Graflex.org Forum Index Graflex.org
Get help with your Graflex questions here
 
 FAQFAQ   SearchSearch   MemberlistMemberlist   UsergroupsUsergroups   RegisterRegister 
 ProfileProfile   Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages   Log inLog in 

Speed Graphic Kalart rangefinder arm

 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Graflex.org Forum Index -> Speed Graphic Help
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
Jim C.



Joined: 18 Feb 2011
Posts: 89

PostPosted: Wed Jan 14, 2015 6:36 pm    Post subject: Speed Graphic Kalart rangefinder arm Reply with quote

I'm kind of stumped as to why the Kalart Rangefinder arm on my Speed isn't contacting the bracket assembly on the focusing yoke properly, partly my fault for not paying attention when taking the arm off, did the bracket assembly that the arm contacts on the yoke come in different sizes ?
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
William Hallett



Joined: 07 Jan 2012
Posts: 93

PostPosted: Fri Jan 16, 2015 4:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The angular location of the arm on the rangefinder shaft is critical to the accurate functioning of the rangefinder. It takes some trial and error to get it positioned correctly. It's a fiddly job, and you normally try not to remove the arm if you can. Correct positioning means that the rangefinder focusses on infinity when the focussing track is in the infinity position as defined by the focussing scale. The rangefinder arm position is the coarse adjustment for this; for fine adjustment the bracket on the bed has an eccentric which can be turned with a large screwdriver.
_________________
WilliamH
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Dan Fromm



Joined: 14 May 2001
Posts: 2120
Location: New Jersey

PostPosted: Sat Jan 17, 2015 2:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

William, focusing scales can be moved. And they are lens specific.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
William Hallett



Joined: 07 Jan 2012
Posts: 93

PostPosted: Sat Jan 17, 2015 7:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

That's true - you can adjust the position of the focussing scale as well. But the rangefinder arm still needs to be in approximately the correct angular position. If it is too far one way, then the rangefinder will not go to infinity when the track is moved all the way back into the body; if it is too far the other way, the rangefinder reaches the limit of its travel and won't let the arm come out far enough to engage the bracket on the focussing track (which appears to be Jim C.'s problem). Unfortunately, the bracket location is not adjustable.
_________________
WilliamH
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
45PSS



Joined: 28 Sep 2001
Posts: 4081
Location: Mid Peninsula, Ca.

PostPosted: Sat Jan 17, 2015 9:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm still confused to what Jim is asking. Is the arm too short? Is the arm contacting the yoke guide incorrectly? Something else?
If its arm mounting then the actuating arm should be 1/8 inch from the end of the actuating shaft. The end of the shaft has flats on many Kalarts. Make a tool from .030-.050 thick metal stock approximately 3/8 to 1/2 inch wide x 3 inch long. At one end cut a slot .085 inch wide x .2 inch long at a 45° angle in the end of the strip of metal.
With the yoke at the infinity position, be it fully retracted or .040 inch forward of fully retracted, lock the yoke position and retract the front standard fully. Pull the arm up to the bed guide with the arm in the slot of the eccentric and parallel to the body side and secure to the yoke guide with a twist tie or piece of fine wire. Now using the tool or a pair of 4 inch needle nose vise grips set to just firmly grip the rangefinder shaft without marring or slipping turn the shaft towards the camera back until you reach the end of travel then tighten the 3/32 arm set screw.
Now check rangefinder infinity without moving the yoke or eccentric.
Repeat the procedure raising the shaft position 6° (1 minute on a clock face) until infinity is near perfect to perfect. Remove the tie from the eccentric and arm. Adjust the eccentric as needed for coincidence at infinity.
_________________
The best camera ever made is the one that YOU enjoy using and produces the image quality that satifies YOU.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
Jim C.



Joined: 18 Feb 2011
Posts: 89

PostPosted: Mon Jan 19, 2015 11:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for all the replies and sorry for the confusion, the Pacemaker I have is new to me
and my only point of reference is my Anniversary Graphic, so when I took the Pacemaker apart
to CLA / repair I did not take note of how far the range finder arm travels, and where it rests
inside the camera body, I assumed that it was like the Anniversary Graphic. Which it is not

In comparing it to my Anniversary Graphic the Pacemaker arm did not clear the bed brace
which the Anniversary arm does, if the focusing yoke is racked out all the way the range finder arm
protrudes from the Anniversary body, the Pacemaker was stopping behind the bed brace and not
travel past the brace which I assumed that it was supposed to do.
Setting the arm to where it did travel past the bed brace ( like the Anniv. ) is where I got into trouble,
the bends on the end of the arm did not line up with the infinity adjust cam. Which had me
thinking that the bracket was wrong ( the Pacemaker I got has a dubious lineage ) measuring the
Anniv's bracket width sort of confirmed it. Which led me to asking my question here.
Anyway ...
Bottom line is that the Anniv's and Pacemakers had different RF arm travels and placement,
the Pacemaker's arm is supposed "hug" the inside of the camera body and come to rest
at the back of the bed brace when the yoke is racked all the way out.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Graflex.org Forum Index -> Speed Graphic Help All times are GMT
Page 1 of 1

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum


Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group