Beseler 4x5 mixing chamber is flaky

Kilgallb

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I have a Beseler 4x5 colour head with an issue that drives me crazy. The mixer chamber is lined with white styrofoam. It seems to flake off and leaves a noticeable white spot on the print usually near the end of a long session printing a difficult negative. At that stage I need to take the champers apart and clean it.

Does anyone else have this issue,and if so how did you fix it?

I have thought of spraying the styrofoam with clear laquer or maybe just removing it.
 

wiltw

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It sounds like you have a Beseler Universal head with color controller. If your 4x5 mixing chamber foam is coming apart, maybe this guy has the solution for you, with replacement diffusion chambers! (there was a url link here which no longer exists)
 

Mainecoonmaniac

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I use the Beseler 4x5 dichroic color head. Doesn't the mixing chamber have a white piece of plastic for diffusion so bits of styrofoam doesn't show up when it falls off into the chamber?
 
OP
OP

Kilgallb

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Calgary AB C
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You are correct, the bottom of the chamber is a piece of white plastic that acts as a diffuser. If a piece of styrofoam lands on the diffuser it completely blocks the light at that point making a white spot on the print. It is driving me mad.
 

Mainecoonmaniac

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You might be able to take it apart

Kilgallb said:
You are correct, the bottom of the chamber is a piece of white plastic that acts as a diffuser. If a piece of styrofoam lands on the diffuser it completely blocks the light at that point making a white spot on the print. It is driving me mad.
Click to expand...

The whole chambers pulls out of the head. When your remove the chamber, I think there are sheet metal screws holding it together. You might be able to remove the lid to extract the foam bits out. I think heat and age might have caused the foam to deteriorate.
 

M Carter

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I've seen Beseler replacement mixing chamber whites for sale in the past. Anyone know of that canadian enlarger shop? I think they've carried them.
 
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