New Curtains for an ancient Speed Graphic ?

[Luddite Frank]

I just received an almost pristine Speed Graphic, black with grey metal bits, focal-plane shutter only . 🙂

The only downside is that it was stored for so many years, that the shutter blind fused to itself across each metal strip.

I tried to gently un-roll the blind, but the rubber pulled-away from the fabric where it had stuck... 🙁



Any suggestions where I can send this for new curtains ?

Thanks !

Luddite Frank

 

[graywolf]

I believe there is someone on eBay advertising new curtains.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Yep, I have seen it as well on e-bay.

As owner of old (Anniversary), beaten (no shiny metal left) Speed Graphic which I returned to normal by myself - I'll skip focal shutter for now and make sure something is working at the front end.

Very good web-site for this camera brand and detailed site how to repair this camera are available on-line.

The beauty of this camera is in size of any parts, much more easier comparing to MF and Leicas. I enjoyed working on it.

 

[Luddite Frank]

Ko.Fe. -

I heartily agree about size = easier working-on.

I cannot play with HO trains... just too small for my ham-hands !

The camera in question came with only ( an original ?) Zeiss lens in barrel, no front-shutter. So, if I want to get this one back in working nick, I'll have to do new blinds... 🙂

 

[FrankS]

In the meantime, you could just buy a lens in shutter to use on it.

 

[Particular]

I have bought curtain material for screw mount leicas from;
nobbysparrow
He has material for larger cameras as well, which is probably the same stuff, in a larger sheet. It is a really good fabric, with silk on both sides. I would take your shutter apart, and find out exactly how big the pieces need to be before ordering.

 

[sevo]

Many people have done it, one way or other. The curtains are huge, up to about 5"x30" in total length, as they have a full length for each shutter slit width, so that a rebuild with regular camera shutter cloth is seriously expensive (the cloth for my Mentor is less than 1/3 that length, and already was something like 30€). You might also consider re-coating the curtain cloth with liquid rubber or vinyl. Or simply use the leaf shutter.

Look over at http://graflex.org/helpboard/index.php for solutions. The SLR section in particular has a lot on the topic of cloth repair and preservation, as these depend on the FP shutter, while Graphics don't - the Crown did not even have a FP shutter, and Graphic lenses from the fifties on generally are in leaf shutter.

 

[graywolf]

I will repeat that you can find the curtains on eBay. I just typed in "speed graphic shutter" and the first five items that came up were replacement curtains. Looks like they will cost you $65.

 

[sevo]

I will repeat that you can find the curtains on eBay. I just typed in "speed graphic shutter" and the first five items that came up were replacement curtains. Looks like they will cost you $65.

Beware, these are used curtains - one seems to be repainted, some of the others look very worn. Watch out for the proper size, too...

 

[graywolf]

Looking at the actual descriptions, I see sevo is correct.

I have read about folks using Organ Bellows material to recurtain shutters. The stuff is not cheap if I remember correctly.

 

[Luddite Frank]

The suggestion of using pneumatic-cloth is interesting... not long ago, we had to have an organ-builder come to my church to perform an emergency repair on the pipe-organ when we lost half of the Swell division two days before a concert... 😱

The major issue turned-out to be a blown-out pneumatic that operated a multi-multi-multi-pole switch ( "station cut-off" ).

At any rate, the technician re-covered the pneumatic with a very light, flexible rubberized cloth that he referred to as "governor cloth" ( player-piano terminology ).

He gave me a strip of it, in case I had to make any other repairs...

I will find it and see how it compares to the original Graflex material.

Thanks everyone for the suggestions !


LF

 

[Vince Lupo]

Maybe check with our good friend Mr. Marshman about the shutter blind material -- perhaps he can even do the work for you.

 

[Luddite Frank]

Thanks for the tip, Vince ! 🙂

 

[yosemitesamiam]

Hey guys! I just received two Speed Graphics...originally I purchased the two so I could build one...but the bleeding heart camera guy in me says that is sacrilegious.

Anyway...both shutters fire. Both cameras have good bellows...they are both very very old...shutter speed dial states how big the slit is, not the speed. One of the body's is a bit bent somewhere (rail doesn't want to align with the standard/door and door won't stay closed), I'll figure it out....and now for the WEIRD....

Someone cut a hole out of the "T" setting in one curtain...on the left half when looking from the ground glass. They did the same thing to the right side...at the end stop of the curtain...past the Open setting to the curtain's final resting place...(which this might be).

My question is...can it be repaired? Can you glue/sew material over it to make it whole again? OR will it need to be replaced?

Thanks all.

Sam