NOW I can claim to be a member of this group!
As of midnight last night I became the owner of a 4x5 Crown Graphic with Graflok back & side mounted Kalart rangefinder. That makes it 1950 - 1955?
Anyway there will probably be some more rather obvious questions, but you were all beginners once too.

sound about right. Congrats!

Ah! missed this post...but now welcome to the World of the Graphics-may all your negs be of excellent quality from now on..
You will get many admirers once it comes out of the bag,but don't let that deter you,get ready with all the answers.

Thank-you Sid. I think I am going to need a few answers myself.
Namely the Supermatic shutter.
How do you lock the thing open for focusing?

This camera has not been used in a while so I anticipate it may need a CLA at some point.
The vendor said something about speed selection seeming a bit stiff.
Mind you he'd had a stroke and his wife has arthritic fingers.
So fingers crossed...... As long as the thing doesnt drag on the slower speeds.

I anticipate I will not get the camera till New Year so I am now finding essentials like film holders and a loupe to aid focusing.
I just want a simple means of magnifying a part of the screen. I was thinking of a Agfa slide loupe for starters with the sides painted black.
Third on my list is a bipost female to 3mm co-ax female adapter from Paramount.

Film wise: I have acquired a stash of outdated stock (Fuji NPS160, Ilford FP4 & HP5).
I am going to use colour neg at first. its a year past its use by date, I am not sure of its condition. I expect there may not be much I keep of the first box of film buy I have to learn on something.

I am praying for a mega hoar frost. Leaves and spiders webs look fantastic!

cock the shutter, then press the little round button
near the cocking lever and while that's pressed, trip the shutter. The cocking lever will go half way and the shutter will stay open. To close, cock the shutter.

Or you can use T.

And the shutter will accept a regular cable release?
I may wish to trip the shutter with a short cable release.
It also locks for time exposures.

I am doing OCN Black & White photography at College. The lecturer has a lge format camera himself and he has some spare film holders.
Is there any 'best' of the kinds available?