carving out a negative carrier

chop61 · Jun 17, 2008

I got an old 645 Beseler negative carrier for a 4x5 enlarger. I'd like to print full frame and print the black edge of the rebate. Does anyone have experience doing this? I'd appreciate any advice before I ruin a perfectly good carrier.

Valerie · Jun 17, 2008

I've done this to several... using a hand file and/or a Dremel. My way (which is a sort of "by the seat of my pants; hit or miss method") is to file a bit, fit in an old negative (don't want to risk scratching up a nice neg), see if I can see the edges of the neg, file some more, repeat until it looks about right. The edges are a bit rough looking on the prints. (there was a url link here which no longer exists)

George Collier · Jun 17, 2008

I've heard of folks using black plexiglass, a bit thicker than normal neg carriers, but not expensive to try. I've thought about it myself from time to time for my Omega D2, just to get the whole image, or avoid the soft edge.
There isn't much film at the edges, so if you reveal enough of the unexposed area, you might have to tape the neg into it at the corners.

Ian Grant · Jun 17, 2008

Because Durst neg masks were so expensive, I made my own from aluminium, it's very easy to just fcut to size, drill and file with no fancy tools, then spray matt black. You could do the same rather than butcher the proper masks.

Ian

chop61 · Jun 17, 2008

Yes Valerie! That's exactly the look I want! It's a used carrier that I got for cheap, but I didn't want to ruin it.

Kevin Caulfield · Jun 17, 2008

I have a carrier I'm going to do this to, and read one other useful piece of advice, apart from Valerie's one above about checking a neg in it as you go, which was to use a marker, etc to indicate where to file to, so you don't go too far.

Colin Corneau · Jun 17, 2008

You can get sandpaper to file down and smooth out the sharp jagged metal edge, too -- I did this for one I custom cut to fit a Widelux frame.

Valerie · Jun 17, 2008

Going too far (making the opening wider than the negative) is easy to do. As I got close to where I wanted it, I'd put in a neg and put in in the enlarger.... seeing it enlarged made it easier to see the final "edge". Making neg carriers from black mat board is another way to go.... very cheap and easy!

Happy Filing!

Mark Fisher · Jun 18, 2008

might try to make one out of 4 or 8 ply matt board. Much easier and durable enough.

Reinhold · Jun 18, 2008

Use 1/8 Inch Masonite.

I'ts durable, ...flat..., cheap, and easy to work using simple woodworking tools (a coping saw, file, & sandpaper).
If you goof up and make the opening too large, it's easy to glue something back (a sliver of matboard, for example).

And... after you have outgrown that affectatious fad of making prints with imitation Photoshop borders, you still have a perfectly useable original negative carrier that has market value to someone else.

An example of a Masonite carrier can be seen here:

http://www.classicbwphoto.com/Blog/E6DF1C66-A057-11DB-9BB1-000A95E8D0C0.html

Reinhold

chop61 · Jun 18, 2008

This is a good solution. Where can you get masonite that thin?

Reinhold · Jun 18, 2008

Get Masonite (aka "hardboard") at any lumber yard or Home Depot / Lowe's.
It's super handy stuff. Available in 1/8 and 1/4 inch thick sheets.
Use it to make paper safes, easels, cutting boards, negative carriers, and lot's of other doo-dad's.

Reinhold

Curt · Jun 18, 2008

Hold out for a used negative carrier and do the enlarging on it.

carving out a negative carrier

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