Graflex.org

[clickfate]

I'm new to your group. I'm hoping to do more with 4x5, and so I'm also wishing for some advice from those in the know!

The problem: My newly purchased estate auction Crown Graphic had a perfectly functional shutter for about a week. Now I find it is having trouble. After being cocked, the release doesn't always release the shutter, or it is tardy. Slower shutter speeds sometimes result in incompletely closed shutter blades.

I don't know that it was anything I was doing, although I did (unsuccessfully) attempt to make a working synch cord by splicing an electric razor power line to a conventional synch cord (the flash kept going off upon immediate contact), and I put the shutter's press focus button to use in the way recommended in the manuals. I've also used a shutter release cable.

I've downloaded the repair manual for this shutter, and it has thus far convinced me that I might be better off either trying a lighter fluid bath, or (more likely) just paying for a CLA. So, two things I'm wondering about:

1) is giving the shutter, with the lens (Ektar 127 f4.7) removed, a bath in lighter fluid a good idea, and what else must be removed first? Presumably, I'll need to add new lubricants after this. Yes? Should I expect to have to disassemble and reassemble much to do all that is necessary?

2) Who do you recommend for a CLA, and/or what the going rate? I'm hoping to hear from those who do them themselves either out loud or by PM.

[William Hallett]

A number of earlier posts in this forum have strongly discouraged the "Ronsonol flush" as a means of shutter cleaning. It essentially distributes the dirt all the way through the shutter. With some shutters there is a danger than it may attack parts of plastic (some diaphragm blades are apparently made of hard rubber).
A proper cleaning requires partial dismantling of the shutter, cleaning the individual parts with lighter fluid or other gentle solvent, and re-assembling with suitable lubrication - light oil for the pivots, graphite grease for sliding surfaces. If you are adventurous and want to try yourself, the Supermatic is not the most complex of shutters to work on, and it usually suffices to remove and clean a few of the levers and the escapement gear train.
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WilliamH

[William Hallett]

Forgot to mention - whatever you do, remove the lens elements first. They will unscrew. Don't ever try to work on a shutter with the glass in place - the risk to the lens is great.
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WilliamH

[Henry]

Yes, the advisability and effectiveness of the Ronsonol flush has been vigorously debated on the forum. It has always been effective on my Graphex shutters. However, YRMV.

[clickfate]

Thank you for the replies!

I will be sure, regardless of what I do, to take out all the glass first.

It's easy to imagine that a Ronsonol flush would redistribute gunk within the shutter. (My assumption is that the Flash Supermatic is all metal, so hopefully the lighter fluid won't cause further problems.)

As easy as it is to imagine a gunk redistribution, it is for me, even easier to imagine that my first attempt at shutter repair -- even with the guidance of the repair manual that I now have -- will not end well.

Seems like it is the various procedures for reassembly that might trip one up. (eg. pg. 19 on reassembly of the winding lever.) Even the manual assumes a lot of tacit knowledge.

Given that my shutter is already missing the activation lever for the self-timer, my guess is that I wouldn't be the first to have attempted a repair.


I might, in other words, need to satisfice. Any tips from those who believe in flush that might help minimize subsequent troubles would be most welcome. I think I'm meant to work all the shutter speeds while it's still wet with Ronsonol (right?), but other than waiting for it to dry is there more I can do to minimize the chances of creating problems?

[Henry]

[clickfate]

Many thanks to Henry and William, and another expert elsewhere. I followed Henry's instructions. I fired seven or more times on each shutter speed including B, and T after squirting in the Rosonol. I worked the aperture, flash settings, even the focus button, and let it dry for an hour under a ceiling fan. It is firing quite well and slower speed settings seem slower, and faster settings are obviously faster -- and the shutter closes completely every time. The one second setting even seems to be a true second! I'm very pleased with the result.

Time will tell if this causes other problems down the road, and I'm far too much of a novice to declare that I know that everyone should follow my example. Nevertheless, it appears that this was certainly a fix for my Flash Supermatic, and hopefully for the long-term.

[Henry]

Great! Glad it worked for you.