Berkey Ascor Vacuum Printer

[macclad]

Hey

I have been offered a 28"x24" berkey ascor vacuum printer the same as in this listing:

http://cgi.ebay.com/INDUSTRIAL-BERK...071?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2ea7717477

has anyone used one of these for alternative printing?

I generally make platinum toned kallitype prints. I already have a hand built uv box but i only have a 10x8 contact frame and i need a vacuum frame so i was considering swapping my exposure unit for one of these.

my main concern is the vacuum frame. i'm not sure if it is going to be suitable to hold my negative flat.

if anyone has any information on these units or any experience please let me know.

thanks

 

[Mike Wilde]

I have not personally used this commercial unit, but it is similar to something I do. I use old (like 30 year old) FB paper from time to time. Getting DW paper that old flat on the easel to print is tough, even with a vaccuum easel. So I lay glass over the paper, and then let the vac easel pull down the glass, with the paper under it.

I have a separate UV box I use to feed split back frames into when I do Alt work. I can not see any differnce if I put my vacuum easel in the UV box. This is I beleive the essence of this commercial unit you are looking at buying.

I think

 

[Nicholas Lindan]

This is a vacuum frame, not a vacuum easel. Vacuum is drawn between a rubber blanket and the glass. The negative is clamped to the paper with 15 lbs/square inch of atmospheric pressure. For a 28x24" frame that amounts to around 5 tons of clamping force. It will keep most negatives flat -- with the exception of Efke roll film, of course.

 

[macclad]

thanks for the info so far guys. has anyone used one of these units?

i'm also wondering if the lamps will be suitable for alt printing.

thanks

matt

 

[Keith Taylor]

thanks for the info so far guys. has anyone used one of these units?

i'm also wondering if the lamps will be suitable for alt printing.

thanks

matt

Hi Matt,

We had one of those units 12-15 years ago for making platinum prints. It worked well and the exposures were fast. When we started making bigger prints we traded up to a bigger frame and exposure unit.

Keith.

 

[jag2x]

Hi,

If anyone has the schematics of this vacuum printer please contact myself. I have the same unit, but the capacitor is no longer working in it, there are no marking on it to replace it. So hopefully someone out there has this schematics of this unit.
Thanks
Jacek