Graflex.org

Top · Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2004 6:11 pm Post subject:

Greetings all;
I just aquired a 4x5 Ann. Speed Graphic (#269081) with an eye towards putting it back to work shooting WW II re-enactments. The major problem is that the bellows and curtians are shot. The Hugo Meyer RF also needs a new mirror, but that I can make. Any advise, comments, part sources ect are welcome.

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RichS · Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2004 7:10 pm Post subject:

Well, other folks are better suited to answer this than me, but I'm here so why not

The stock answer would be Fred Lustig, maybe Stephen Shuart(sp?) and keeping an eye open on ebay or the various used camera dealers. Bellows do show up rarely.

It depends a lot on how much you're willing to spend. New bellows are easy as long as you're willing to lay out a couple hundred on them. The shutter curtain is something else. Fred may be able to help? Or maybe some other forum folks?

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"Ya just can't have too many GVIIs"

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Les · Joined: 09 May 2001 Posts: 2682 Location: Detroit, MI

Back when I was learning to drive, and got to talk to my dad's insurance agent a lot, he told me that the definition of a car that was totaled was one whose cost of repair was worth more than the car was worth once fixed... hence a Farrari could take a near head on collision with a tree and be repairable, but your Gemlin, even though drivable it totaled because you broke the windsheild.

This camera is totaled. The Curtain is certainly doable,but unless you can find a replacement bellows on ebay, it will be more work than its worth. Further the Meyer rangefinder is adjustable only for a narrow range of focal lenghts, so once fixed, you'll have to figure out if it was a 127 or a 135, and then find the lens to match the RF.

Or you can find a better Anny and use this as parts.

Top · Posted: Mon Feb 23, 2004 9:16 pm Post subject:

Les;
Beat up, sure, but not totaled.
In the couple of hours since I first posted I got the shutter working (is there a prefered material to re-coat the fabric?). The bellows is repaired in several places but light-tight (as far as I can tell) and useable as-is.
I am more familiar with the Kalart RF, as it its on both my other Graphics, but the Hugo Meyer works on the same principal, and I've made beamsplitters before. BTW, the RF is marked '5', I assume this coresponds to the focal lengh of the lens.
As to tthe lens, I guess I should have stated on my first posting that the camera came with a 15cm f4.5 Voigtlander Skopar in a working Compur dial-set shutter. There is a 'SOL' brand solinoid on the lensboard, but it seems a little sluggish when hooked up to my 3-cell Heiland flashgun.
I don't have a lot in this camera, but I'm willing to put in a little time and money to make it better.
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45PSS · Posted: Tue Feb 24, 2004 2:45 am Post subject:

With the lens board removed, and the ground glass holder if possible, extend the bellows to their limit. Next focus a mini mag flashlight to spot at 2 inches, turn off all room lights with curtains closed. Put flashlight inside the bellows and run along all the folds and pay special attention to the cornors. Any hint of light is a leak. ( a 40 watt appliance bulb in a portable socket can be used but extreme care needs to be taken not to touch the bellows with the HOT light bulb)
Read this post for a way to repair a weak but not torn apart bellows. The same repair material can be used to make a new shutter curtain also.
Charles

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[ This Message was edited by: 45PSS on 2004-02-23 18:48 ]

Top · Posted: Wed Feb 25, 2004 12:25 am Post subject:

PPS;
Thanks for the post. This bellows is within the window that you stipulate, and the procedure within my skills.
BTW, the camera came with a lateish 4x5 Graflok (frensel groundglass). As I'm thying to put it back into wartime trim. I's swap for a proper spring back (plus consideration, of course).
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Joe Koski · Joined: 09 Feb 2004 Posts: 39 Location: Southwest USA

About 9 years ago I was able to order some bellows for my 4x5 Anniversary Speed Graphic from Midwest Photo Exchange in Columbus OH. They also had photo copies of the instructions for replacing the bellows *******. The bellows were less than $20, and the instructions were something like $15, although I may have also ordered rangefinder instructions at the same time. There was an older guy there who knew his stuff. He's probably gone by now, but it's worth a try to contact them to see if there's anything left in the back room.

Incidently, their bellows have somewhat smaller dimensions toward the lens board, so they would not be an exact match appearance-wise to the orginal Graflex bellows. Those bellows have functioned well for several years now.

Joe Koski

Top · Posted: Fri Feb 27, 2004 2:43 am Post subject:

Joe;
Thanks for the tip.
A fellow 'WW II' photographer is sending me a bellows from a parts camera he bought for the back.
With the RF up, running and calibrated, the lens cleaned, the front shutter cla'd and working, and the bellows on the way, all I need is a set of curtians for the rear shutter, or advice on re-coating the old ones. And a spring back. The camera came with a lateish Graflok (w/fernsel glass) that has to go.
Thanks again
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