[LargeFormat] Rotating Back Locks on Graflex RB Cameras

[Clive Warren]

At 05:41 12/04/2004 -0700, Richard Knoppow wrote:
snippety sniplet
>   I've had my Super-D opened a couple of times, once to service the 
> shutter. I'm not at home at the moment so can't look at the thing for a 
> reminder but this is from memory. The Graflok back is held on the camera 
> by five screws four are on the back escutchion and one is in the center 
> of the opening for the film holder. Take the ground glass panel off to 
> see it. When these screws are removed the back lifts off. The Graflok, or 
> regular Graflex back, mounts on the rotating part of the overall camera 
> back. This is held on the camera by about eight screws, all of which are 
> visible when the Graflok or Graflex back is removed. This back comes off 
> as a unit. My memory is that the locating latch is part of it. When this 
> back is removed it exposes the shutter rollers and guide rollers.
>   Once removed the problem with the turntable or latch should be obvious. 
> It may even be that the back is not installed correctly and is binding 
> something. For the most part the construction of Graflex cameras is very 
> simple.
>     Taking the back off should not take more than about five minutes. I 
> always work in a box of some sort to catch any dropped parts.

Hello Richard,

Thank you very much for the info. I now have a good set of instructions for 
sorting out the problem. From my previous adventures inside Speed Graphics 
I'm sure that you're right about the problem being readily apparent once 
the back is apart. The simplicity of construction is probably the main 
reason that the Graflex cameras endured for so long under the heavy use 
that most experienced.

As soon as I can grab that five minutes of head space then I'll dive inside.

Cheers, Clive