Graflex.org

[swaggerpuss]

Hi there,
I've just started messing around with 5x4 and have managed to get my hands on a grafmatic back. I've gone through the great instructions here on this site on how to operate this beast...but.....
I've noticed that after loading film into the septums, placing all six back where they belong and then holding the back in the vertical position, D ring up, and then cycling through the film (as a dry run) more often than not the film slips down from some of the septums, so when the unit is pushed down to load up the next film it catches the film that has slipped.

I hope you can figure out what I'm saying! Is there some that I'm doing wrong that is making the film slip down and partially out of a septum? Is there something I can do to stop this? (bar tape, glue or operating the device so the d ring faces down all the time?)

Thanks in advance,

Nigel

(upon examination, none are buckled or damaged that I can see).

[RichS]

Well, other people use theirs much more than I use mine, but here's something from a vague memory...

The septum's edges are rolled over to create the groove the film slides into. At the corners where the film sheet is inserted, the very corver of the rolled edge is bent down more to create a friction stop. Makes the film harder to put it, but keeps it in until you pull it out.

Look carefully at those entry edges. Many of mine were loose when I got them and had to be re-fitted to hold the sheets in place.

Be VERY careful when doing any bending or reshaping on spetums. They are very fragile and crack easily...

If you don't have any spare sheets, waste 6 so you can 'play' with a Grafmatic in the light...


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"Ya just can't have too many GVIIs"
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[glennfromwy]

Sounds like Rich has it pretty well covered. I will just restate what has been said. Be very careful with the septums. One warped septum can put the whole thing out of business. The aluminum they are made of is hardened, so yes, it is easy to crack the little flanges.

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Glenn

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

[45PSS]

[ This Message was edited by: 45PSS on 2005-12-24 21:34 ]

[swaggerpuss]

Thanks a lot... I thought I'd better ask about before messing around with the septums having heard how fragile they are.

Yep, they all needed to be pushed down a bit to hold the film in place.

Thanks again!

Nigel