Graflex.org

[nk_imaging]

I recently purchased a Pacemaker Speed Graphic with a sidemounted rangefinder off the auction site and apart from a stiff body trigger, the camera is in a wonderful condition. The previous owner had removed the flash brackets.

I have tried gentle cleaning of the trigger mechanism and that did not help much. The finger trigger moves when I press on it, but the front lever (handle?/arm?) which is supposed to push the shutter release moves sluggishly and minimally. Also, when I release the pressure on the finger-trigger, the front-level does not fully spring back to position.

I'm not sure if this is due to poor spring tension somewhere and/or poor/gummed-up lubrication. I read somewhere that removing the flash-brackets could result in strange behavior in the trigger mechanism (although I'm not sure why this would be the case).

Any pointers and help in the right direction is appreciated.

Thank you in advance.

--NK

[Jim23]

I have had success repairing these by removing the cable from the camera and cleaning in solvent, disassembling/cleaning the sliding trip mechanism on the lensboard and reassembling, adjusting.

Keeping this mechanism clean and placing a very tiny amount of lithium grease where the cable core exits the casing at the body-release end, reduces friction and improves the marginal mechanism.

HOWEVER....

Many of these cables are frayed right where the cable comes out of the casing onto the body release and the process below is a way to clean and shorten the cable by 5mm to cut out the frayed part.

IF THE END IS FRAYED at the body release:

The only way I've been able to fix these is to replace the cable assembly with one that I have "remanufactured" from a scrap camera or bought from someone who had scrap parts. You will need to obtain miniture ring-tongue ends for ancient switchboard cords (see below) in order to snip off the original end and replace after cleaning the cable.

I have had success by doing the following tedious process:

1> Remove the cable assembly from the camera (careful around the bellows when removing the bracket screws for the camera-body end of the cable OR best remove the bellows.

2> Cut off the ring-tongue (end that connects to the body release) with a sharp pair of diagonal cutters. Cut off the bad part (usually the last 5-10mm) with the ring-tongue maximizing the overall length of cable saved.

Pull the core out of the cable being careful not to FRAY the cut end.

3> Shorten the casing (spring-like outer jacket of the cable by about 5-10mm (the same amount) by spreading the spring-stack with an xacto knife and cutting the spring wire casing with a sharp fine diagonal cutter. File smooth. Do not crush casing. You are shortening the cable by 5-10mm overall so that a new ring-toungue can be installed later.

4> OUTDOORS away from flame. Clean the casing by shooting solvent (i.e. Ronsonol lighter fluid) through the casing. Bend cable gently while wrapped in Bounty paper towel to absorb solvent. Remove from paper. Let it dry.

5> Clean the core with solvent on a paper towel.

6> VERY lightly grease core with high-quality lithium grease.

7> Assemble core back into casing (make sure the lensboard end of the core is on the lensboard end of the casing.

9> Use a drill bit in the hand (drill motor not needed) to slightly ream out the hole in a new ring-tongue to match the diameter of the original (to fit over the stud on the body release). These minature ring-tongues are the ones used on military surplus or Bell switchboard cords (to attach the switchboard plugs, not the stationary end)! Sources include telephone collectors or "House of Telephones" in San Angelo, TX. You will NOT find these small, fine ring-tongues at RADIO SHACK or SEARS!
They can even be carefully pried off of old cords. Test-fit the ring-tongue over the stud on the body release before proceeding to the next step.

8> LIGHTLY crimp the minature ring-tounge onto the core on the camera-body end. Then, fill-SOLDER the end in place by heating the end and using a quality rosin-core solder (or use flouride paste (TOXIC) and silver solder), allow the solder to flow into the wire-pocket on the ring-tongue. Use a HEAT SINK on the casing bracket/casing to avoid unsoldering it. Do not let the solder flow onto the flat surface or hole-end of the ring-tongue. I use a spring-loaded heat-sink to keep the solder off of the bearing surface. Micro-file any solder burrs.

9> Disassemble the sliding mechanisms on the lensboard, and clean in solvent, dry, reassemble, check for binding.

10> Reassemble the "shortened" cable onto the camera and adjust positioning of shutter trip paddle, etc.

11> With a toothpick, put a small blob of high quality lithium grease where the cable core leaves the casing on the body trip. This reduces friction at the bend point.

[Jim23]

On another note - make sure to consider the "flash bracket binding" issue before tearing into the release cable, mechanism.

[alecj]

I had Fred Lustig replace mine with a new cable, and it works smooth as silk. So, you now have several options.

[tribunicus]

I had exactly the same problem on my Crown. My cable had a kink in it. somehow it had gotten bent, and the inner cable couldnt move smoothly and would get stuck. this would also cause the button to not spring back. I removed the kink, added some lubrication, and it works much better.