Reassemble and synchronise the

Graflex Focal Plane shutter.

 

First of all rotate the winding key until the "O= open" appears in the middle of the window. 
depending on the type it can be that there are one or two "O" are visible.
Keep rotating the key around until the "O" appears squarely in the upper half of the speed shutter dial window, 
when the upper master gear pin is stopped against the stop step of the escapement !!! 

 

   

Photo 1                                             Photo 2

Note: there exist two different plates. One showing two figures and the other only one.
Make sure the O is situated like the one(s) on the photos above. Note the position of the winding key.

  

Photo 3

Swing the retard cam lever assembly forward to raise the governor assembly.
Now the control panel is ready to be mounted.


 

Lay the focal plane shutter plate aside and start preparing the right position of the focal plane shutter curtain.

 

Photo 4                                                            Photo 5

Replace the lower and upper roller in such a way that the biggest opening or slit does not cover the camera opening.
The top strut of the curtain set 3/4 inch from the top inside edge of the case. Photo 4 and 5.

Make sure the rollers left shaft ends are positioned in the bearings of the camera housing. 

    

Photo 6                                             Photo 7

The next action demands some handiness. You'll probably miss a third hand.
While holding the upper roller in position with the thumb of your left hand (Photo 6),
grab the Focal Plane shutter plate with your right hand and bring it into position to the camera side. Photo 7.

Search for both shaft ends of the curtain rollers to bring them in line with both holes in the plate.
The lower roller is not much of a problem. The upper roller gear should fit smooth into the gear assembly.

You may need to turn the upper roller with your left thumb a bit to allow the upper roller snapping into the gear of the escapement.
After both rollers have found their position into the control plate, you may check again if the upper roller has kept its position. If not, carefully swing the plate a bit to allow the repositioning of the upper roller as described above.

Next try to find the right position of the slide selector.

 

 

Photo 8                                       Photo 9

While still holding the plate in position, try to find the right position for the shutter selector shift slide,
by moving it up and down until it snaps into position. It should look like photo 10.

Photo 10                                      Photo 11

 

Photo 12                                    Photo 13

If the assembly plate has found its position, keep it that way with your left hand (photo 8) and fix it to the body with one or two screws. Photo 11
Now you can work without holding the plate in position. Obtain tension to the lower roller by winding the slotted shaft counterclockwise.

Hold the roller and pull the curtain by hand several times to remove the cloth slack. Then release the tension slowly.


Note: It is difficult to say how many times to turn the winding shaft to get the best possible strength on the spring inside the shaft.
The only way to be sure about the exact exposure time is the use of the electronic shutter tester.
You may build yourself a device like this:
https://lommen9.home.xs4all.nl/electronic%20shutter%20tester/index.html

Position the tension shaft retainer over the slotted shaft and position the retainer screw.

Draw a pencil line on the retainer, using it as an index and wind the slotted shaft six to eight revolutions counterclockwise.

Tighten the shaft retainer screw in such a way that the screw shoulder fits into the tension shaft retainer cut-out edge.

 

Check again the position of the slide selector and wind the curtain one position.

Slide the selector to the back position (up) and release the curtain by squeezing the body release.

Fix the other screws and try the working of all settings of the focal plane shutter.  

The above instructions are just for showing how to reassemble and synchronise the position of the curtain with the control panel.

I assumed that you already cleaned and lubricated the mechanism.
to learn the working of the build in spring of the roller klick on:

 Graflex Focal Plane shutter spring loaded roller

 


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