I have the Pacemaker Speed Graphic and having just acquired a barrel lens I need to use the focal plane shutter. I want to be able to use a cable release with the focal plane shutter to minimize vibrations but the three I have don't seem to have long enough throw or for some reason are too weak to push the button in.

Is there a particular brand that is known to work?

Is the slide lock right under the butterfly cocking lever correctly positioned with raised part next to indication saying 'back' ?

Yes, it is.

I have one cable release that pushes it the button in farther than the others but still isn't enough.

Does the body release slide easily and or smoothly when tripping the FPS?
Are you planning to use the camera hand held or on a tripod?
How long of a throw do your current cables have? (measure plunger travel at the socket end). I think newer cables are 3/4 inch throw and you may have to find an older cable with 1 1/4 inch throw.
If shooting handheld the body release operated by your right index finger will be the best. Place your thumb on the back edge of the camera and squeeze the body release.

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Does the body release slide easily and or smoothly when tripping the FPS?

I don't have any other experience with a Graphic so I can only say that it doesn't feel particularly stiff nor is it slack. It is not difficult to squeeze.

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Are you planning to use the camera hand held or on a tripod?

Both. The reason why I wanted to have it on the tripod with release was because I had a couple sheets back that I knew I shot at 1/125th and they were blurry when I thought I had held it fairly steady. So I wanted to see if in fact the shutter or I just wasn't being steady enough myself.

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If shooting handheld the body release operated by your right index finger will be the best. Place your thumb on the back edge of the camera and squeeze the body release.

Yes, that is what I have been doing.

I'm pretty sure none of my cable releases go out as far as 1 and 1/4. Do you recall were you got that one?

Um, I've had problems getting the usual normal cable release with a conical tip to screw in securely, but it can be done. I just tried every cable release ready to hand -- I have more -- on my little 2x3 Pacemaker Speed. All but the one I normally use with it were a little hard to attach -- the usual one has straight threads, goes in easily and is secure once attached -- and all of them fired the FPS through the body release.

The one with the longest throw is a very nice wire-wrapped Gitzo, a little under 1", the shortest is a little under 1/2". And they all worked on my camera.

Given this, I suspect the problem may be elsewhere. Does the body release fire the focal plane shutter when you press on it?

I picked up a lot of used cable releases a few years back which had some long throw releases.
From Dan's post and your response I would suspect the body release and FPS release need to be lubricated. The body release or the side slide switch should trip the shutter with very light pressure. A few drops of machine oil, not 3 in 1 or WD40 as these dry out quickly and leave a sticky residue, applied to the rear edge of the body release then operate the release several times may help. If the FPS does not trip easily with the front/rear/trip slide switch then the FPS trip needs lubricating. http://www.southbristolviews.com/pics/Graphic/manual-pdf/servicemanual.pdf covers the servicing. There is very little difference between the 4x5 and 2x3 Pacemakers and the body of the 4x5 is the same for side and top rangefinders.
I can email you the service pages from a side RF manual that has the variations for the 2x3 specified if needed.

Great. I will get some machine oil and try the lubrication.

Thanks everyone. I will report back to see if that changes it.

To Dan: yes, the body release does fire the FPS. But from what 45PSS said, it sounds like the body release button should be a lot more sensitive than it is which would explain why none of my shutters seem to be pushing it far enough and also why my shots have been blurry.

Well, I have lubricated the body release.
-- it really does move a lot smoother now so it did need lubrication
-- but it seems like you have to push the release all the way down still in order to fire the FPS
-- my longest throw release does not push it down that far.

Using the manual I linked above, remove the cover- shutter plate, manual page 11, pdf page 13, and clean and lube the FPS trip mechanism with white lithium or similar light weight grease. Use the grease sparingly, a light coat on the contact/pivot points is all that is necessary. In camera servicing too much oil or grease causes problems.
Charles.

Thanks for all your help. I'll try that when I get the proper grease.

bah. I've taken it apart and put it back together again twice. I've broken it.

First time, didn't have the shutter placed correctly.

Second time, somehow disconnected the release.

Now it's Christmas Eve and I think I should just put it down for now.

Hmm.. I wish I had found

this page first before attempting this repair. I'll sleep on it and try again after xmas.

http://www.xs4all.nl/~lommen9/speed%20up/index.html

That page should be titled How to shorten the life of your Speed Graphic Focal Plane Shutter. The only good thing is the pictures. There are NO metric screws in a Graphic camera.

Well, all I have are the screws that came with the camera so I'm not messing with the screws

but seriously, I can barely make out the technical drawings in the service manual as it is; having the photos helps a lot.