baseboard problem

David Lyga · Jan 28, 2018

I have an old Bogen enlarger with a pressed wood chip baseboard that is starting to flake badly. I was thinking of wrapping it carefully in duct tape strips so that it would remain intact. There used to be sold sticky cupboard plastic sheeting that is sticky on one side only, but that was when we had 5 and dime stores way back. Any suggestions? - David Lyga

AgX · Jan 28, 2018

Hotmelt formica liners are available at DIY stores. At least over here. You get them in over-width on the roll, fix them by hot ironing them to the edges and then cut-off the surplus width.
Otherwise you could seal the chipping edges by painting them. But a liner would yield the smoothest surface.

tedr1 · Jan 28, 2018

One of those plastic films was called Fablon. Another, more rigid material, was called Formica.

If you have a saw and a drill, inexpensive pieces of 3/4in MDF board can be bought in 1x1ft and 2x2ft sizes at DIY stores Homedepot and Lowes, they may even be willing to cut a piece to size for you. This would make a new baseboard that will last (another) lifetime.

voceumana · Jan 28, 2018

Or just replace the entire baseboard. I was able to get a Saunders/LPL 670 for free but missing the baseboard and power supply. I bought the following for the baseboard: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0049FOQ0W/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The board is very substantial, about 1 inch thick, very nicely made. Just drill a hole/holes to mount your column. It is 2 ft. square so it might be larger than your Bogen's baseboard.

MattKing · Jan 28, 2018

voceumana said:
Or just replace the entire baseboard. I was able to get a Saunders/LPL 670 for free but missing the baseboard and power supply. I bought the following for the baseboard: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0049FOQ0W/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The board is very substantial, about 1 inch thick, very nicely made. Just drill a hole/holes to mount your column. It is 2 ft. square so it might be larger than your Bogen's baseboard.

The rectangular versions (24" x 30" or 24" x 42") might be even more useful.
Now of course you may prefer the appearance of Duct tape ....

darkroommike · Jan 28, 2018

I went to a store that fabricates plastic laminate kitchen counter tops and got a cut out for a stove insert, I actually was given about ten for free since the foreman didn't have anymore room in the dumpster, you could just drill holes and transfer all the hardware from your current baseboard to a new one.

mfagan · Jan 28, 2018

It seems that a benefit of replacing with a new flat surface instead of repairing (which might not be flat) might be more consistent alignment when moving the easel onto different areas of the baseboard.

M Carter · Jan 28, 2018

When I had a 67C Beseler, I dumped the baseboard and mounted the enlarger on sort of a plywood box - got it up high enough to do 16x20. I cut a large sheet of melamine board and used some 3/8" threaded set screws as "feet" so I could level it, and it sat on the worktable, worked really quite well.

bdial · Jan 28, 2018

Much depends on the cause, if it's from excessive exposure to moisture, replacing with one made from plywood is probably the best solution.
However, especially if it's coming apart just from age, and tthe flaking isn't extensive, you could likely stabilize the bad area with some thin cyanoacrylate glue (aka "Super glue"), but you don't want the thickened stuff sold as "Super Glue", so get it from the sort of hobby store that sells model airplanes and such.
Brushing on some thinned shellac might be another possibility, it would need several coats.

Sirius Glass · Jan 28, 2018

voceumana said:
Or just replace the entire baseboard. I was able to get a Saunders/LPL 670 for free but missing the baseboard and power supply. I bought the following for the baseboard: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0049FOQ0W/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The board is very substantial, about 1 inch thick, very nicely made. Just drill a hole/holes to mount your column. It is 2 ft. square so it might be larger than your Bogen's baseboard.

OR remove the baseboard and have someone make one for you.

Jim Jones · Jan 28, 2018

tedr1 said:
One of those plastic films was called Fablon. Another, more rigid material, was called Formica.

If you have a saw and a drill, inexpensive pieces of 3/4in MDF board can be bought in 1x1ft and 2x2ft sizes at DIY stores Homedepot and Lowes, they may even be willing to cut a piece to size for you. This would make a new baseboard that will last (another) lifetime.

3/4" plywood may be less prone to warping than MDF.

Truzi · Jan 28, 2018

Considering where you live, I imagine people discard decent furniture, counter tops, shelving, etc. not infrequently. Unless you are intent on keeping the original base, a frugal option would be to find a discarded shelf, end table top, etc. and re-purpose it. You could even use it to smack those pesky cyclists as you walk home

jim10219 · Jan 28, 2018

Make a new baseboard or have someone else do it for you. Messing with this one will likely take just as much time and money, and still not leave you with a reliable baseboard long term.

I just repaired an old contact printing frame (which had sentimental value or else I would have just replaced it) that had a particle board bottom. I wanted to keep it as original as possible, but I knew the degrading particle board would be more work and less reliable than a plywood replacement. So rather than repair it now and repair it again in a few years, I made a new bottom and stained it to match. Not only does it work better, but it looks nicer.

CMoore · Jan 28, 2018

darkroommike said:
I went to a store that fabricates plastic laminate kitchen counter tops and got a cut out for a stove insert, I actually was given about ten for free since the foreman didn't have anymore room in the dumpster, you could just drill holes and transfer all the hardware from your current baseboard to a new one.

jim10219 said:
Make a new baseboard or have someone else do it for you. Messing with this one will likely take just as much time and money, and still not leave you with a reliable baseboard long term.

I just repaired an old contact printing frame (which had sentimental value or else I would have just replaced it) that had a particle board bottom. I wanted to keep it as original as possible, but I knew the degrading particle board would be more work and less reliable than a plywood replacement. So rather than repair it now and repair it again in a few years, I made a new bottom and stained it to match. Not only does it work better, but it looks nicer.

I would follow the lead of these two posts.....if it were me.

mpirie · Jan 29, 2018

....or ignore the baseboard and fabricate a wall mount?

tedr1 · Jan 29, 2018

Jim Jones said:
3/4" plywood may be less prone to warping than MDF.

My experience with both these materials is otherwise. By the way MDF means to me the material made of very fine sawdust and resin, quite different from "chipboard" made from much larger particles and weaker. The reason I prefer MDF is because it is a homogenous material that has little internal stress and is ground flat and square. Whereas plywood is a laminate of natural timber veneers which retain stresses from processing and drying and are often not flat and square, or, if they begin life so do not stay that way. Both materials are vulnerable to moisture, MDF more so than plywood, in humid conditions both perform best with the addition of a protective sealing layer such as laquer or varnish.

AgX · Jan 29, 2018

I assume the baseboard of my Agfa Varioscop is not even made from common plywood, but rod-plywood.
That is a array of massive wood-rods laminated between plywood covers.

paul ron · Jan 30, 2018

David Lyga said:
I have an old Bogen enlarger with a pressed wood chip baseboard that is starting to flake badly. I was thinking of wrapping it carefully in duct tape strips so that it would remain intact. There used to be sold sticky cupboard plastic sheeting that is sticky on one side only, but that was when we had 5 and dime stores way back. Any suggestions? - David Lyga

i have a brother in law from brooklyn that covers almost everything in sanitest... a self stick plastic sheeting. but for your situation id make a new baseboard from MDO. home depot carries it. another material is melamene. its a finished plastic coated particle board... also available from home depot.

MDO holds screws better and is waterproof.

MDO.... link
http://theplywood.com/mdo-hdo

MDF.... Medium density fiber board.... not the same as MDO...

AgX · Jan 30, 2018

paul ron said:
i have a brother in law from brooklyn that covers almost everything in sanitest... a self stick plastic sheeting. but for your situation id make a new baseboard from MDO. home depot carries it. another material is melamene. its a finished plastic coated particle board... also available from home depot.

I never heard of MDO or HDO. But designations are different over here. MDF is even a rather new term here.

Melamine is actually the term used for cover layers that have got a melamine resin as binder. Another term is Formica.

paul ron · Jan 30, 2018

formica is a brand name thin laminent that gets glued to plywood.
http://www.formica.com/en/us/products/formica-laminate-home#swatchesTab
its only 1/16" thick.

melamene is a paper finished coating on flake board. generally, its a cheap flake board solution that looks great but not for long term use, it will swell if it gets wet, breaks easily and doesnt hold screws well. ikea uses alot of this stuff with special peg in hole lock joints.

mshchem · Jan 30, 2018

David Lyga said:
I have an old Bogen enlarger with a pressed wood chip baseboard that is starting to flake badly. I was thinking of wrapping it carefully in duct tape strips so that it would remain intact. There used to be sold sticky cupboard plastic sheeting that is sticky on one side only, but that was when we had 5 and dime stores way back. Any suggestions? - David Lyga

David, I remember "Contact Paper Woodgrain Material" it was cheap in the good old days, now it would probably cost an arm and a leg. Elmer's Glue All white glue is a good wood glue. The duct tape idea makes sense to me. It's fast and cheap. If you can find a friend that is good with cutting wood panels that would be ideal.
I've noticed that a lot of great printers and photographers make great pictures with home made equipment.
Best Regards, Mike

MattKing · Jan 30, 2018

I truly believe that David has been quieter on this thread than any other he has started here.
He must be having trouble getting to the Library.
Hope the thread has been helpful David, and that you are okay.

David Lyga · Jan 31, 2018

MattKing said:
I truly believe that David has been quieter on this thread than any other he has started here.
He must be having trouble getting to the Library.
Hope the thread has been helpful David, and that you are okay.

OK folks, I was remiss. I was busy with other matters ... but now I am here to thank all (and I really mean it). Not wanting to spend much money for a rather trivial matter, I think that I will employ half a roll of duct tape, carefully applied. But I did remember when five and dime stores abounded, each store had a section where 'one side sticky' shelving material was always available. I guess nowadays people simply buy new stuff rather than fix the old. Another alternative is a new baseboard. That is not as hard as it seems, as I do have a drill and could easily put holes in the proper place.

But, what is especially revealing to me is this: Bogen was a very solid name back in the 60s and 70s. To make a baseboard out of this pressed material is rather troubling to me. I currently use a Meopta Axomat 5, made in a former Communist country (Czechoslovakia) and its baseboard is made of the best wood I ever saw or felt. The enlarger's build quality is superb and I have been using it since the late 80s. But I wanted to make the Bogen fully intact so that was the reason for my query. The formica approach would not really be suitable, as the flaking is coming primarily from the sides. Duct tape will completely seal this malady.

One finds out a lot of information with posting items such as this. The practicality of working with wood seems to be a craft well worth the effort. I wished to expend neither the time nor money in doing this 'right', so I think that what I have proposed will work out fine, with the future possibility of changing the actual baseboard. Again, thank you all for your collective input. - David Lyga

bdial · Jan 31, 2018

Duct tape will hide the problem, but not really do anything towards resolving it, IMHO, FWIW.

As for press board for an enlarger base, it's not really a terrible material choice, it's heavy, which is good, and resistant to vibration, which is also good. Bogan made some fine products, but, as I recall, their enlargers were oriented to the amateur market, and getting to an attractive price point was (is) important for that market. So a material that is inexpensive, but has good functional attributes would be important.

AgX · Jan 31, 2018

David Lyga said:
Not wanting to spend much money for a rather trivial matter, I think that I will employ half a roll of duct tape, carefully applied.

Hotmelt edge liner costs over here less than 5€ per 5m roll.

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