Graflex.org

[horla]

Okay, a little while back my mirror in the rangefinder fell off my Super Graphic (I assume the adhesive gave out). I decided to go in a try and reattach it - while in there I figured I would also replace my scratched beam-splitter. Please realize that I never took this thing apart before, I ended up going through the back as opposed to the underside (was it easier the other way?). I took off the Graflok back and then had to remove those cells that seem to hold/regulate power to the electronic shutter (which is working). Risky I know, but I had to remove them to get to the mirror. I glued in the mirror, cut and placed in the new beam-splitter and then successfully reattached those electronic cells. Finished!......Well, I thought I was finished. After recalibrating the rangefinder I discovered that it was aligned correctly vertically but not horizontally. So, in other words, it lines up correctly except the reflected image is just above the other image. I suppose I could (and have) just deal with it and focus everything with the reflected image above it - it's not easy - but it works. What I noticed was that the beam-splitter seems to be on something (a spring clip maybe?) that allows it a little give. If I push it down with a screw driver they align properly. Does anyone know a way to adjust the beam splitters height? If that were possible I could solve my problem. The only other way I can seem to fix this thing is to take it apart again (god no!)......I don't know what I did wrong. Both the mirror and beam-splitter seemed perfectly level when I put them in (maybe the mirror is tipped back just a tad) - arghh! Such a headache.....anyone have any clues/suggestions? FYI: I really do not want to send this in to have it fixed.

[horla]

I was really hoping someone would post something that might help. Oh well. I became impatient and went ahead and tried to figure it out myself. In short, I was able to figure out what the problem was and fix it.
My biggest problem was I didn’t know how to remove the bellows. Once that was off I was able to start removing everything else. Well, easier said then done. Many of the screws were oxidized and darn near impossible to remove. Plus, there were so many of them and they were so freaking small. I was able to remove the rangefinder housing and disconnect the cables. Along the way I broke off this little copper thing with a spring (it took me 2 hours to figure out what it does and how to get it back on!). I really can’t believe that I was able to reinstall the mirror, place in the new beam-splitter (from Edmund Scientific) AND re-solder the electronics back in through the back a few weeks ago (stupid!). If I had just figured out how to get the blasted bellows off I wouldn’t have to have done this twice! Once I had the rangefinder out, I found the adjuster screw on the beam-splitter housing – I had foreseen taking out and reinstalling either the mirror or the beam-splitter – thank goodness the adjuster screw completely solved the misalignment problem. Getting it back together was easier (except that silly little copper thing with a spring). Now, it is almost perfect.
Oh, I also adjusted the tube part with the flat piece of metal (from the rangefinder) that runs on the bed. You know the part that moves back and forth to adjust the rangefinder cam spring. It was sticking at the point of 10ft to near focus. Runs smooth now - woo hoo.
I also made two new cams, a 150mm and 90mm – please see my post on “Making Super Graphic cams”.....now I am off to make a lens board that will work with the automatic shutter release button......

[djon]

BRAVE! Glad to know people like you still stalk the earth!

[Siu Fai]

Wow, I'm impressed. My Super is suffering from the same problem. But since I don't have the proper cam for muy 150 convertible Symmar I didn't thought of repairing. But now after reading your post about making cams and now about the repair, I may give it a try myself as well

Did you have the repair manual whne you start working on it and did you figured out what the copper parts were for?

[horla]

I am glad that people are finding my post(s) helpful.
To answer some of your questions, no I didn't have the repair manual. I did read online somewhere about taking the bellows off. It was on some site where the guy was totally stripping a Graflex Super Graphic down and making the back have minor "movements" (this is a stupid idea - one should just by a bloody view camera). Anyway, for the most part I just winged it.....I did figure out what the copper parts were for, they seem to help give additional tension and enhances the connection(?) to the electronic button that trips the shutter. Why they designed it this way is a mystery. FYI: I would advise being very careful when actually taking out the rangefinder housing - particularly on the left side (opposite the side where the batteries are located). I wasn't being careful enough and that’s why I think I knocked off those silly little copper parts. Oh another thing, make sure you take off the metal brackets that hold the strap and flash units. This was another issue I had in removing the rangefinder housing.

...On another note, I have made a couple of other modifications/repairs that I will post in the next few days. Plus, I hope to post a scan on my new cam.

[Rangemaster]

Making back movements is 'a bloody stupid idea'

Hm, now that is quite an interesting statement, I have done this on quite a few of my Graphics, when your broke and don't have the means to purchase a field camera, sometimes neccessity is the mother of all invention, as I said, I have been quite successful at redoing some of my graphics and very please with the results, I would think that jumping into a 40 year old rangefinder without the manual, would be far more stupid than trying to get back movements on a graphic.

Dave

_________________
Focus on the Picture, Not on the Glass.
Satin Snow(TM) Ground Glass

[djon]

Gentlemen, you are both brave souls and to be commended for your ingenuity.

And the blows you have just exchanged have spiced this board up considerably

I never found the "back movements" on my old Technica or Kardan Color adequate for commercial photography (neither for architecture nor table top), but typical conventional view cameras have plenty, and some are very cheap (Orbit, Graphic). I too have suffered flea-bit wallets, which is why I had those then-cheap Linhof alternatives to view cameras in the first place.

[horla]

Wait a minute.....I didn't mean to offend anybody with my back movement’s statement. I just find that my Calumet view camera, which was way cheaper then my Super, is so easy to adjust and has so many more movements then a modified graphic I just didn’t see why anyone would alter a Super? I personally would rather alter my view camera so it was more easily portable to take out in the field......I suppose if you were able to get a way cheap one, that would be a understandable reason. Most Super's aren't that cheap, or so I have noticed, maybe I am wrong. I would expect people to purchase a Super for other reasons. But let me make this note, that why I don’t see the value in making a Super have back movements, I sure as hell wouldn't imply that it wasn't a brave or even a very clever idea. It is of course.
"Rangefinder" I don't think it was necessary to ridicule me, it would have been better to just point out a set of very understandable reasons why converting a Graphic wasn't a bad idea, reasons that I may not have considered and to leave it at that......To each his own.

[Rangemaster]

I was not ridiculing anyone, I was just pointing out that saying that someone is trying to do something is 'bloody well stupid' may have not been the best way to describe the situation. I have great admiration for anyone that is willing to try something new or different, I myself have many times been in a position that I could not afford the parts or the camera to accomplish what I needed to do, and have had to resort to injinuity to make it happen. Fortunately for now, those days are gone, I currently own over 100 different types of view cameras and can normally find one that fits the bill for the project at hand.

Dave Parker


_________________
Focus on the Picture, Not on the Glass.
Satin Snow(TM) Ground Glass

[horla]

Everything's cool........