Need advice on an enlarger

[Doug]

I am definately interested in a Variable Contrast or color head enlarger, but am also looking for something that can be used to project against a wall for large prints. I read somewhere that some enlargers swing out to do this. Do any of the Beseler 23 C's have this function?

I believe it does, but I've never tried that. You'd have to have a nice plane solid wall at a handy distance, and a way to hang the enlarging paper in a repeatable location. I don't know that I'd want to be sliding the enlarger closer/further from the wall without some aid to alignment.

I think I'd be more inclined to remove the enlarger's baseboard and bolt it to either a table or wall bracket so that the table top can drop away to support the easel at positions closer to the floor.

In either case, the longer the extension, the more bothersome vibration will be. One way around this is to choose a relatively wide-field enlarging lens. For instance, my EL-Nikkor 80mm covers 6x7 and allows for sizable enlargements with the stock arrangement. I've never had the easel and trays to do larger than 11x14, so I clearly haven't strained the limits!

 

[Wayne R. Scott]

Yes, the Beseler 23C's do allow for horizontal projection. But just as Doug suggested remounting the frame allows for more vertical height. I have reversed one of my 23C's on the base board and then screwed the base board to the counter top. This allows the enlarger to project an image on the floor. I have done up to 16x20 this way.

I used a single tray for the 16x20 development. I just poured the developer into the tray onto the paper. Then after the alloted time in the developer, I poured off the developer, then added my stop bath (water) then poured it off, added fixer and after the allotted time I poured fixer off. I think the tray I use was used in a commercial bakery for making bread dough. $2 at our local commercial outfitters, they sell used office and restraunt equipment.

This may be more than you wanted to know.

Wayne

 

[ddimaria]

Great tips, thanks!!!!