Kalart / Graflex Rangefinder Mirror and Beam Splitter Repair

Ed Romney

[Kalart Rangefinder, with cover removed]Here is a hint: Rangefinders on Graphics, either Kalart or Graflex are not hard to repair. Edmunds, phone 1-800-728-6999, Fax 609-547-3292 sells  50% beam splitter glass, Stock No.  Y43,359. It currently costs $15.50 per 50 x 50mm square. This is enough to fix a lot of rangefinders. They also sell 51x51mm first surface mirrors ideal for the stationary mirror if your RF has one. Order Stock # Y52.324 for $4.75 for a 50mm square that will last you a long time.

To cut the mirrors out, you scribe a line with a carbide scribe, and break quickly, like breaking a Graham cracker in two. It may help to have one side of the glass in a vise.You may have to break the old mirrors out of their frames to get them free. Then cement in the new one, or ones, and realign the RF. You should not have to do this for different distances. Just align the two images at infinity and the RF should be accurate at nearer distances.

You open the rangefinder in one of the following ways, depending on its make:

The improvement in any rangefinder is astonishing when you replace bad mirrors and beam splitters. Be sure to clean the windows carefully too.
 
Ed Romney
 

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