Graflex.org

blaised · Joined: 09 May 2005 Posts: 18 Location: New York

How do you open the Graflex back? I have the manual and have tried and tried, but nothing.

Thank you in advance.

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

On pre-Pacemaker Graphics, you can remove the ground glass focus assembly by sliding the slider at the top up and away, check the elongated holes as to which direction.

Pacemaker models are more rare but Graflex backs to exist. They have two sliders, top and bottom, but only one needs to be used to remove the focus assembly.

Are you sure you have a Graflex back? Could it be a Graflok back?

Les

blaised · Joined: 09 May 2005 Posts: 18 Location: New York

Could you expound on the two sliders, top and bottom. They will not slide. It states in the manual to slide both of them to open the back.

Thank you.

t.r.sanford · Posted: Fri May 27, 2005 3:27 am Post subject:

The only "Graflex" backs I have seen predated the "Graflok" system. I believe the later "Graflex" models incorporated some of the features of the "Graflok."

In either case, the slide(s) have two slanted slots milled in them; they ride on two screws. Pushing the tab on the end of a slide moves it diagonally up and to one side, eventually freeing the accessory so you can lift it out.

On a "Graflok" and, perhaps, the later "Graflex" ones, you can't see the architecture because those curved slots are concealed under thin strips secured by the bolt heads. If your slides won't move, they may be corroded or otherwise gunked up. The way to find out is to remove the screws, very carefully, and look. Simply loosening the screws may help.

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

Here's a typical Anniversary Speed with a Graflex back. Is this what you have?

The slider is illustrated, if it's stuck the best thing to do is to remove the screws in the slotted holes. This should allow you to remove the ground glass assembly, then clean and wax the slider to it moves smoothly but not freely.

blaised · Joined: 09 May 2005 Posts: 18 Location: New York

This is not what I have. Mine is more like two small bars that have a screw in the center..on both top and bottom. That is it.

Thank you for going to all the trouble.

blaised · Joined: 09 May 2005 Posts: 18 Location: New York

I found out that I have a Spring Back. I still cannot see how to open it. Sorry for all the trouble.

glennfromwy · Joined: 29 Nov 2001 Posts: 903 Location: S.W. Wyoming

To open the hood for focusing, there is a tab at bottom center. Press down (toward camera bottom) and the hood should pop open. Sometimes the older style tab has broken off and you must use a fingernail. The film holder just slides under the panel from the right. Hope this helps. I'm a bit unclear on what you mean by "open".

_________________
Glenn

"Wyoming - Where everybody is somebody else's weirdo"

blaised · Joined: 09 May 2005 Posts: 18 Location: New York

You mean the hood is the only thing that opens on the spring back? There is a door with two tabs that seems like it should open. It opens a little bit, but there should be a latch to open it fully.

Dan Fromm · Joined: 14 May 2001 Posts: 2148 Location: New Jersey

blaised · Joined: 09 May 2005 Posts: 18 Location: New York

But how do you open that door? Is there a slide or latch? I don't want to just pull it open.

t.r.sanford · Posted: Tue May 31, 2005 2:36 pm Post subject:

If I am understanding all of this, the difficulty appears to reside in thinking of the focusing panel as a "door." On the (ancient) spring back, known in these parts as the "Graphic" model, the focusing panel is not SUPPOSED to come off at all! It is a device that allows quick insertion of a sensitized-material carrier in the same plane as the groundglass focusing screen.

If you want to clean or repair the inside, you remove the screws holding the flat springs at top and bottom, do the work, and reassemble the panel to the back.

These backs, which seem to date back well into the 19th Century, are designed to accommodate flat film (or plate) carriers that slide in from the right (as you stand behind the camera). The common ones, since the First World War, have included the still-popular double sheetfilm holder, the now-obsolete film pack adapter (you can't get film packs any more), and the relatively recent Polaroid "545" single-packet adapter. The postwar "Grafmatic" 6-sheet magazine back may or may not squeeze under the panel; I'd be a bit afraid to try it.

You could attach postwar rollfilm adapters (which are far too fat to fit) by means of a (now hard to find) adapter that replaced the panel. Of course, if you did that, you gave up the use of the focusing panel, unless you wanted to carry a screwdriver around.

That's why Graflex devised the "Graflok" back!

blaised · Joined: 09 May 2005 Posts: 18 Location: New York

Thank you to everyone for the help. I'll get my mechanically inclined brother for help : ))

t.r.sanford · Posted: Tue May 31, 2005 7:32 pm Post subject:

One thing that he may wish to know (and I would, too) is, what do you hope to accomplish by opening the back?

blaised · Joined: 09 May 2005 Posts: 18 Location: New York

The reason I want to slightly open the back, is to find out how to get the film cartridge into the camera.