Beseler digi timer #8187. Any good?

[J Rollinger]

Im looking at a beseler timer #8187 and cant seem to find any reviews for it online. It retails for apx $250 at several sites. I was offered a new one for under $50 but im concerened because i cant find any info on it. Has anyone used this timer? Is it a good or junk timer?

Thanks
Jim

 

[dpurdy]

I doubt whether Beseler would make a junk timer. I use the Beseler timer 8177 which is the same timer in every function except that the time is set with dials rather than digital numbers. I suppose the digital number part might be less durable than the dials but I think it is pretty simple technology so not something to worry about. The part that wears out on the Beseler 8177 seems to be the switch from X1 to X10 and the start button. But that doesn't happen till after many years of hard labor. I am on my 2nd timer in 20 years of daily printing but the original foot switch still works fine.

I would say that 50 dollars for the 8187 is money well spent if it hasn't already made 100,000 prints

 

[J Rollinger]

I doubt whether Beseler would make a junk timer. I use the Beseler timer 8177 which is the same timer in every function except that the time is set with dials rather than digital numbers. I suppose the digital number part might be less durable than the dials but I think it is pretty simple technology so not something to worry about. The part that wears out on the Beseler 8177 seems to be the switch from X1 to X10 and the start button. But that doesn't happen till after many years of hard labor. I am on my 2nd timer in 20 years of daily printing but the original foot switch still works fine.

I would say that 50 dollars for the 8187 is money well spent if it hasn't already made 100,000 prints

Thanks for the reply! I was worried because of the lack of info on the net. I will contact the seller and pick it up. Thanks for your help!

 

[Nicholas Lindan]

At $250 the price is looney tunes. $50 is closer to what they are worth. Not the most reliable of timers: they use very cheap and rather flakey switches; the electronics are made from discrete 7400 series logic - a design that would be considered obsolete back in the 1970's.

Owning one of the these is what drove me into the timer business...

 

[DWThomas]

I got one a few weeks back, new in the box for $59-something from KEH. It works fine and at that price it seems like a reasonable deal (I agree the list price of $259 is/was pretty gross).

DaveT

 

[Jeff Searust]

Another good cheap digital one is the Gralab 505--- mine is a workhorse.