Removing the Rear Element on a Caltar HR 90mm f8 (Geronar WA)?

[ltbphoto]

On a bit of an impulse I picked up a Caltar HR 90mm f8 (which is a rebadged Rodenstock Geronar WA) from eBay hoping to get a lens that would be a little more friendly to work with on my Super Graphic than my current Super Angulon - I figured if I didn't care for the lens I'd at least end up with a functioning spare Copal 1. It's a odd little lens - it's in a Copal 1 but the rear element flares out to the diameter of a Copal 3 board - so that's going to take some consideration to make work but not the end of the world. What I'm currently trying to figure out is how the rear element is supposed to come off. It seems to be quite stuck in the shutter - no amount of torquing by hand has freed it up. Before I go destroying something trying to get it off, is there a known trick other than brute force to get this thing unstuck?

Cheers,

Lee

[djdister]

Have you tried a lens spanner wrench in those two slots and unscrewed the retaining ring to remove the real element?

[ltbphoto]

Have you tried a lens spanner wrench in those two slots and unscrewed the retaining ring to remove the real element?

Yes I did, unfortunately no luck. The outer slots hold the lens retainer (which is loose), the inner ones seem to hold the rear glass element into the rear element assembly but are as frozen as the assembly is into the shutter as far as I can tell. It feels very much like a set screw is locking the rear into place but I can't find one.

[Jim Noel]

Go to an auto supply store and get a set of hose clamps. Using the one which most closely fits. Tighten it securely around the element, then tap on the adjusting screw. This has failed me only once in many years.