Kalart rangefinder repair

[Oren Grad]

Can anyone recommend a repair shop in the eastern US that's good with the Graphic Kalart rangefinder?

I do have the Kalart RF repair manual, but I've tried it myself in the past and my results could charitably be described as unfortunate. This time I'd rather send it to someone who knows what he's doing.

Thanks for any suggestions...

[David A. Goldfarb]

Ask at the Graflex.org forum, if you don't get an answer here.

[RSalles]

Oren,

I know this thread is incredible old, but, - as ask doesn't hurt - do you have a digital copy of this service manual?

Thanks,

Renato

[chris kleihege]

Renato,
I think I have a copy of what you need. It's a PDF so I think I need an email address to send it.
Chris

[Oren Grad]

Afraid I don't recall exactly what I had on hand at the time. If what you need is the manual for calibrating a Kalart, there's a so-so reproduction posted at Graflex.org...

http://graflex.org/speed-graphic/kalart-manual.html

...as well as a slightly different version, cleaner and in pdf format, at Mike Butkus' camera manual site:

http://www.cameramanuals.org/booklet...angefinder.pdf

[RSalles]

Renato,
I think I have a copy of what you need. It's a PDF so I think I need an email address to send it.
Chris

Thanks Chris, pm'ed you with my email address
Oren, thanks for the info, have taken that some days ago, thanks anyway,

Renato

[RichardRitter]

What's the problem?
One of the problems I see a lot is the coating of the beam splitter goes bad and make using and alining very hard. Plus a few others related camera age and a sometimes hard life.

[RSalles]

Richard,


No infinity alignment possible: not with after 15 ft and 4 ft aligned, the second image doesn't goes up enough to coincide. I have tried all the stuff published at graflex.org and everywhere at the net with no success until now.

There are probably a way to adjust in the inside of the rf at the mirror level, but I have a pre-anniversary Miniature Speed Graphic and its model is a bit different one - type F - then those published, more complicated to open to access the mirrors.

Cheers,

Renato

[Oren Grad]

No infinity alignment possible: not with after 15 ft and 4 ft aligned, the second image doesn't goes up enough to coincide.

Which lens are you trying to adjust for?

[Jac@stafford.net]

There are probably a way to adjust in the inside of the rf at the mirror level, but I have a pre-anniversary Miniature Speed Graphic and its model is a bit different one - type F - then those published, more complicated to open to access the mirrors.

With the top off, there is a 'j' shaped spring that tensions, ever so little, the bottom prism. Often it is whacked, missing or jumps off its proper position when the top is put back on. If that is not the case, then it can still be moved tighter left, or backwards, with a gentle squeeze of needle nose pliers at the base, as if the part were a hinge. If that does not move it back far enough, then there is likely corrosion keeping the prism from seating back. An application of vinegar will take care of that. Just don't strip the coating from the prism.
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