Hello everyone, newbie here. I hope someone can give me some help! I purchased a Crown Graphic a while ago and am having trouble. See the pictures below. The lens board has a opening of 44mm but the Compur shutter has a thread diameter of 38mm so there is some play. It looks like someone at one time put some kind of putty around the opening to compensate for the play? Now it is dry and brittle. I don't think this is normal. Also I'm confused about the solenoid. All the one's I've seen are mounted vertically not horizontal and it doesn't seem to work right. If it's attached to the release, then the sutter button linkage doesn't meet it. Plus, when I push the shutter release in, the shaft doesn't go down far enough to work. I'm really confused and need some help. Thanks! Sorry for the size of the pictures!

What you have is a cobbled up setup from spare parts, all someone could afford, or what the ebay seller could pawn off on some unsuspecting person.

The lens is from around 1938 and came from a Pre Anniversary Speed or similar camera of that era.

The solenoid is a Heiland research from a 2x3 camera of some make, Miniature speed Graphic, Burke and James, Bausch Pressman, or Sears Tower to name a few.

Solenoids show up on ebay occasionally.

http://www.southbristolviews.com/pics/Graphic/manual-pdf/servicemanual.pdf
should cover most if not all repair information you'll need as the basic camera is the same only the rangefinder changed.

New lens boards can be found. You will have to have one drilled for your shutter if you go this route.

Used lens boards can be found with the correct mount hole if you shop around. Try ebay or the dealers listed on the home page under the Related Web Sites heading.

Make a spacer the same thickness as the lens board that will fit onto the shutter mount and fill the gap between the shutter and the lens board. Make a thin washer separate or as a part of the spacer that is larger than the lens board opening and the shutter retainer ring. fit the spacer onto the shutter and the shutter onto the lens board then fit the washer onto the back of the lens board/shutter combination, then start and snug the retainer ring. Clock the shutter so the controls suit you then tighten the retainer.

Quote:

Sorry for the size of the pictures!

Not acceptable. You are sentenced to 10 hours of remedial image editing training.