BESELER 45MX condensor placement

Here's a start.

If anyone haven't to have any of the missing user manuals, that would be appreciated.

http://www.subclub.org/fujinon/enlargers.htm

Well, I'll say this: that 45H contained within the link above shows me that my insane idea to mount a 45 head to a 23 chassis isn't as stupid as I think it is. Never knew that configuration existed from the factory.

Great resource; thanks for posting!

If you ever run across any details about the 45H, like the height of the column, let us know. It might be shorter than the other models in an effort to save space.

xkaes said:

If you ever run across any details about the 45H, like the height of the column, let us know. It might be shorter than the other models in an effort to save space.

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My best bet is that it's the exact same column stock that's on the 23 or the CB7. I may be 159% wrong about that, but from a manufacturing perspective it doesn't make sense to change up that material as either rough or finished stock. Using the same stock, rack, gearing, etc. is sensible, as is only changing what's absolutely necessary. I can see the base support is different, and they've added an upper X-brace...but aside from that it looks like they just attached the head with a sheetmetal bracket.

It's not the same as the CB-7 frame -- which is even bigger than the 45 frame -- but it might be a modified 23 frame. I haven't run across any actual specs.

xkaes said:

It's not the same as the CB-7 frame -- which is even bigger than the 45 frame -- but it might be a modified 23 frame. I haven't run across any actual specs.

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Looking again at the few photos I can find, I'm betting that it's 23 stock...or something very close to that. And maybe it's a completely different stock that's unique to that enlarger, but if so:

Regarding the column height; I can probably estimate it. I have a 45 head on my workbench right now, and I need to pull one of my 23 frames out of storage anyway; to my eye, it looks shorter than the 23-series XL frame but I can get a better idea of that later.

Also - and this is actually on-topic - I just took that 45 condenser head apart, and the thicker of the two lenses is the lower one.

Pictured: Significant difference.




Upper on the left, lower on the right. The upper lens is somewhere around 1.200" thick, and the lower is about 1.425" or so. Both are plano-convex: flat on the outer-facing surfaces, and convex on the inner...so the convexities face each other.

Question: how thick is the heat-absorbing glass that sits over the upper lens...?

Sundowner said:

Question: how thick is the heat-absorbing glass that sits over the upper lens...?

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1/8"

Well I guess that answers this question...

Pictured: One of these things is not like the other.




I wasn't sure which was the factory unit and which was aftermarket. Thank you!

If they are the same diameter, I doubt it will make much difference. The thicker glass might absorb more heat. As you probably know, it's held in place by three washers that can be moved/adjusted to accommodation slightly different thicknesses.

How did you end up with a condenser that lacks a heat absorber -- AND a spare?

Maybe Beseler made them in two thicknesses?????

xkaes said:

If they are the same diameter, I doubt it will make much difference. The thicker glass might absorb more heat. As you probably know, it's held in place by three washers that can be moved/adjusted to accommodation slightly different thicknesses.

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Yep; I just took the entire thing apart to see if mine was in the factory order, and to find out how much difference there was in the upper and lower lens.

xkaes said:

How did you end up with a condenser that lacks a heat absorber -- AND a spare?

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Well, I didn't: one glass was installed in the condenser head, and the other was in an old and neglected box which was clearly labeled as "Heat Absorbing Glass"...but without an identifying label on the glass itself, I didn't know if the thinner or the thicker one was the factory option. The thicker one was in the box so I suspected the thinner one that was in the condenser head was the factory unit, but with no labeling there was no way to tell.

xkaes said:

Maybe Beseler made them in two thicknesses?????

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No idea. The neglected box is Ansco-labeled, so I'm guessing that the glass from that one is what they sold. I haven't dealt with condensers that much, so I honestly don't know.

Interesting. It's possible that the thicker glass was made for a different enlarger, but I doubt that other 4x5 enlargers would have condensers the exact same diameter as the Beseler 45.

Another possibility is the ANSCO connection -- since they were closely connected to AGFA. Beseler sold an AGFA colorhead for their 45 enlargers that used a 250w PROJECTOR bulb -- which gets super hot. Despite being a colorhead it was designed to be used with a standard Beseler 45 condenser. Perhaps that thicker glass was designed for the AGFA colorhead use.

Just a crazy thought.

You suspect the upper condenser was made thinner to compensate for the thickness of the heat absorbing glass? Has some logic to it.

glbeas said:

You suspect the upper condenser was made thinner to compensate for the thickness of the heat absorbing glass? Has some logic to it.

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I don't think it does, personally. In mine the HAG was sitting on top of the snap ring that retains the upper condenser; also, there was plenty of room in the condenser assembly for additional thickness in any given component...so I don't think it had any impact on the optics or packaging. I think it's just a common glass thickness.

It's just flat glass, and doesn't need to be used.