Vacuum wall in darkroom advice

[ScandiPhoto]

Hi.
I was offered a vacuum wall (KLIMSCH vacuum wall 160x200cm). It's a bit of a dream for me to have one. Does anyone have experience with the construction of these walls. I assume it is a grid of 1-2 mm holes in metal sheet on top of a box, divided in several channels to even out the suction?

Ive worked with one, but didn't pay much attention how it worked.

Is it complicated to construct one? I really can't find any online sources for these walls. It does not sound super complicated, but maybe I am underestimating it a bit?

thanks.

 

[Carnie Bob]

That is a big system, to reproduce is possible but you would need to have a few good skills . I have worked with vacuum walls and tables for years, they are
great for multiple registration work , for using on a wall for silver printing you need a very good pump system to hold the paper. These walls were designed
for split panel work in large mural houses, I worked at Jones & Morris Murals in Toronto and we had these types of walls

If you can get it for a good price buy it rather than try to reproduce it is what I would say.

 

[ScandiPhoto]

Thanks for the input. I find the price good, but it's a bit of a drive to get it.

Smaller ones for the horizontal enlargers, they would be simpler to make DIY I guess. Any input on those? Ive seen some, but they often dont work anymore.

 

[mpirie]

I find the price good, but it's a bit of a drive to get it.

I think as time goes by, this is one of the costs analogue photographers have to bear in acquiring rarer and rarer equipment.

I recently undertook an 800 mile/18hr trip to purchase a specific enlarger.

If you want it and can afford it, then you may not get another opportunity!

Mike

 

[DREW WILEY]

Many people make mistakes with DIY vac easels - too many holes and in the wrong pattern, holes too big in diameter (like improvised pegboard), or too high a vacuum draw. Your vac pump should be rotary (not peristaltic) and have a bleeder valve or some other mechanism allowing reduction of the pull pressure.

Any logical design is going to be sandwich-style, with a thin air cavity between the perforated front and the rigid back. Therefore a system of partial struts needs to be inside the air cavity to prevent the vac from flexing the front.
Can't go into too many details here. While entirely doable by anyone with good shop skills, it might take more than one try to get it right. So if you have access to one already made and proven to work, it makes a lot more sense to start there, and not pass it up.