Beseler 45mxt Negative Stage Guide

[krathognis]

Hello,
I've recently started setting up my first darkroom. I've acquired an old 45mxt and am in the process of refurbishing it. everything is going well and is working fine excepting two things.
Firstly, The negative stage guide is missing altogether. does anyone happen to know where I could pick one of these up?

secondly, while I have a cold light head currently attached, I also have a condenser head. the problem is that the bottom condenser is chipped. I have been unable to find a place to get the lens without purchasing an entire unit for ~1k.

any help would be greatly appreciated.


-andrew

 

[joh]

If you use the cold light head, you don't need the guide. The light is in the nearest position to the negativ.
I don't know if Beseler is still in buisiness...the Part/Cat. No. for the "Negativ Size Indicator Kit" is 10-31362.
regards hans

 

[krathognis]

awesome, good to know.
Beseler is indeed still in business. the 45mxt is actually still in production.

Off topic, I see you're from Trier. Absolutely beautiful city. I lived in Malschenberg (south of Heidelberg) for several years. I wish that I could go back.

thanks,
Andrew

 

[joh]

I've the beseler Instruction Manual for the 45MXT, there is a parts list in it...if you wish I could scan the exploded view and the parts list.
The bottom condensor (7 3/8) has the Part/Cat. No. 680-14-53

regards hans

 

[krathognis]

I have a PDF copy thanks. I've contacted beseler directly on finding a retailer for these parts and am waiting on a reply.
thanks again,

andrew

 

[David Brown]

I lived without the guide for years, then found one cheap one day on ebay. New ones are expensive (as are all new parts). Keep in mind that you might not be able to have the guide (when and if you find one) mounted with the cold light. In any event:

The indicator is attached by two screws. You can easily make one from thin metal, plastic, wood, even cardboard. Here are the indicator mark measurements for the different size negatives, all from the LOWER of the two screw holes:

4 x 5--one inch up
3 /14 x 4 1/4--2 3/16" up
2 1/4 x 3 1/4--3 1/4 " up
2 1/4 x 2 1/4--4 1/4" up
35mm--5 3/4" up.

Keep in mind that the precision required here is not very great. Actually, you can enlarge all the smaller sized negatives with the head set at 4 x 5, although that doesn't make greatest use of the enlarger's light intensity. If in doubt, just fudge a bit on the side of a bigger negative.

On the condenser: again, you might eventually come across one used, but you're more likely to find the whole condenser head as cheap or cheaper, if you're patient. I would set the thing up and see if the chip actually shows up in the image. It might not.