
Posted: Sat May 11, 2019 6:05 pm
1. Download the Top RF service manual here:
http://www.southbristolviews.com/pics/Graphic/manual-pdf/servicemanual.pdf
The best service on the tube is to remove it from the body, pour all the balls and spacers into a container, flush the tube and balls and spacers with Naphtha, not lighter fluid, or 90% Isopropyl Alcohol then reassemble dry. A very light coating of extra fine powdered graphite can be applied to the balls and spacers but it must be just detectable. Oils, grease in trace mounts will cause the balls and spacers to jam.
There should be 42 to 45 balls and spacers in the tube.
The plastic cap on the Pacemakers was prone to popping off, secure it with a drop of glue (removable) or RTV sealant.
2. This is the cam list for the Pacemaker Graphics:
https://graflex.org/speed-graphic/top-rangefinder-cams.html
A lens is rarely its marked focal length. They can be a few tenths of a millimeter to a few millimeters either side of the marked focal length. The first 5 cams in the list are for 90mm lens.
The greater the focal length difference between the cam and the lens the greater the focus error at closer distances. A .5mm difference will be off at 3 to 5 feet / .9 to 1.5 meters while a difference of 5 or 6 mm will be off at 10 to 15 feet / 3 to 4.5 meters.
Measuring from the aperture blades to the ground glass with the lens focused at infinity will give you an idea of the lens actual focal length as standard 90mm lens were not retrofocus (flange to film plane distancel shorter than lens focal length) design.