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waynec · Posted: Thu Oct 21, 2004 10:26 pm Post subject:

A friend asked me to reinsall a Kalart onto his Century Graphic that was taken off by another person. When I got to the last item, the kalart arm, I couldn't determine if the arm went in front or back of the eccentric adjustment. After looking at my Pacemaker it appears it goes in back. Now the question is, how do I determine it's correct positioning to set the screw and which way does it go on?

45PSS · Posted: Fri Oct 22, 2004 1:56 am Post subject:

Search=Kalart/all the terms= http://graflex.org/helpboard/viewtopic.php?topic=2454&forum=1

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[ This Message was edited by: 45PSS on 2004-10-21 18:57 ]

glennfromwy · Joined: 29 Nov 2001 Posts: 903 Location: S.W. Wyoming

First, you must have (or make) a little wrench to fit the flats on the shaft. You can make one from flat aluminum bar stock about 1/16 inch thick, 1/2 inch wide and 1 1/2 inches long. Saw a slot in one end to snugly fit the flats. Mount the rangefinder body. Adjust the actuator eccentric on the rails to about mid point of it's fwd/back offset. Next, with the arm loosely on the shaft, rack the rails all the way back. Then, with the arm held snug against the eccentric, take your little wrench and turn the shaft all the way rearward. Don't force it!! Holding the arm forward and the shaft back, tighten the set screw. It helps to have 13 fingers for that part. Next, look up the adjustment procedure on this site. Your infinity setting should be made with the focus scale at the infinty mark if you want to use the scale. If the lens does not match the scale, you can set infinity at the rearmost position. It's fiddly. Have patience and good luck.

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Glenn

"Wyoming - Where everybody is somebody else's weirdo"

Joe Koski · Joined: 09 Feb 2004 Posts: 39 Location: Southwest USA

A couple of things I learned while replacing the splitter mirror and mirror return spring in my Model F Kalart.

A very small crescent wrench (wrench handle length = approx. 4 inches or 100 mm) works well for positioning the rangefinder arm on my 4x5 Anniversary Speed Graphic.

A simple wire twist-tie used to close plastic bags can hold the rangefinder arm against the cam, replacing about three of the 13 fingers needed.

I had to file a special five-sided allen wrench to get the set screws loose on my 1940 model Speed. I replaced the set screws with standard six-sided set screws while doing the job.

waynec · Posted: Fri Oct 22, 2004 10:29 pm Post subject:

Glen I suspect that when you said, turn the shaft rearward, you meant counter clockwise.

glennfromwy · Joined: 29 Nov 2001 Posts: 903 Location: S.W. Wyoming

Yes, counter clockwise looking at the end of the shaft. Or, in the direction the arm travels when the rails move rearward.

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Glenn

"Wyoming - Where everybody is somebody else's weirdo"

RKnoppow · Joined: 15 May 2002 Posts: 14 Location: Los Angeles

I have to post a revised adjustment procedure.
To set the arm its necessary to be able to set the rangefinder to its limit of movement in the infinity direction. There are two ways of doing this depending on the age of the RF. Older RFs have a flattened section on the end of the actuating shaft. To turn it make a simple wrench from a bit of sheet metal like thick shim stock. File a slot in one edge of the side near one end. This should fit the flat and allow winding the shaft to its stop. Later RFs have a screw hole where a long screw can be threaded in to hold the internal crank in the infinity position. To get to this its necessary to remove the outer case. I don't remember the thread size of the hole, something odd like a #3. You can also stick a shaft into the hole, a jeweller's screwdriver will do.
To position the arm correctly first set the infinity adjustment cam on the camera bed to its maximum backward position. Then push the lens standard back into the camera box as far as it will go as though you were folding the camera. This is the maximum rearward travel possible. Set the end of the arm against the cam and keep it there with a rubber band. Now crank the rangefinder to its infinity stop and tighten the set screw in the shaft collar.
Now set the infinity adjuster on the camera bed to its center position (slot facing straight up and down).
If the RF was adjusted correctly to begin with it should now coinside with the ground glass focus. If its only slightly off adjust it with the bed adjustment. Then check at 15 feet and 4 feet and intermediate distances. If its OK you are finished. If its off the RF was probably not adjusted correctly in the first place. This step of setting the correct position of the arm is the first step of ajusting the rangefinder. If this is not done correctly it may be impossible to get the RF working right. I will not continue with the entire procedure here. I think better I type it out in detail and ask for it to replace my former procedure which is posted on this site. Adjusting side rangefinders is not difficult but can be tedious. Knowing the right starging point is extremely helpful.

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Richard Knoppow
Los Angeles, CA USA
dickburk@ix.netcom.com