Beseler 45MX enlarger

[drazak]

Hey,
I recently bought a used Beseler 45MX enlarger, and I was wondering if anybody knew how to remove the lens board? I can't seem to figure out how to do it.
Thanks,
Ben

 

[Jon Shiu]

Hi, grab the lens and push it towards the back, it is spring loaded. The front of the lens board will then be able to drop down off a little shelf-like support.

Jon

 

[eddie]

Just apply pressure towards the back, and the front should come loose.

 

[drazak]

Thank you guys so much, do you have any suggestions for cleaning the condenser unit? it seems that there's dust in between the condenser lenses, I'm a bit nervous about trying to take it apart, will it be fine without cleaning?

 

[Nicholas Lindan]

there's dust in between the condenser lenses ... will it be fine without cleaning?

It depends on what size prints you are making from what size negatives with what lens at what aperture.

In general dust on the condensors will be visible as whitish patches in the evenly toned areas of a print, like a mid-grey sky.

If all the conditions are wrong, and the lens is stopped down far enough, you will get a lovely print of the dust grains.

It isn't hard to pull the condensers and clean them - the danger is in dropping a condenser lens and chipping it. Make a safe working area by clearing a good size table and putting down a few layers of plush bath towels. Put a linen kitchen towel down over the bath towels so the lenses won't pick up lint as you clean them. Windex is the best cleaner - it isn't the cleaner that damages lenses but the scrubbing, the more active the cleaner the less scrubbing needed.

Cleaning the condensers is something you have to do every few years or so, might as well get used to it.

 

[drazak]

Well then, if that's how you clean the condenser, how do you take it apart? I cleaned both the top and bottom portions using circa 1998 CRT cleaner (very active) and a microfibre cloth, but I'm not sure how to get to the inner condenser lenses, and I'm afraid of putting it back together in the wrong order.

 

[ann]

this is a great time for a p&s or make a pencil drawing.

i now use a cold light head and don't have a consendor handy, but as i remember it isn't hard to remove the glass, it comes out easily.

remove the light source, then lift the next section off the negative stage, then remove the lenses from their container. follow the directions given and then just put it back together in the same order.

 

[Konical]

Good Afternoon, Drazak,

I assume that all 45M enlargers share the same basic construction. Getting at the condensers is very straightforward; the construction of the unit is simple. The three threaded fasteners holding the cone above the condensers allow it to be separated easily from the section containing the condensers. The whole head is locked in place with sliding restraints. Just pull these forward and lift the head up and away from the rest of the unit. The condenser lenses are then easily accessible. As Nicolas indicates above, just be careful to avoid dropping anything.

Konical

 

[eddie]

Like Ann, I use a cold light head. I do recall using lintless linen gloves, when returning the condensers to the head. It helped keep fingerprints off the freshly cleaned glass.

 

[drazak]

I know how to remove the condenser from the unit, and infact, have removed it and cleaned the glass on the top and bottom of it, however it seems that there is dust between some of the lenses in the condenser, I don't know if there is a way to get at the dust in there without having issues taking the condenser unit apart.

 

[ann]

you just turn the unit over and let the glass slide out. there may be a silver collar holding the two together, just remove.

unless you drop the unit you really can't hurt things.

 

[Nicholas Lindan]

The design has changed over the years. In the latest (?) incarnation the bottom condenser housing holds, from the top: 3 tinnerman nut/retainers; heat absorbing glass; thin spacer; top condenser; collar; bottom condenser.

Remove the screws holding the tinnerman nuts and also the screws used to hold the bulb housing to the condenser housing. Tip the condenser housing on its side and gently remove the components.

To prevent smudges, as suggested, wear latex gloves when re-assembling, though usually just a good wash with soap and water will keep hands oil free enough for the few minutes it takes to put things back together.