Graflex.org

[financephotog]

Hi, all!

I am trying to get a solenoid fine-tuned on my 4x5 Crown Graphic, after doing a shutter CLA.

I found this thread and made decent progress:

https://graflex.org/helpboard/viewtopic.php?p=6817

I was able to get it pretty good except T. Initially, I had it so that if it triggered the shutter at 400, then in T it would not allow the shutter lever to move back up far enough for the shutter mechanism to reset after opening (i.e. the armature would not have enough travel).

After fiddling with it some more, now I have it such that it triggers the shutter in every speed but T (though little sluggish on 1 and B). In T, it does not trigger the shutter (I think because it doesn't travel downward far enough). However, if I open the shutter manually in T, the shutter release is able to move back far enough to reset the mechanism so that I can close the shutter manually again.

That seems like a good-enough state; means I have to trigger the shutter manually in T, or use the case release, or use a cable release (which is likely what I want to do there anyway); but I can use the solenoid in every other speed. Note: the shutter has post synchronizers, so I don't need the solenoid for sync, but only for convenience of triggering the shutter from the flash battery case. That means as long as it trips the shutter in any way at all I'm set; it doesn't have to be super-sharp.

A few questions.

Question 1: What does the screw cap on the solenoid actually do? It obviously changes the position of the armature a slight bit, but it also seems to do something in the mechanism. Seems to have some effect on pull strength, but seemingly also on length of travel of the armature. What exactly does it do?

Question 2: If I wanted to be perfectionist and wanted it to work on T, any hints on what to do, based on where I am now?