Graflex.org

[troublemaker]

Thanks everyone for all the recent comments. I got my hands on another Century with a Schneider 105, and a working range finder. The problem is that the rails are out of alignment because they have been bent somehow. who knows how, but I am wondering if this could be remedied, or if it is even worth the trouble? The fornt standard reads Century Graphic on top, and Special on the bottom of the Front Standard. It is a side mount Kalart that works very good, but is missing the back screw on the very top of the RF. Bellows are excellent, and unit needs cleaning.
The other Century we have been discussing over the last couple days got a lot of wows after I cleaned it up. It looks about as mint as one will probably find! The big question, how'd you get it so clean!? Special Graflex cleaning solution of course. have a great holiday all,
Steve

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[45PSS]

Go to http://www.southbristolviews.com
click on graflex manuals on the bottom left.
Open the Pacemaker service manual pdf and using the terms accoasiated with the bed and rails(yoke) describe what is out of wack.(or is that out because of a wack?)Illustrated Parts Breakdown Figure 6 Bed Complete is a good place to start.
The rails are rigid enough on graflex cameras that they might break instead of bending unless heated.
Something could have come loose and let the rails shift out of position.
If they are indeed bent then where will help determine the best way to re-form them.
Charles

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[ This Message was edited by: 45PSS on 2003-11-27 01:24 ]

[bertsaunders]

Very difficult to bend the rails! If the yoke is not retracted all the way, usually end up breaking out the top lip of the groove! Check to see if the rails inside the body, are aligned with the outer rails, might just need shims to align them properly! If they >are bent< they would have to be removed from the camera and straightened!!!!!.........Bert

[troublemaker]

Hello,
I ran some film throught the camera and wil have results back Wed. However, I pulled the front standard off the rails and checked the allignment with the back rails set in the normal infinity setting. There is a slight drop to the front rails. Nothing I couldn't adjust for with a very slight tilt back of the front standard. I intend this camera to be used in harsher conditions like out on boats. If sufficiantly stopped down It might not be a problem, and I wont cry if it gets dropped. Also, I was able to straighten it a little by pushing down the bend in the cross piece. Other wise I will have to check the site above, and attempt a dissassembly and test my years of experience with precission assembly. If I end up in a pool of tears, we'll know some lessons learned best the hard way.

[45PSS]

Graphic designs are simular enough that a Century and a 2 x 3 Pacemaker will be very simular in construction and the service should be simular.
Before taking anything apart, get a small square and check the bed to body for square at 90⁰. Also wear of the bed to body hinge can cause the slight drop.
When the rear section of the rails is out on the bed do they go into the body smoothly or jump up slightly (guide block shims)?
Are the rails square to the bed?


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The best camera ever made is the one that YOU enjoy using and produces the image quality that satifies YOU.

[troublemaker]

Yes, there is some movement as the rails go back into the body form the front rails. looking straight at the camera form in fornt of it, I could see that the drop panel ,when closed, was bemt off to the right. there was also some twist. my deduction is that the drop panel hinge itself bent up on the left, and this is in line with the fact that the rails hit high on the left, when rolled back into the body, and low on the right. It would also explain why there is a slight drop in the front rails, because it is the pivot point and similar to sitting with the leg straight out and bending the knee up slightly. good analogy? anyway, I put a little tweek on it and it is a lot better, but not perfect, and i like perfect!
does the download mentioned above take like three days to download, i didn't have time to wait for it. i would likt to see it because i nee to figure out if i can tighten up on the tension for focussing my other Century, withoput jury rigging it. it is loosy goosey, and will not keep itself out if i ever do any close ups or longer lenses.
thanks, have a good one,

[45PSS]

Go try it, 6.5 mb file, download time depends on your machine/internet connection.
Define: Lucy's goosse
A).Focus lock does not work. Rails move by themselfs or with focus knobs with lock set.
B).Focus lock works, front standard slides on rails when locked either by camera tilt or pressure on front standard.
C).Focus and standard locks work, rails move too freely when focusing.
D).None of the above.
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While a picture may be worth a thousand words, a quality photograph is worth a million.











[ This Message was edited by: 45PSS on 2003-12-01 18:42 ]

[troublemaker]

D. None of the above.
Century doesn't seem to have focussing lock similar to that found on the Crown45.

[45PSS]

Steve,
Bed block(s):Those things on the bed that are just to the outside of the rails that have all those screws in them; the one on the left has the focus scale if used.

Purpose:guide the rails so that they track perpendicular to camera body; provide friction hold on ralis preventing rails from moving too freely.

Loosening all screws in one block only then putting inward pressure on it so as to take out 1/2 of the total looseness of the rails and then tightning the block screws and proceding to the other side and doing the same for the other half of the total looseness should correct the unwanted goose of Lucy.

Focus knobs should turn easily, rails should exit and enter body smoothly without any shifting left/right/up/down; with normal lens mounted on front standard camera tilted 15⁰ to 25⁰ front down or front up with no movement of rails is the correct adjustment.

The camera that has the bed at the hinge high on one side and low on the other has most likely been pried open.

Charles.

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While a picture may be worth a thousand words, a quality photograph is worth a million.

[ This Message was edited by: 45PSS on 2003-12-02 21:26 ]

[troublemaker]

Bingo !
I believe you are right. I have heard of this evasive release catch thing before. The hard part is remebering where the last place one has left the littel pry bar set. I tried contacting the seller of this camera and when i did not get any response i stepped it up to my more accustomed aggresive style (see remarks on Rangefinder's post about camera shops in SoCal). Anyway, I am sending it back. I am pretty sure they will accuse me of damaging it myself, but luckily the first thing i learned from my neigbor was how to open a Graphic.
Hey, about the loosey Goosey rails, I had thought of what you mention about loosening the screws and trying to press the rails i na little. how 'boout i try it now, hang on...............wait, where did that pry bar go? (joking)...........ok, we're in business! easy to turn, but just enough pressure to keep it form sliding too easy. The Loosey Goosey camera is my nice Century that i am keeping for sure. All I have to do to get it the way i want now is to reset the infinity stops. I need to do that on my Crown45, and the mini. I'll be getting some 4x5 and 2x3 negs back tomorrow that i shot over the weekend. Iam thinking about setting my cameras up with extra stops for the lenses i end up deciding on. i like having the two lined up square so that the front slide comes out and sits up against both. that was another thing with the bent camera, the fornt standard rail slide was all over the place, unususally loose. i would have a terrible time getting it squared whenever i wanted to do closer stuff. a piece of junk. should i notify this board when it goes back on the block? i feel bad for whoever got the Crown i sent back. so i have kept two out of four.
well hey, i have an almost like new Century, a decent Crown. the Crown needs the RF reset. I don't know if the lens that came with it to me was the one that matched the RF. It is a Graflex Optar on a late model top RF. date code looks to be 1965 a model. It could be I suppose. I will try to set the scale first. The infinity stops may have been moved to accomodate a differnt lens. I cleaned it up really nice, polished all the things that will shine, and serviced the Graflok back and so on. Th elight even works in the RF and the door seems to stay in place, though i haven;t got in there yet. Should i remove the battery until, and if i ever use that feature? I intend to use the RF for hand hled shooitng if i can get it working, and might try it with the scales on the mini.
Take care,
Steve

[troublemaker]

P.S. after I tightned the rail blocks on my good Century, I checked to see that the back rails entered the housing properly, and all is good with this one...

[45PSS]

Be sure to get a "Calibrated Sledge Hammer" to set the RF with. It will work on infinity stops also.

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The best camera ever made is the one that YOU enjoy using and produces the image quality that satifies YOU.