Roller Blind Shutter Resurrection

Ealier this month I acquired a couple "Chambre de Voyage" travel cameras from H.Martin.

This was a 'constructeur' company in Paris that probably utilized furniture companies from the the Alsace region to build cameras during the off-season.

 

A 5x7" camera, with a Rapid Angulaire 100mm f/6 lens

 

A 9x12cm Tailboard camera, with an A.Bauz (or Banz?) lens

 

The cameras were both in good shape, requiring a minimal tightening of screws to bring them into spec.

But the shutters were both broken. Not really a surprise with 120 years old rubberized cloth shutter blinds.

Both shutters are based on the Thornton-Pickard Roller Blind Shutter design, probably built and improved under license (or blatent rip-offs).

 

One carries no markings (probably lost the transfer over time), but is basically a Single Curtain TP copy.

The other is a "Simple&Double" shutter manufactured by Mattioli of Rideaux and features a second curtain that is used to cap the shutter when it's being wound.

 

Both models offered shutter speeds between 1/15th and 1/90th of a second set by the roller spring tension.

 

Biggest problem was figuring out how long the replacement curtains needed to be.

 

Luckily for the unmarked shutter I found a blog with a repair. The author didn't write down any numbers but used a 5x5mm squared cutting mat that gave me a broad idea of the dimensions.

 

New curtains cut, I managed to save one of the curtain bamboo stays from the old one and I replaced the missing one with a strip of plasticard.

 

Installing the curtain was pretty straight forward, but I had no idea how to calibrate the shutter for the correct speeds.

 

Until I figured out how to test them by comparing the histograms against images taken with the digital cameras own shutter.

 

And the shutter in action:

 

The other shutter with the extra curtain proved to be somewhat more tricky.

But at least the remains of the curtains were all there to serve as a template for the new ones

 

The metal curtain stays were recycled from the old curtains

 

Installing the capping curtain first

 

It was slightly more tricky installing the main curtain this way, but it saved me from messing around with glue inside the shutter crate

 

And all back together.

 

And this shutter is also back in action, though not yet calibrated:

 

 

Right, time to fix some plate holders to test these baby's out!

Beautiful and interesting write up! Can't wait to see some results from these.

That's superb Rick, well done indeed. I'm particularly impressed with your hi-tech state of the art clamping system.

Thanks, Only the best tools for the job :D

 

I'm working on restoring a couple of plate holders for the 5x7" camera. Replacing the old bookbinding tape on the dark slides.

Unfortunately the holder that came with the other camera doesn't actually go with it. It doesn't fit in the slot over the film plane.

Excellent job. Great idea to use the histogram as a shutter speed calibrator!

Incredible! If only I had.the patience, perseverance and competence....Great write up and photographs. Thanks, Rick.

Luckily these have much looser tolerances than, say, a Leica curtain shutter.

 

I'll share the (crude) measurements based on the remaining bits of curtain and a wind-up test on the Mattioli shutter for anyone who wants to do this repair themselves.

 

 

If I was to change anything now, I would make the slit on the main shutter curtain 0.5cm bigger towards the take-up roller.

Currently on the "Time" setting the closing edge of the slit is just inside the aperture circle.

Many of these shutters were cocked or 'wound up' by using a pull cord.

 

I found that the quality and flexibility of this cord was critical to the working of the shutter. I first tried a grade of cord meant for control pulleys in old radio tuners and the like - supposedly hard-wearing stuff. That lasted about 6 operations before snapping!

 

High tensile fishing line lasted a bit longer, but the best option I've yet found is a nylon spanish guitar string.

Thanks so much.

Wonderful to see this kind of write-up. It's like the old days returning.

Many of these shutters were cocked or 'wound up' by using a pull cord.

 

I found that the quality and flexibility of this cord was critical to the working of the shutter. I first tried a grade of cord meant for control pulleys in old radio tuners and the like - supposedly hard-wearing stuff. That lasted about 6 operations before snapping!

 

High tensile fishing line lasted a bit longer, but the best option I've yet found is a nylon spanish guitar string.

 

These two French copies luckily don't have the pull cord like the Thornton-Picard ones have. You set the shutter by winding the wingnut like gear at the top.

 

From the photos I've seen of the old cords, I guess they're, what we call, bricklaying rope. I imagine if you take a stronger/stiffer type of cord it will cause some resistance in the running down of the mechanism.

Wow ..in awe of your skill in assessing and then repairing these shutters.

what a write up and undertaking, great info/,

You set the shutter by winding the wingnut like gear at the top.

Yes. I noted the absence of a pull cord.

I might look into the possibility of adding a less fragile and friction-dependant winding mechanism to mine.

 

I wanted to retain its authenticity, but if it means it can't be used, that's pointless.