Graflex.org

rdenney · Joined: 05 Jun 2003 Posts: 4 Location: Northern Virginia

Having been a lurker for several years after buying a couple of Graflex roll-film holders, I finally succumbed to the Speed Graphic temptation and ended up with a nice late top rangefinder 4x5 Pacemaker. Bellows were good, the rear shutter is fine on the speeds I use, and there were only a couple of weirdnesses requiring workarounds, including that the bed is slightly cockeyed to the box. The rangefinder is perfect, even when checking focus on the ground glass with a 6x loupe, with the 127 Optar and its matching cam.

Anyway, mine is missing a few bits, and I'm wondering if anyone has these in a box o' junque that they'd be willing to pass along for fair compensation.

Small parts: Tilt thumbscrew, infinity stops (I could use three sets), and the rare unobtanium top rangefinder cams for a 90 Optar and an 8-1/2" Ilex Paragon (which I suspect was never made).

In the near-certainty of not finding a cam for the Paragon, I'm also in the market for a Kalart rangefinder assembly. It would appear that a Kalart can be mounted on a top-rangefinder Pacemaker with no issue.

Yes, I know I can make cams if necessary, and that is an option if nothing else can be found.

An otherwise trashed Speed or Crown with enough of those bits, if cheap enough, might be desirable, too.

Rick "appreciative" Denney

alecj · Joined: 09 May 2001 Posts: 853 Location: Alabama

Rick:

I'm surprised that since you've been a " lurker for several years" on this Board, you haven't noticed one of our few rules here: No WTB ads such as yours.

We don't mind an inquiry in the form of "does anybody know a source for...", but direct WTB, as well as FS ads are discouraged.

We'd appreciate your cooperation. Hope you find what you are looking for.

Alec Jones

rdenney · Joined: 05 Jun 2003 Posts: 4 Location: Northern Virginia

45PSS · Posted: Wed Jun 02, 2010 6:31 am Post subject:

BrianShaw · Joined: 24 Dec 2006 Posts: 71 Location: Los Angeles, CA

Call Jim at Midwest. Be patient and talk directly to him. An email to him seems to work well also. He may know a source of some of the items for which you seek a source. Midwest lists only some of their Graflex/Graphic items in their ads, like those seen in View Camera magazine.

Dave · Joined: 05 Dec 2003 Posts: 78 Location: Canada

LOL, the 'newbie parts hunt' is a good way of putting it. Nearly all of us went through it, and we can empathize!

Midwest is a good source, although I haven't bought anything from them for at least ten years. Alternatively, look on ebay for an outfit called 'Canyonland Graphics'; they often have Graphic parts. Actually, ebay might not be a bad source for parts-- I'm hesitant to recommend it for cameras, but for parts cameras or loose parts it is probably OK.

Photo.net has a classified section under which you can place WTB ads. I'm not sure about the other photo sites, like APUG and largeformat, but check them out too. Good luck with the search!