Need parts for any of these cameras? Take the worn part or broken pieces to a machinist and have a new one made. One might get lucky and find a parts body somewhere, but doubtful.
Origional or reprint user manuals are available from craig camera at http://www.craigcamera.com.
This site has a user review of the 45A. The underlined Meridian at the top of this section or other cameras link. A user review of the 45B is at A Large Format Home Page linked from the related sites, large format sites, Quang-Tuong Long's...., once at A Large Format..., select Equipement reviews then select A 4x5 round-up, then press and technical cameras. The coments at the end of this article has a responce from a son of one of the partners of Meridian Instrument Co., makers of the cameras. I contacted him to see if there was any technical information or specs available but there is not.

It took me 50 to 60 hours to find this out, would rather been out shooting.

I bought a 45B parts body on eBay for my good 45B. I paid over $200 for the parts camera, but it was complete except for the folding viewing hood. I have never seen another parts 45B. This one could be taken apart, cleaned, adjusted, reassembled and used, but I already have one. I really didn't need it, but I figured that they would be few and far between if and when I did. I guess I'm hoarding it. Sorry!

Gerald Pierce

I now have two pacemaker to Graphic View adapter boards which fit the 45B perferctely.
Nice to have 1 lens mount that will work on two cameras. Will give up the 45B and adapter boards when I can afford a NEW Tech V. I forgot to mention that the "C" was in prototype when Linhof's became available again. I also made new springs for the back, leaving them a little longer so that I can use use Grafmatics with it. Not in a hurry to get a Tech V either.
Charles

How did you go about making new springs for the back? Did you have it done by someone? It would be nice to be able to use Grafmatics.

Regards,

Gerald

A friend got me some 1/4" wide spring steel stock that will supply approximately 20 lbs. pull. He made a jig to form them in also.

My current remake is a copy from the origional except at the left side loop over the pin, simular to right side, instead of around the pin. Graflex just fits and back is loose, sildes 3/16" but does not fall out. They were made like the origional then I opened the left to allow more movement.
A machinist should be able to assist.
Charles

Charles:
Here's something you won't see every day- a beater Meridian 45B with spare parts on eBay.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1337976595

The auction has one complete, functioning but cosmetically challenged camera, along with parts from two more cameras. It also has some history about design and manufacture that is news to me. It says, "The Meridian was made circa 1947 and was designed by Vic Yager who also designed and marketed the Vidax camera. Manufactured by Paul Klingenstein and distributed through his company, Kling Photo Supply."
The seller is Quality Camera in Atlanta. I've bought several cameras from them in the last five or six years, and have been quite satisfied.
Don't tell anyone!

Regards,

Gerald

Yea, it ends while I'm at work the day before I get paid and is being bumped up in price by a DEAD BUTT that doesn't pay.

Have you got a grafmatic to fit in yours yet?
What is your's serial number? I have #1760.
Charles

_________________
While a picture may be worth a thousand words, a photograph is worth a million.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: 45PSS on 2002-03-09 23:45 ]</font>

Charles:
I suspect the price will be well over $300. I'm going to try to stay out of it. I have 45B #1929 and #2422. Still contemplating the Grafmatic squeeze. I guess I should modify the beater's springs instead of messing with the good one, and just go ahead and try to breathe life into it. So much work and so little time.

Regards,

Gerald

It went for $410. Sounds like time to sell.

gwp

I have been shooting with a Meridian 45B for a couple of years now (love it). Where is that SN located?

My back does not lock down very well (wants to tilt and swing with light pressure despite the knobs being full in. Does anyone know a fix?

Thanks....Alex

Clean, lube, and shim the lock/slide assembly if needed.
The 4 post that the back slide on have screws on their exposed ends, remove them.
Remove the front standard from the rails.
Loosen the 4 back lock knobs.
Remove the back-bellows=front standard assembly from the main body shell.
Fully unscrew the lock knobs from the body.
Remove the brass clamp sphere from the cavity. Clean cavity and sphere. Soak sphere in light machine oil or Tri-Flow.
Add brass shim stock if needed to cavity.
Reassemble.

Charles

Here is some additional information on Meridian models:
http://www.bnphoto.org/bnphoto/LFN/CamProf_Meridian1.htm

I just sniped a Meridian model 45CE last night, it appears to have an improved front standard and other upgrades from my Meridian 45B.

The only mention on the web of the existence of C prototypes that I could find is here in this thread-- although there seems to have been talk of a few of them in the comments section after the Meridian article over at The Large Format page some years ago (which comments were sometime later taken down due to getting hit with spam).

Anybody have an archive or institutional memory of that prior discussion?

Hot damn, I did find that old comments section archived here:

http://web.archive.org/web/20020520150707/http://www.greenspun.com/com/qtluong/photography/lf/meridian/meridian.html

And it seems like I did score the only one.

Anyone know the present-day whereabouts of a Mr. Ray Grossman? (His email from 2001 is apparently now defunct.)

Hang onto that C!! That link is a good read too.

I have a Meridian A that I picked up a few years back. You can see it on my site http://graflex.coffsbiz.com on the Civilian Cameras page. Scroll down to 'Press Cameras by other makers' and it's in there.

Do you know how many A's were made? It pretty hard to find much detailed info on Meridians at all, especially a detailed timeline.

Cheers,
Bruce