I recently bought a pacemaker speed graphic at a very good price. When testing it out, I noticed that the front leaf shutter appeared frozen, but the rear body shutter was OK, so I sprung for it.

The front shutter speeds don't work. The "open/close" shutter lever works. All of the dials and levers move and you can energize and release the shutter, but nothing happens. The release lever goes down, something inside goes "thck" and nothing moves.

Question 1: When using front shutter, the shutter should first be closed (using the open/close lever) before firing, right?


I just opened the lens up to give it its Ronsonol bath. I noticed that it looks like the lens had been (amateurishly) opened before. I'm wondering if it was possible that when the person reassembled it, they reassembled it so that the lens was permanently on the 'T' setting - but if that was the case, then I should still see *some* movement, right? The only movement of the shutter occurs when I manipulate the lens open/close lever.

15 minutes of Ronsonol soaking hasn't resulted in any change yet. I'm going to wait overnight. Is there anything I should be aware of before reassembling?

I'm not going to try heavy handed repairs, if this doesn't work, I'll send it out. Any recommendations?

Karen

Is it really worth sending out? The cost of a shutter repair [and certainly the cost of a new shutter] will likely exceed the replacement value of the lens. I guess if you're attached to it. Personally I might try and find a used shutter. Or a lens with bad glass and good shutter.

It may be something as simple as a spring not properly re-installed or the speed-adjustment plate not re-assembled properly, if someone has had it apart as you have stated. The fact that you can open and close it with the lever indicates that the basic shutter mechanism is okay. When you cock it, do you feel tension while doing so? If so, then apparently the trip mechanism may not be properly engaging when you trip it. Worst case, a part may be missing...but I have repaired several of my own acquisitions, and have rarely found a part completely gone. Usually, if the Ronsonol bath doesn't work, I find a spring or lever out of position. Fred.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: clnfrd on 2003-09-25 05:26 ]</font>

Hi -

Thanks all for your kind remarks. I guess it's hard to tell if a part's missing if you don't have a working unit.

I'll reassemble it today and see if it works. If not, I'll use the Pacemaker with the rear shutter until I can find a replacement lens.

If anyone has an Ektar with scratched elements that they'd like to sell cheap, please let me know!

Karen

Karen....I'm strictly an amateur...and do all this stuff for funsies...but if you totally give up on it, I'd be glad to to take a look at it to see if I can correct the problem. You could keep the lens elements. I'd return it to you in any event, no worse than it is now...and no, I don't accept gratuities. Fred.