Hello all,
Just picked up my second graphic in a week, a 4x5 Speed, serial 833982. Believe it's a '46? The camera is a 5 on a scale of 1-10, and I'm sure it's been sitting awhile. Bellows are tight and I shot some polaroids through it and there are no light leaks. I then checked the focal plane shutter and rotated the curtain clockwise until it stopped turning. Then I tried to fire it and nothing happens. So now I can't take a picture with the front shutter, because the curtain from the FP is blocking the film (no slit in the FP curtain visible). And the turning knob for the FP shutter won't advance more than a smidge forward or back. I know this is probably in need of a good CLA, but I'd like to run some more film through it (using front shutter) before I do that. Does anyone have experience with the FP shutters that can guide me? Also, I would like to take some of these parts off and clean and paint them (Springback, top viewfinder, etc.). Is that wise or not? I don't really want to "restore" the camera, I'd just like it to look a LOT better. All responses appreciated. I absolutely love my cameras (other one is a 3x4 Crown that is almost mint). Thanks.

Nah, its a Pacemaker. Did you sent the shutter selector to "rear"?

Hey Dan --
I did set shutter selector switch to rear, but nothing happens when you move switch to rear or "trip." That switch moves up and down, but perhaps I'm not triggering the rear shutter correctly? To my completely unknowing brain, it seems like there is no spring, or method to trip the shutter.

http://www.cameraeccentric.com/html/info/graflex_5.html
or
http://www.cameraeccentric.com/html/info/graflex_4.html

First link is a perfect match for your camera, a 1947 or 1948 Pacemaker Speed. (In IE you can right click each page and select "save as" to save a copy to your computer for your records.)

Try setting the governor lever to the other position. Try pressing in on the switch when moving to the "Trip" position.

45 -- Thanks for the info. Took the camera apart last night and wound the curtain by hand to the open spot, so I at least am able to take pics using the front shutter. Am going to go through manuals next and see what else I can learn. Thanks again for the link.

Side RF Focal Plane Shutter Repair Info
OR in Internet Explorer right click each image, select "save picture as", click


'save" to save to the folder on your computer of your choice.