I've just acquired my first Graflex, a very nice Pacemaker Speed Graphic 45 that seems to be in good working order. (The FP shutter seems to be in need of lubrication and/or tightening of the spring, as it's a tad sluggish in the final closing operation, and the Kalart range finder needs adjustment, but that's no big deal.)

However, the outer shroud of the bowden cable for the front shutter release is broken in a couple of places, rendering it more or less unusable. Now, I've read how a normal cable release mounted at the upper fastening of the hand strap, and operated with your left thumb, is a much better solution anyway, and I'll probably be doing that, but I'd like everything to work...

I'm thinking of taking the whole front shutter cable assembly out of the camera, to try to replace the broken shroud with one from an old style cable release that has the same type of (non-compressible) metal spiral construction. Does this sound like a good idea, or is there a better solution that I'm missing?

Of course, if anyone should have a replacement part to sell me, that would be even better...

-tih

http://graflex.org/helpboard/viewtopic.php?t=5768 scroll to last post.

Increasing the tension is not a good idea. A complete CLA of the shutter should be preformed.


The cable and housing has made on clips or other parts that will make adapting other cables or housings difficult if memory serves me. I would try to solder the housing at the breaks once the cable has been removed or find another one. They show up on ebay (usa) occasionally.

Thanks, 45PSS!

I guess I'll give it a proper CLA, then. In fact, after a bit of use, it now runs much better, except when I turn the camera left side down, when the shutter once again closes sluggishly at the end of its travel. I'm guessing there's some dried-up grease to clean out and replace.

Another thing: I just noticed that the parallax correction of the tubular view finder is upside down. I assume the distance marking on the dial is supposed to be read at the top, and that the small, round, peep hole is supposed to climb up and to the right as the dial is turned toward shorter distances? Mine has the 6 and infinity stopping at the bottom at either extreme, and the hole migrating down and to the left instead. I'm guessing I can loosen the set screws on the dial, and pull the whole mechanism off and turn it 180 degrees...?

-tih

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