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Pacemaker Speed Graphic, RF way off
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BennehBoy



Joined: 23 Oct 2013
Posts: 11
Location: United Kingdom

PostPosted: Wed Oct 23, 2013 10:34 pm    Post subject: Pacemaker Speed Graphic, RF way off Reply with quote

I just bought a speed graphic here in the UK, my intention being to use it for hand held photos using the RF.

Unfortunately the RF looks to be off by a country mile.

The camera has a 135 Wollensak Optar 4.7 in the correct shutter, and the cam that's fitted is a P7 - which is seated correctly.

Infinity focus on the GG matches the infinity scale (and the bed is racked out about 1/8 inch at this point) - the infinity stops seem to be set correctly.

The range finder image is slightly to the left of the fixed mirror image at infinity, and for objects at 5 feet the image is way off to the right and stops moving well before coming to focus that close.

I've downloaded the service manual and it looks like the blocker to adjusting the rangefinder is not having a master cam. I have a friend who has a metal shop with a laser cutter - can I get a cam fabricated using the dimensions mentioned in the manual, or will the shape not be correct? The image in the manual seems to indicate that the right hand side is sloped and this right hand side needs to align with the RF arm....

If the latter, does anyone know someone capable of adjusting the RF here in the UK?
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45PSS



Joined: 28 Sep 2001
Posts: 4081
Location: Mid Peninsula, Ca.

PostPosted: Thu Oct 24, 2013 12:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

1. follow the manual instructions and remove the top plastic cover/housing and check that the fixed and movable mirrors are firmly in place. Clean the mirrors and windows with glass cleaner and cotton swabs. If a mirror is loose on its mount repair it.
2. there are 4 or 5 cams for 135mm marked lens. the #7 may or may not be the correct one for your lens but with infinity off in the rangefinder there is no way to tell.
3. Remove the cam and use it as a template to make the adjustment cam. The cam length and side taper are important. Make the left side the same as the #7 and angle up to the spec height for infinity making certain that the infinity portion is parallel to the base of the cam. The infinity portion of the calibration cam be be anywhere from a few thousands wide to half of the cam width. All that matters is that it is the specified height, you can insert cam into the camera, and it can be positioned on the infinity section for adjustment. Set the focus lock once the calibration cam is set onto the infinity portion.

I cut cams for Super Graphics using a Dremel with cutoff wheel holding the metal with a pair of pliers or vise grip then finish with a grinding wheel.
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BennehBoy



Joined: 23 Oct 2013
Posts: 11
Location: United Kingdom

PostPosted: Thu Oct 24, 2013 6:32 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for the reply,

1. I've had the top cover off, nothing was loose or bent. The vertical coincidence is also off, so I made a small adjustment to the grub screw on the fixed mirror to correct this - horizontal alignment did not change whilst I altered this. The mirrors looked pretty clean but I may try the cotton swab clean yet.

2. Are the numbered cams generic or is each one tweaked to match a paired lens at time of manufacture?

3. Great info, thanks.
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45PSS



Joined: 28 Sep 2001
Posts: 4081
Location: Mid Peninsula, Ca.

PostPosted: Thu Oct 24, 2013 7:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

http://graflex.org/speed-graphic/top-rangefinder-cams.html
Graflex used a collimator and optically measured each lens it sold with a camera as well as those sent in by customers for cam matching and used either a standard cam that was close to the actual measured focal length or if a close match did not exist cut one for the lens. Lens production tolerances result in lens that are 2mm to 3mm either side of their marked focal length. One can surmise that focal length measurements of 1.5mm or more resulted in a new cam. A cam for one focal length used for another close focal length will only be off at close focused distances. The greater the difference between cam focal length and lens actual focal length the further the focus error will be from the focused object. A close match may have an error starting at 7 feet on a subject 7 1/2 feet away while a wide difference may have an error starting at 15 or 25 feet using the same subject.

Be sure to use an infinity target at least 5000 feet away as celestial objects will be out of focus if a closer target is used. 5000 feet=1524 meter=1.524km.
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BennehBoy



Joined: 23 Oct 2013
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Location: United Kingdom

PostPosted: Thu Oct 24, 2013 8:25 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I used the moon last night to check infinity, I guess that's probably far enough away for a good test

Thanks again.
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45PSS



Joined: 28 Sep 2001
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Location: Mid Peninsula, Ca.

PostPosted: Thu Oct 24, 2013 6:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Excellent target as is the sun provided you use a mylar solar filter to protect your eyes.
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BennehBoy



Joined: 23 Oct 2013
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Location: United Kingdom

PostPosted: Thu Oct 24, 2013 6:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Taking the camera to Snowdon tomorrow, weather permitting I should get some nice shots using the GG.
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BennehBoy



Joined: 23 Oct 2013
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PostPosted: Thu Oct 31, 2013 3:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've just noticed this stamped on the back of the lens board:

D 30852 P6

Is it just a coincidence that P6 appears on there, or is that an indication of which cam needs to be used?

That said, I've no reason to trust that the board matches the lens or shutter :/
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BennehBoy



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PostPosted: Thu Oct 31, 2013 6:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm beginning to suspect that I've bought a real lemon, the front standard does not appear to be parallel to the camera back
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45PSS



Joined: 28 Sep 2001
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Location: Mid Peninsula, Ca.

PostPosted: Thu Oct 31, 2013 6:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

D 30852 P6 - part number, P6 cam is for a lens that optically measures 135mm.

Quote:
I'm beginning to suspect that I've bought a real lemon, the front standard does not appear to be parallel to the camera back

The front standard has rise, shift, and rear tilt movements and will swing a few degrees to the side the standard lock is pushed to when locking the front standard.

Time to read: http://www.cameraeccentric.com/html/info/graflex_4.html
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BennehBoy



Joined: 23 Oct 2013
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PostPosted: Thu Oct 31, 2013 7:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yeah I know about the movements, the standard isn't parallel to the back even when fully tilted. I've adjusted the eccentrics and lock nuts to get it as parallel as I can for now.

Should the bed be perpendicular to the camera body, mine seems to a couple degrees out - suspect that's not how it should be.

So that stamped figure on the back of my lens board is probably an indicator of which cam should be with the lens - sigh.

My friend is cutting me a master cam next week, I might also have him cut a P6, I found the dimensions linked in another thread on this board.
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45PSS



Joined: 28 Sep 2001
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Location: Mid Peninsula, Ca.

PostPosted: Thu Oct 31, 2013 9:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yes the bed should be 90° to the body when locked at the first notch, 135° when at the dropped position.
Time to look at the service manual http://www.southbristolviews.com/pics/Graphic/manual-pdf/servicemanual.pdf and see what is off. Most likely cause is the bed hinge bent from being dropped while open.

The case guides are adjustable for minor alignment errors so that the rails will run in and out smoothly.
Other possible cause is wear to the bed braces or the bed brace plates, unlikely, or the plates improperly mounted on the body due to stripped screw holes and being slightly repositioned.

All Graflex SLR's are a variation on a theme. All Graphic Press cameras are a variation on a theme. Although their build has differences the basic build is very similar.

Case #1. A 1940 Anniversary Speed. The case guides are fixed to the bed assembly-second aka the body section. The rails were about .020 above the case guide groves with the front section rail guides properly secured and the bed at 90°. The solution was to open the bed to 90°, sit the camera on a block of wood and tap the hinge down using a thin piece of wood and a hammer.

Case #2. A century Graphic with a bed that would not close nor would the rails retract into the body. Cause, bed hinge bent downward 1/4 inch from the camera being dropped with the bed open. Solution, removed the bed from the camera, laid it out on a block of wood and using a second block of wood and a hammer reformed it so both the sections were correctly aligned when at the 90°, open, position.

Stripped screw holes in wooden Graflex Corp. camera bodies are easily repaired by clipping a section off a round wood tooth pick, dipping in wood glue, then inserting into the bad screw hole. Once the glue has set make a start pilot in the center of the position where the screw should be then mount the part.
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BennehBoy



Joined: 23 Oct 2013
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PostPosted: Thu Oct 31, 2013 10:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

With the rails fully out the bed is still off so I don't think the rails themselves are the culprit.

I've had a very close look at the case guides and there is no obvious sign of movement or respositioning due to stripped screw holes.

I'll try slackening off the case guide screws tomorrow to see if there's some wiggle room.

Thanks.
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45PSS



Joined: 28 Sep 2001
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PostPosted: Fri Nov 01, 2013 7:32 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

If you find the bed to be square to the body then check the front standard base frame as it may be bent.
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BennehBoy



Joined: 23 Oct 2013
Posts: 11
Location: United Kingdom

PostPosted: Fri Nov 01, 2013 3:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

45PSS wrote:
If you find the bed to be square to the body then check the front standard base frame as it may be bent.


I checked the front standard base frame and it's square to the bed, with the frame slid off the end of the rails the bed is still upcanted a couple of degrees so I'm thinking the plate bed braces are the next option to adjust.
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