A Resurrected Kodak Graphic No.0

<p>On New Year's Eve I bought the Kodak Graphic No.0 from someone I knew through FaceBook's Vintage Camera Collectors Group. I had only just discovered this type of camera and simply wanted one for my collection. The seller did say it wasn't working and that his service guy wouldn't touch it. And so he was letting it go cheap.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.flibweb.nl/flibweb/cpg143/albums/userpics/10001/Graphic0%7E0.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="597" /><br>

<br />The Graphic No0, was made by Folmer & Schwing when they were just a sub-division of the Eastman Kodak Company. The Graphic No.0 was introduced in 1909 and produced well into the 1920s. <br />Using a fixed-focus f/6.3 Zeiss Kodak Anastigmat lens and a horizontally-placed type of curtain shutter that Graflex was famous for with a speed up to a whooping 1/500th of a second. <br /><br />When it arrived at my door a few weeks later, I found the camera was indeed broken. The curtain straps had been repaired and rebroken. The curtain stays were bent out of shape from people trying to force the curtain to wind. And, worst of all. the spring in the curtain roller drum was broken. That was my biggest fear as I had no idea if I could actually repair that. <br />So with nothing to loose, I set about taking it apart.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.flibweb.nl/flibweb/cpg143/albums/userpics/10001/Graphic0-01strip.jpg" alt="" width="799" height="448" /><br>

With the Film Guide removed from the film plane. YOu can see someone used cloth tape to fix the strap. The tape had hardened over time and became inflexible, probably adding to the problem.<br /><br /><br>

<img src="http://www.flibweb.nl/flibweb/cpg143/albums/userpics/10001/Graphic0-02strip.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="449" /><br>

Front cover removed, showing a rather crude cut wooden body.</p>

<p><img src="http://www.flibweb.nl/flibweb/cpg143/albums/userpics/10001/Graphic0-03strip.jpg" alt="" width="449" height="800" /><br>

After removing the curtain, the shutter can be removed from body. Now for the hard part, finding a way to open up the roller drum and fix the spring (if it was at all possible). <br /><br /><img src="http://www.flibweb.nl/flibweb/cpg143/albums/userpics/10001/Graphic0-04drum.jpg" alt="" width="799" height="448" /><br>

It wasn't until after two days of hard thinking that I discovered that the drum had a screw-on lid at the top that I was able to fabricate a tool and opening it up. You can see where the spring has snapped and come loose from the spindle at the bottom. </p>

<p><img src="http://www.flibweb.nl/flibweb/cpg143/albums/userpics/10001/Graphic0-05curtains.jpg" alt="" width="799" height="448" /><br>

Luckily I had quite a bit of Aki-Asahi curtain material left over from the curtain replacement surgery I performed on a Houghton Butcher Popular Pressman a few months before. It came in handy for putching up the torn curtain straps.<br>

<img src="http://www.flibweb.nl/flibweb/cpg143/albums/userpics/10001/Graphic0-07curtains.jpg" alt="" width="449" height="800" /><br>

Another hurdle was figuring out how much initial spring tension I would need, I had to set it by winding the curtain around the drum a few times before attaching it to the take-up drum. Took a few attempts. I basically went for the minimal tension needed for a continuous moving curtain opening at a certain setting. On the lowest spring tension the curtain shouldn't move unless the 3rd slit in the curtain is wound past the film plane. After having shot a two rolls with it I now know I need to give it at least 1 or 2 extra turns. I wish I had a proper shutter speed tester. <br /><br />But the fun doesn't stop there.....<br /><img src="http://www.flibweb.nl/flibweb/cpg143/albums/userpics/10001/Graphic0-08spools.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="449" /><br>

The darn thing runs on Kodak No.0 film, which later became 121 Format film. Thankfully, 121 film has the same dimensions as 127 format film.....except that it's on a different spool and the numbers on the backing papers are different. <br />So I had to make some 121 spools by cutting up and shortening some 120 spools. <br />After testing I noticed you can just make out the edge of the correct frame numbers through the red windows. <br /><br /><br>

<img src="https://scontent.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/12662691_948215611893463_9071567595672898452_n.jpg?oh=df3970981730079699b40b0b2cc93c4c&oe=584473A7" alt="" width="799" height="531" /><br>

Dead sexy! <br /><br />So, time to run some film through it. I had some Rerapan 100 127 film that I respooled unto the DIY 121 films and took the camera out for a spin.<br /><br /><br>

Fortress town of Heusden<br /><img src="http://www.flibweb.nl/flibweb/cpg143/albums/userpics/10001/KG160101.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="532" /></p>

<p><img src="http://www.flibweb.nl/flibweb/cpg143/albums/userpics/10001/KG160104.jpg" alt="" width="532" height="800" /><br>

It certainly likes to scratch the negatives.<br>

<img src="http://www.flibweb.nl/flibweb/cpg143/albums/userpics/10001/KG160106.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="532" /><br />Clearly some curtain drag there.<br>

<br /><br />And two weeks back I took it with me to Bateman's loaded with some cut-up Fomapan 100<br>

<img src="http://www.historyinmotion.nl/m/photos/get_image/original/94ab6540e93985ff758d6ad3792729e3.jpg" alt="" /></p>

<p><img src="http://www.historyinmotion.nl/m/photos/get_image/original/c1f6f449b3675211d0a94497f03695cc.jpg" alt="" /><br>

Images were rather over-exposed, which makes me suspect I need to add more starting tension to the roller drum spring and possibly adjust the position of the curtain so it can get up to proper speed before a slit runs passed the film plane when making the exposure.<br /><br />Not a 100% happy with it yet, but at least it's worth twice as much now as what I paid for it.</p>

<p>Now <em>that's</em> a worthwhile undertaking...Congratulations on a fine restoration, <strong>Rick</strong>. It's a fascinating camera and, from the images, it looks as if your patience and inventiveness will be well rewarded. Thanks for sharing the project with the Forum.</p>

<p>WOW, major kudos for a stellar restorative effort.</p>

<p>Ole! Bravo!<br>

I am not easily impressed -- I've had dozens of cameras apart myself (although never got them together again)-- but this is truly wonderful. Thanks for sharing.</p>

<p>Astonishing that P.net CMC has become a center for Graphic Zero studies. :)</p>

<p>Count me among the impressed... great effort to restore a piece of history to working condition!</p>

<p>a difficult project; but you brought it back to life ... thanks for the post!</p>

Great job and nice photos (as usual). On a side note, at first I couldn't find that camera in my McKeown's price guide 12th edition. It wasn't under Kodak, Eastman or Folmer & Schwing, I finally found it listed under Graflex.

<p>I've looked at buying one of these at one time or another. Glad to see you are bringing one back to life. It's one of the more interesting little cameras.</p>

<p>Kent in SD</p>

<p>Graflex SLR's initial tension is 6 to 8 turns, Speed Graphics is 4 to 6 turns with 12 to 15 turns being the maximum.<br>

Graflex Focal Plane Shutter operating standards for Speeds and SLR's states that with the curtain at O and the tension on 1 the curtain shall close and lock with the camera in any position. Lock is the wind key will no longer turn opposite the wind arrow. With the tension set to its highest setting the curtain shall wind and lock (ready to release) at the smallest aperture.</p>

<p>Old weak tension springs can sometimes be brought back to life by coating them with light weight oil, wrapping in steel wool then wrapping in aluminum foil and baking in a 450°F oven for one hour and allowing to cool at room temperature.</p>

<p>For shutter speed testing see my posts: http://www.photo.net/large-format-photography-forum/0044cW?start=10<br>

After testing many shutters of various types this tester is accurate.</p>

<p>Nice repair job and documentation. Thanks for sharing.</p>

<p>Also impressed. Well done. Are those meant to be Tommies at Bateman's? It's a little difficult to see. Tin helmets don't quite look right?</p>

<p>Thanks for the replies all.<br /><br />Some great info there, <strong>Charles</strong>.<br />The shutter speed table on the Graphic No.0 is missing 3 entries, as you can see in the first photo of my original post; The two largest apertures for spring tension 1 and the largest aperture for spring tension 2. At these settings the curtain either does not run down completely or at a reliable speed when released. That is what I aimed for when setting the spring tension. <br /><br />Also, the curtain last's position is the "O" position by design. The camera uses the closing of the lens cover to stop the exposure of the "T" setting, which is done by releasing the shutter button. <br />At this point in time this is not an issue as one of the aperture stays for the "O" is broken and won't roll down with the film plane mask in place. Need to replace that anyway and that would be a good time to recalibrate the initial spring tension. <br /><br />I'll have a look at your topic on testing the speed.<br /><br /><strong>Robin</strong>, <br />yes, they're supposed to be 1916-period Tommies, some of them are wearing their hessian covers over their helmets. <br /><br />More photos from Bateman's taken with period cameras (and an ancient digital RF): <br /><a href="http://www.historyinmotion.nl/m/photos/browse/album/Bateman-s-WW1-Weekend-Augustus-2016/page=1&per_page=100">History In Motion</a></p>

<p>Aperture stays are .007 inch thick copper. They can be bonded to the curtain with contact cement if broken.</p>

<p>The curtain roller bushings and roller shafts wear unevenly. Normal play is around .0015 to .002 inch. Roller shafts on SLR's and Speeds is .137 inch. I have added brass shim stock, .002 inch, to bushings to take up the extra play. The ideal solution would be to true the bushings and shafts on a lathe and press in an insert.</p>

<p>I serviced a Super D that had little to no wear that I checked the bushings clearance with a digital caliper. It is the only Graflex SLR to test marked shutter speeds with the tester. Most Graflex SLR's come back to life with 4 speeds, one for each aperture that vary slightly with changes in the spring tension setting.</p>

<p>Graphitted grease was used in the bushings.</p>

<p>I too join the others in saying Bravo <strong><em>Rick</em></strong>!<br>

And look at the imaging capable in a 'small format' early 1900's camera...</p>

<p>Very fine results, Rick from this resurrected camera. Nice job with the film respooling too- I'll bet it's not often that 127 film gets transferred to another kind of spool. Isn't Rerapan the same as Fuji Acros 100?<br>

Thanks for posting.</p>

Wow very impressed. How did you fix the broken spring btw? You have certainbly impressed me over the years of your

prowess through fearless and succesful repairs.

<p>The spring had snapped at one of the very ends. Which was good news as only about a half an inch was gone. It was a matter of feeding the end through the opening and bending a new hook to keep it in place.<br />If it had snapped somewhere halfway that would've been much harder to fix or source a replacement for.</p>