2010 8:41 pm

http://www.cameraeccentric.com/html/info/graflex_4.html
IanG
Joined: 04 Aug 2006
Posts: 74
PostPosted: Thu Jan 21, 2010 7:45 pm

If the rear tracks that take the inner part of the focus rail have been replaced it's possible that the inner focus rails aren't adjusted to the same height as the outer rails allow the front standard to be moved smoothly back into the body.

Damaged rails where someone has tried to close a camera without retracting the standard will cause similar problems.

There are shims which allow the rear rails to be aligned, I found this was a problem when I replaced some badly damaged rear rails in a Speed Graphic, and ahd similar problems with a German 9x12 camera - an Irish screwdriver solved that problem (hammer)

Ian
All times are GMT