Graflex.org

[DenisP]

I have a Kodak Ektar 127/4.7 in Supermatic (X) shutter. The shutter has a mind of its own - most of the times it fires at only one speed (about 1/100 or so), regardless of what I set it on.
I've disassembled it once, but could not see any obvious reason for the malfunction.
Commercial repairs are not readily available here, so I mostly do DIY repairs (when I can).

So, I'll probably have to handle this one myself.

Can anyone help with some shutter illustrations or perhaps even repair manuals (PDF or xerox copies) for this shutter?
Or any online link with illustrations?

TIA,

Denis

[troublemaker]

How far along did you get with your dissassembly?
As far as manuals someone else may be able to help you with that, but I can tell you that a manual will only do so much and expereince is got by doing and the manual will not explain how to put a shutter back together.
I can tell you that a tired worn out Supermatic can be made perhaps a littel better sometimes, but rarelty brought back to anything resembling one in very good condition. They tend to be very good, or very bad. I wouldn't set store by it and use it as a barrel lens with the FPS. If you want some photos and tips on proper tear down and reassembly of this shutter I can send you some info tips that may be helpful so let me know if you want to give it a try.

[ This Message was edited by: troublemaker on 2006-04-01 19:39 ]

[45PSS]

When you open it up, flush it out with degreaser and re assemble and try it again. Do not operate the shutter when open.

[DenisP]

Well, I managed to find something in the way of illustration(s) - a couple of Web pages I stored few years back... fished out from some backup CD...

In short, I don't think you'll ever see something as "DIY-ish" and downright horrible as my solution

But, for now, it works...

The problem was that it looks like a tiny spring got broken, which allowed one wheel to turn too far. So, I had to devise some way of preventing it to turn too far... In a fit of total madness, I made a stopper from a suitable thin metal piece I found in a small parts box I made an "arm" out of it, drilled a small hole in it, and fastened it in proper position using one of the screws that secures the gear train housing.

One day and several dozen clicks later, the shutter still works as it should.

While I was at it, I devised quite an ingenious (if I may say so) and utterly cheap flash cord/contact for modern electronic flashes - using a plastic power connector from a PC - like the one used for CD drives, hard disks, etc. - you know the one, white with four "holes" (contacts), that you plug into back of a hard disk or CD or DVD drive. Ordering an original bipost to modern PC sync cord from Paramount cords would just take too long, and wouldn't be exactly cheap, since I'm in Croatia...

If anyone's interested, I could post some pics on my Web site and provide a link...

Thanks,

Denis

[45PSS]

Congratulations on the guiene Graflex type solution to the problem. (if you don't have it, make it!).