Beseler 45 question

[RSImages]

For those of you using a Beseler 45 enlarger, how often do you have the head all the way to the top of the chasis? I picked one up recently (total newbie to printing) and it has been sitting on my basement floor. I finally got a 135mm lens delivered today so I can now do 4x5 negatives giving me a bit of a push to get it up off the floor. So I'm trying to decide on a platform to sit the enlarger on. A 30" height will have the frame against the ceiling in my basement bathroom. Just trying to gauge how high I can go for most uses or alternatively what limitation I'm placing on printing if I never raise the head so that it sticks above the frame..

 

[jim10219]

It depends on how large of a print you're trying to make. With a 135mm lens, I wouldn't think you'd have it all the way up there that often, if ever. Not unless you're doing huge prints, in which case you can always expose them vertically.

Beseler makes an adjustable table so you can actually put your easel below the enlarger's normal base level to mimic a larger column without having to clear all of that headroom. And you can place the base at it's normal position for most enlargements so you don't have to stoop over so far all of the time. They're quite handy. They're also expensive new, but should be fairly reasonable used, if you can find one locally.

 

[RSImages]

Thanks for the quick reply. That's kind of what I thought. I don't plan to make huge prints so I assumed I would be ok, but thought I would ask. I've seen the base that they make on ebay and it is still pretty expensive if I remember correctly. Thanks again for the input.

 

[Konical]

Good Afternoon, RSI,
I use a Beseler MCRX (4 × 5) in my basement darkroom. The ceiling joists are about seven and one-half feet above the floor. The enlarger sits on a table surface twenty-nine inches above the floor. I have no problem with the head at maximum height; I'm using the standard condenser head.
Konical

 

[RSImages]

Awesome. Thanks.

 

[Mainecoonmaniac]

One trick is to build a bench for the enlarger that will allow you to remove the baseboard and enlarge below the enlarger to get a little bit more distance from the enlarger lens.

 

[Ian C]

Like this:

https://books.google.com/books?id=9tsDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA186&lpg=PA186&dq=drop+top+enlarging+table&source=bl&ots=tNi9V1RJo3&sig=MXaWtgN9rTbv0yEF-rNzUF0phNI&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjBvIH8jIvfAhVB9IMKHXANDwsQ6AEwDXoECAcQAQ#v=onepage&q=drop top enlarging table&f=false

 

[Mainecoonmaniac]

Like this:

https://books.google.com/books?id=9tsDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA186&lpg=PA186&dq=drop+top+enlarging+table&source=bl&ots=tNi9V1RJo3&sig=MXaWtgN9rTbv0yEF-rNzUF0phNI&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjBvIH8jIvfAhVB9IMKHXANDwsQ6AEwDXoECAcQAQ#v=onepage&q=drop top enlarging table&f=false

Yep! I think I wouldn't print like that all day because stooping over burning and dodging would give me backaches.

 

[OptiKen]

Like this:

https://books.google.com/books?id=9tsDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA186&lpg=PA186&dq=drop+top+enlarging+table&source=bl&ots=tNi9V1RJo3&sig=MXaWtgN9rTbv0yEF-rNzUF0phNI&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjBvIH8jIvfAhVB9IMKHXANDwsQ6AEwDXoECAcQAQ#v=onepage&q=drop top enlarging table&f=false

That is AWESOME!
Thanks Ian!

 

[Sundowner]

Yep! I think I wouldn't print like that all day because stooping over burning and dodging would give me backaches.

Before I built a new enlarger table at a 41" height, I had a lower surface that required a lot of stooping over. Solution: sit down on a swivel stool with good support. That keeps the back pain at bay until you can build the stand/table you need.

 

[Mainecoonmaniac]

Before I built a new enlarger table at a 41" height, I had a lower surface that required a lot of stooping over. Solution: sit down on a swivel stool with good support. That keeps the back pain at bay until you can build the stand/table you need.

Great suggestion! Something low and on wheels.

 

[Sundowner]

Great suggestion! Something low and on wheels.

Correct. I got the idea from a stool that I saw a doctor using; if you go that route, get something with at least a bit of lumbar support and your back will thank you. Be sure to stand up and actively stretch often, though.

 

[RSImages]

Like this:

https://books.google.com/books?id=9tsDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA186&lpg=PA186&dq=drop+top+enlarging+table&source=bl&ots=tNi9V1RJo3&sig=MXaWtgN9rTbv0yEF-rNzUF0phNI&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjBvIH8jIvfAhVB9IMKHXANDwsQ6AEwDXoECAcQAQ#v=onepage&q=drop top enlarging table&f=false

I like that bench. As much as I would like to be a woodworker, I'm not. I may have to find someone who is though. Thanks or sharing.

 

[Sundowner]

I like that bench. As much as I would like to be a woodworker, I'm not. I may have to find someone who is though. Thanks or sharing.

Use two filing cabinets for the sides with aluminum C-channel for enlarger table supports. Or something similar. It's a pretty easy build when you think about what it has to do, and what it doesn't have to do.

 

[mshchem]

Find a decent table set it up and start printing.. I made a drop table to make giant prints, never use it.

 

[darkroommike]

You can build your own adjustable table, I've worked with them in several darkrooms. You could also wall mount the enlarger. Or both. If your enlarger table has to be lower to accommodate a low ceiling height, might I suggest a sort of "booster table" when making smaller prints so that your back is not bent all day long? This would raise the height of your easel. In the past I have used old paper boxes and then got a really nice box that an instrument had come in, the box was of more value to me that the meter so I repurposed the case and put the meter away in a plastic shoebox.

 

[Mainecoonmaniac]

I use a 45mxt. With a 150mm lens,I could make a full frame 16x20. It's been a while. One thing to minimize the distance between the lens and easel is find the shortest lens that cover a 4x5 piece of film. Also, if ceiling hight is a limitation, I think the enlarger head can be rotated 90 degrees for wall projection.

 

[MattKing]

If your enlarger table has to be lower to accommodate a low ceiling height, might I suggest a sort of "booster table" when making smaller prints so that your back is not bent all day long?

This is what I have, and at least 98% of my printing is done with it in place.
The baseboard itself is on a rolling cart which is sized to permit rolling the entire setup out, through the door and into a storage location. As the enlarger is an Omega D6 with an Ilford 400 light source, that means the baseboard is quite low otherwise.

 

[RSImages]

You can build your own adjustable table, I've worked with them in several darkrooms. You could also wall mount the enlarger. Or both. If your enlarger table has to be lower to accommodate a low ceiling height, might I suggest a sort of "booster table" when making smaller prints so that your back is not bent all day long? This would raise the height of your easel. In the past I have used old paper boxes and then got a really nice box that an instrument had come in, the box was of more value to me that the meter so I repurposed the case and put the meter away in a plastic shoebox.

This is what I need to consider. The bathroom that I'm converting has a lower ceiling than the rest of the basement area. I think it is right at about 80 inches.

 

[Tony Egan]

One trick is to build a bench for the enlarger that will allow you to remove the baseboard and enlarge below the enlarger to get a little bit more distance from the enlarger lens.

I converted mine to enlarge 8x10 and created a new step adjustable baseboard system. The baseboard is pretty easy to remove with 4 easy small bolts as I recall. It's a nice design, have fun with it.

 

[RSImages]

I use a 45mxt. With a 150mm lens,I could make a full frame 16x20. It's been a while. One thing to minimize the distance between the lens and easel is find the shortest lens that cover a 4x5 piece of film. Also, if ceiling hight is a limitation, I think the enlarger head can be rotated 90 degrees for wall projection.

I have the 45s head. I haven't looked at it closely enough to confirm that it will actually rotate.

 

[RSImages]

I converted mine to enlarge 8x10 and created a new step adjustable baseboard system. The baseboard is pretty easy to remove with 4 easy small bolts as I recall. It's a nice design, have fun with it.

Thanks for the info. I was wondering about removing the baseboard.

 

[Mainecoonmaniac]

I have the 45s head. I haven't looked at it closely enough to confirm that it will actually rotate.

It's the bolt that you loosen to make the enlarger head swing on the left to right axis. I've never tried it.