Rail misalignment on Kodak Specialist 2 camera

[lharby]

Hellllo

So I have been testing out my Kodak camera I bought a little while back. When trying to change the focus/bellows depth the notches on the rail seem to skip at some points, not exactly sure how this happens (except to say the kit is from the 1950's).

In the first image the dial on the lower left moves the front standard forwards or backwards. I am not sure what the dial on the opposite side is meant to do (lower right) unless it is just used to secure the overall position once set (like an on/off).

Once the alignment is out there is a little plate that runs alongside the length of the rail which also juts out (I've highlighted that in the second file). I am assuming that would normally help to keep the whole mechanism aligned but maybe it only works if the standard is being pulled in the other direction, if that makes sense.

Anyone have any tips for this, should I be tightening or loosening something? Any help greatly appreciated.

 

[Paul Kay]

Whilst I'm not familiar with your specific camera model, any camera on which the gear drive is jumping is most likely exhibiting either signs of wear (this could be in the gears which mesh with the tracks (which you probably can't see with the camera assembled) or the tracks themselves, although these do look ok from the photos), or needs adjustment because the gears are not meshing correctly with the track and are too loose and so the front is 'jumping' a gear tooth every so often and misaligning as a result. You will need to examine and research the camera to find out whether this is a known issue and what the remedy is, or strip it down to figure the mechanisms out if you can't find anything helpful. These mechanisms are quite simple and you can look at components with a magnifier to see if the gears and track show wear or even broken teeth. If not then see if anything looks as though it can be adjusted to shift the gears relative to the track to tighten or slacken them.

FWIW my guess is that one control drives the front section backwards and forwards whilst the other is a lock. Trying to move the front section with the lock applied or too tight won't help and may loosen things off over years of use.

 

[David M]

Usually the knob on the opposite side is used to lock the standard in place after focusing. It should only be tightened for this.
It sounds as though your pension-age camera is suffering from simple wear and tear. The racks might have accumulated some dirt or corrosion that is forcing out the pinion. A screw may be loose and doing the same. A tooth may be damaged on the pinion, or it may have been shifted sideways so that it no longer engages properly. You may need to remove the standards for a bit of general TLC. If you remove any parts, look after them carefully as replacements may be harder to find than in 1950.

 

[Reginald S.]

The rods with teeth and the gearwheels teeth both seem to be tight?
The teeth from wheel and rods must grip perfectly, no damages of the teeth nor visible space between wheels and rods are allowed.

Then I would have a look over the "starting point" for moving the front standard forward.
If both gearwheels start/grab simultanly (transporting the front standard in an aligned manner) I would love to know if both gearwheels are perfectly fitted on the rods which sometimes is not given from age of the camera.
Sometimes the connection is soldered, sometimes fitted with a screw, or alternatively with a tiny bolt.

To me it also would be of interest if it may possible to "re-align" the disaligned frontstandard by using my hands only, which also could lead to a visible mistake within the system.

 

[Alan Clark]

I've got the same camera, I think. Mine is a Kodak Specialist, model 2. And it has the same fault. The large knob on one side of the front standard is for moving the front back and forth, as you say. The smaller knob on the other side is to lock the front in place. I find that if this knob is slackened off too much, the gear on one side can jump when you turn the large knob. This throws the front slightly out of square. To get it back, try turning the large knob (with the locking knob very slack) until the front is fully extended. Then try turning it a bit more. It my jump back in line. If not, try fully retracting the front -with the locking knob very slack. When fully retracted, both sides of the front standard should butt up against the rear. If only one side touches, try pulling the other side back by squeezing the front and back together so the gap is the same on both sides. You may need to fiddle about a bit but once you have everything square, tighten the locking knob until it is almost but not quite locking the pinion. Then keep it like that, i.e just slack enough to allow you to move the front with the large knob, but not too slack.
This works for me. I hope it does for you too.

 

[Ian Grant]

The bit you highlight is to keep the Front standard stable,.

You need to take the rear standard off the rail, then loosen the front standard and ease it back and off then re-align it.

Ian

 

[Pete Spencer]

I don't have the problem as described but my Specialist 2 does have an annoying behaviour when I move the front standard, the locking screw tightens up so I have to make sure that it is slack until focus is achieved and I can use it to lock the setting.

When I got the camera I cleaned the rack and pinions with a toothbrush and lubricated them with machine wax, the adjustment is quite precise but, still, quite stiff. I had to replace some missing screws but, overall, the camera and accessories work well. I have the police set with a back for quarter plate, but I doubt I will use it, firstly considering the the cost of quarter plate film, secondly, I don't have a tank to develop quarter plate, thirdly, might as well go full frame!

I would surmise that the problem might be that the front standard's gears are not connecting because the front standard might not be properly aligned, parralel to the back:

Then I would have a look over the "starting point" for moving the front standard forward.
If both gearwheels start/grab simultanly (transporting the front standard in an aligned manner) I would love to know if both gearwheels are perfectly fitted on the rods which sometimes is not given from age of the camera.
Sometimes the connection is soldered, sometimes fitted with a screw, or alternatively with a tiny bolt.

 

[David M]

That problem with the locking screw seems to be a common one with many cameras of this design. Gandolfi solved the problem by having the locking screw on a different axis, although at first glance it looks the same. I wonder why no-one has followed them.
To re-align the front standard, it needs to be removed completely, any necessary repair work carried out and then re-offered up to the camera body. This can take several attempts, until the exact alignment is found.
When the standards are removed it’s a good opportunity to examine the bellows.