Beseler 23c owners, can you help me with info about condenser and diffuser?

[Arkasha]

Upon examining my 23cii, I noticed that the diffuser and condenser are missing the little light seals. I'd like to replace them, so can you tell me:

a) what they're made of,

b) how high they are? I think they probably are high enough to seal against the roof of the slide area, but I want to be sure.


Thanks!

 

[zsas]

3mm high
143mm long
10mm wide

This is what I was able to measure in the below diffusion part, this what you are asking about?

The below shows you how I got 143 long

 

[zsas]

Btw they are foam, maybe a John Goodman seal kit would work?

Oh Ian...

 

[Arkasha]

Thanks, Andy - that's exactly what I was asking about.

I think I can use some self-adhesive velvet, or maybe a bit of foam and cut it down.

 

[zsas]

Glad to help. What is nice about your query, is it made me realize my foam has degraded, so looks like that makes two of us, re-sealing today. Thanks for the question, I never knew there was even foam there, let alone degraded foam on mine. best, a

 

[Chris Douglas]

Seals ? What seals?

I didn't know there were supposed to be seals, perhaps a former owner removed mine. Do I need them? Thanks.

Best regards,
Chris

 

[Mike Wilde]

When I had a 23C a few years ago, light was leaking out of the top bellows that slide along the condensor sleeve as it gets moved up and down between covering 6x6 and 35mm.

I made a kluge fix light trap up out of some velcro stiched to the end of a band of black velour. The band wrapped around the condensor cone, and the velcro did not come all the way to the ege of the band, so there was a kind of skirt that rode over the edge of the belows and blocked the light.

The velour came from a black kids church type dres bought at the thirft shop just for the right kind of fabric to cut to make my own 'skirt'. I guess someone when little had to go to grandma or grandpa's funeral when they were little, and this was the dress they wore.

 

[Arkasha]

Hi Chris,

I find that my 23cII leaks light, so I've started to work on sealing it up. The seals I was asking about are atop the diffuser (if you have one) or condenser lens apparatus. When the diffuser/condenser slides in on the rails, there's a small gap, and light can leak out. I fixed this issue with some spare self-adhesive Velcro. I took the fuzzy part and cut it into narrow strips, which I then affixed to the condenser/diffuser as zsas shows in his picture.

Next I cut some soft foam to fit into the hinged lid, and used a large rubber band to hold the lid against the enlarger head. No more leaks from there!

I will now have to seal up where the lightbulb goes in (no biggie, just more foam) and will make a skirt as Mike Wilde mentions, except that my last leak is where the negative carrier slides into the enlarger.