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Murray@uptowngallery.org · Joined: 03 Apr 2002 Posts: 164 Location: Holland MI

A recently acquired 2x3 Mini Speed Graphic has a noisy FP shutter.

I would simply assume the roller bearing lube points were internal except there is a conspicuous mechanism on one side above the shutter winding lever that makes me wonder if the thing in the center is a shaft end, and it's thus a lube point. It looks like a shaft end with a conically tapered surrounding flange.

But one doesn't seem adequate if there are 4 roller ends.

So, are they internal then?

Doesn't look like I can insert an image from a flash drive here...have to FTP it first.
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Murray

ImageMaker · Joined: 20 Jun 2006 Posts: 93 Location: North Carolina

Murray, I'm not very familiar with your Miniature Speed, but on my Anniversary Speed 4x5, I have access to all four bearings for the FP shutter rollers -- albeit one is under the tensioning plate and one under the slit winding plate.

On the left side of the camera, do you have a pair of small circular plates with spanner notches on the outer edge, and small holes in the center? If so, those are the end bearings, and they unscrew from the body with a suitable spanner; the maintenance manual for my camera suggests graphite grease for those bearings, but I used teflon grease on the one I had apart (teflon, of course, didn't yet exist when my Speed was made).

On the right side, one bearing will be covered by the plate that mounts the shutter winding key and slit display; the other will be under the tensioning plate if you have a 24-speed shutter like mine, but if you have a newer version with 6-speed shutter, there may be another accessible bearing there.

There's a Pacemaker repair manual on the Bristol Views site, and I finally found where the Anniversary Speed repair manual I received originated; I can send you the URLs if you give me some time to look them up in my bookmarks.
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Is thirty-five years too long to wait for your first Speed?

45PSS · Posted: Sun Jul 15, 2007 8:10 pm Post subject:

Muarry,
The Minature Speed started production in 1939, the Anniversary 3x4 and 4x5 in 1940 and both ended production in 1946. According to previous discussions in the diatant past the Minature is the first version of the Anniversary. Les could chime in and compare/contrast the two but there will be little differences if any other than size.
The Anniversary Service Manual should work well with the Minature Speed for servicing the camera. If ImageMaker cannot find the link I can send you a copy of the Anniversary Speed Repair Manual.
Charles
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The best camera ever made is the one that YOU enjoy using and produces the image quality that satifies YOU.

ImageMaker · Joined: 20 Jun 2006 Posts: 93 Location: North Carolina

Murray@uptowngallery.org · Joined: 03 Apr 2002 Posts: 164 Location: Holland MI

Thanks guys.

The item I'm trying to id is visible at
http://www.uptowngallery.org/Murray/SG23/IMG_0600.JPG

The button-like thing above the winding knob...

Thanks

Murray
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Murray

ImageMaker · Joined: 20 Jun 2006 Posts: 93 Location: North Carolina

Yes, Murray, that's the end of the upper roller, but I'm not at all certain you can lube that properly without taking off the plate it's mounted in. I suppose you could put a small drop of light oil between the shaft and plate, but it really calls for graphite or teflon grease applied inside.

Now, when you say you have a "noisy" focal plane shutter, what do you mean? Mine isn't perfectly silent by any stretch, nor would I expect one to be really quiet; there's a lot of mass moving in there, compared to the focal plane shutters in small cameras, and one might expect a little play in the bearings after sixty or seventy years...
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Is thirty-five years too long to wait for your first Speed?

45PSS · Posted: Tue Jul 17, 2007 3:19 am Post subject:

To soften the Shutter Curtain
1. run the curtain to the lower roller.
2. Remove the camera back.
3. Coat the visable curtain with Pledge Natural Beauty (aerosol)
http://www.pledge.com/
4. wind the curtain to each of the remainding sections and coat each one.
5. Allow the curtain to soak in the Pledge for 1 to 2 hours then wipe the
excess off with a clean lint free cloth.
6. Remove the lens and reach thru the lens board opening to support the
curtain from the rear when wiping down.
7. On very dried out curtains apply Pledge to both sides of the curtain.
Note: Slow running shutters may speed up after treating the curtain with this method.
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The best camera ever made is the one that YOU enjoy using and produces the image quality that satifies YOU.