Graflex.org

willysmb · Joined: 28 Feb 2004 Posts: 128 Location: France _ Europe

I have 3 Press
One is with the rear door missing no Serial #
One #15443 (around 1908-1910 ?) is with a drop-down rear door
One #84334 (around 1912-1915 ?) is with a flip-up rear door

Cheers
Laurent

45PSS · Posted: Tue Apr 01, 2008 6:41 am Post subject:

Laurent,
Sometime around 1918-1921 Graflex quit stamping the serial number into the lip of the view hood opening and put it on the view hood door behind the top mount of the view hood. The view hood has to be disconnected from the view hood door to clearly see the serial number. It was stamped into the wood at first then stamped in ink later on.
_________________
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willysmb · Joined: 28 Feb 2004 Posts: 128 Location: France _ Europe

Many thanks, I will be check this evening.

Laurent

bertsaunders · Posted: Wed Apr 02, 2008 6:08 pm Post subject: press rebuild

camz,[b]
Unaware that the backs ever had a flip-down version..(so I am assuming that this one example was installed upside down, or taken apart and re-assembled wrong) All old style "Flip-Up's had side curtains, and it would make no sence to swing them down...

In any event, every Press that I have seen, the pop-up was removable to accept a 5x7 "Bag Mag" I own (2), and repaired 2 other Press cameras several years back....my two have the backs intact...one of the two I repaired had the bag mag!
Have a nice day........Bert

semihemi · Joined: 25 Oct 2003 Posts: 85 Location: Boston, MA

Hi everyone. Further below are images of the back I have. It looks like maybe it came without side curtains? "Flip-down" seems appropriate as a description. The pin at the bottom provides orientation. Also see the shutter curtain. Does this look factory to folks? The rivets are mighty well finished. I assume if the rivets are original, then the tapes are original. Any thoughts?

bertsaunders · Posted: Thu Apr 03, 2008 6:32 am Post subject: Press shutter curtain

Semi,
The rivets are original, the side tapes are not!
Both of my backs have a Pop-Up door with side shades, just like the spring backs on the old Pre-Ann! The top center of the top spring slips into a vertical slot on the back frame, the bottom spring has a pin that is held in place by a (hidden) slide lever in the bottom of the frame!
Springs / pop-up / and GG are removable from the frame, and a Bag Mag attaches the same way as the spring back!
If you look carefully, you will see that the springs on your back can easily be assembled backwards on your pop-dn back!
Have a nice day..........Bert

Sorry about the link problem
Will send the photos via email to anyone that wants them.....
bsaunders1@bak.rr.com

bertsaunders · Posted: Thu Apr 03, 2008 10:56 pm Post subject:

Have a nice day...........Bert

semihemi · Joined: 25 Oct 2003 Posts: 85 Location: Boston, MA

Hi Bert - Thanks for the info on the rivets - I hope you can see this image. It looks like the rivets run through the tapes. (A Rivet Ran Through It?) That's why I concluded the tapes were original, as the rivets appear to be.

I took a look at the back. My back removes just as you explain. I see the ease of reversing the back and thus hanging it upside down, but I am not seeing evidence of "bat wings." Also, the back loads from the right as on all my other Graflexes. If it were upside down, wouldn't it load from the left? Any input is most welcome.

Best,
Semi

bertsaunders · Posted: Fri Apr 04, 2008 8:11 pm Post subject: press curtain

Semi,
From this last photo you sent to me (email), looks like the pop-up may not be spring loaded on your back, so could be a drop-dn, hadnt noticed the fact that your photo shows the back upside down......very strange unconventional setup!
Bert

semihemi · Joined: 25 Oct 2003 Posts: 85 Location: Boston, MA

Finally got the hang of posting photos. Here are the two styles of backs. Bert was kind enough to send the photos of the pop-up back (yellow background). Incidentally it is just the same as the one on my 5x7 Speed. The door is spring loaded to stay up on its own. The other back opens down (hinge at bottom in other words) and just sort of flops open with the help of gravity. I must believe that the pop-up back is later since it clearly represents an improvement in terms of shading the ground glass. The latching system of the pop-up is mutch more sophisticated also. Thank you Bert for the photos!

Can some folks feed back to confirm they are seeing the files and that the light/dark is OK, etc?

Thanks
Semi

bertsaunders · Posted: Sat Apr 05, 2008 3:37 am Post subject: press curtain

Semi,
Nothing to hide with my photos....post away!
Bert

David A. Goldfarb · Joined: 03 Sep 2004 Posts: 142 Location: New York City

The images look fine. I've got the flip-up back just like the one in Bert's photos.

camz · Joined: 15 Apr 2004 Posts: 138 Location: Southern CA

The images are great! The backs are exactly what I have, and have seen.

Your rivets look very different from the ones on my examples.

The rivets I see on my cameras are smaller, appear to be made
of copper or a copper/bronze mix, and have a slightly rounded
head.