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AWT · Joined: 05 Sep 2002 Posts: 57 Location: Upstate SC

I did the old "Ronsonol Dip" on my Graphex shutter and have successfully added a little lith grease to accessible areas to re-lube without disassembling the shutter (homey ain't goin' there!).

Here's the prob: Everything is smooth EXCEPT when I set the flash sync to "M". When set to "M" the shutter blades stay half open until I re-cock/re-trip the shutter.

Any ideas from you Shutter Meisters on where I need to lube without tearing down the shutter?

BTW: I need the M-Sync (no, it's not a new boy-band) for some old-style BW portraits I'm shooting at a ballroom dance exhibition in a couple of weeks. A local photo shop is backlogged 6 weeks on CLAs and Fred Lustig never returned my call.

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"Open the pod bay door, Hal."

[ This Message was edited by: AWT on 2003-06-08 08:27 ]

Dan Fromm · Joined: 14 May 2001 Posts: 2144 Location: New Jersey

clnfrd · Posted: Sun Jun 08, 2003 9:01 pm Post subject:

You might try mixing some EXTRA FINE graphite with some Ronsonol and squirting it with en eye-dropper into the shutter works and onto the blades...with the lens elements removed, of course. This should slick-up anything that's sticky. I have found this very effective. Fred.

AWT · Joined: 05 Sep 2002 Posts: 57 Location: Upstate SC

Hi Fred!
Thanks for the tip. I had already tried a Ronsonol/Graphite slurry to no avail. I actually found that it interfered with the blades. I *did* notice that while everything was wet with clean Ronsonol all settings worked smooth-as-silk, so I know we're on the right track as far as it being a lube problem.

clnfrd · Posted: Mon Jun 09, 2003 12:13 am Post subject:

Another approach that was recommended by one of the guys...and works...is to apply Tri-flow with Teflon (available at hardware stores) sparingly with the tip of a toothpick to the friction points in the shutter. Of course you'll have to expose the inner workings by removing the front plates. This shouldn't be a problem, since Graphex shutters don't have any springs that'll jump out at you when you open it up. I've never heard...until now...of graphite in a Ronsonol slurry interfering with the action of a shutter. It's important that the graphite is extra fine. What usually is the problem is gummy old lubricant, as indicated by the fact that the shutter works while still wet with the Ronsonol. Sometimes soaking the shutter in a bath of Ronsonol overnight relieves the problem. I've never failed to revive a sticky shutter using these methods. Fred.

[ This Message was edited by: clnfrd on 2003-06-08 17:16 ]

45PSS · Posted: Mon Jun 09, 2003 2:57 am Post subject:

Wush them thar shuttering blades off with some ordanary Isoprophyl Alcohol, 90% stuff if you can find it at a drug store near you if not then that 70% junk will do. Use the press to fucus lever to mapiluate them thar shuttering blades so that you can get their entire surface area. Useing a cotton swab leaves fiber residue that is sometimes difficult to remove. When the swab comes clean then the blade is clean. DO NOT REPEAT NOT put pressure enough to cause the blade to deflect over .0000000001 inch. Clean both sides of each blade.
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 2003-06-08 19:59 ]

AWT · Joined: 05 Sep 2002 Posts: 57 Location: Upstate SC

Update: I tried the suggestion of dripping a Ronsonol/Graphite slurry into the guts of the shutter. That seems to have fixed the flash-sync stick. All speeds and settings are nice and smooth EXCEPT, now, there is slight sticking of the shutter fins when I fire at the 1-second setting. The fins move to about 90% open and slooowly open all the way just as the shutter closes. But, hey, I can live with that! I don't remember using my Crown to shoot any slower than 1/25th anyway (Shooting "Velveeta" on a slightly hazy day.)

Thanks all for your help!