Crap, my easel is too big

mesaboogie · Jun 4, 2016

I picked up a Saunders VT1400 from a school clearing out their darkroom equipment. I haven't tested it at 8x10 or 11x14, but with the 5x7 I cannot get it into position under my Beseler 23c I bought. I really wanted to do various small prints.

So I guess I have a multi part question since I like tools in my tool kit...
What's the best/versatile easel for 8x10 and 5x7? And is there a speed easel for 5x7 that masks to 4x6?

bdial · Jun 4, 2016

"Best" really depends on your taste. I have a Saunders single-size 8x10, that I like, some people like speed easels which are also single-size (i.E. you need a separate one for each size). There are speed easels (Speed-Ez-el's) for just about every common print size that exists.

For versatility with smaller sizes, it's hard to beat the double-sided "5 in 1" easels, they are 8x10 on one side and 5x7, 3.5x4.5 and 2x3 on the other side. They were made by several makers, and the 2 smallest sizes might vary a bit. They are quick to use, and easy to store.

When I use one of these single sized easels I put it on top of my big 4 blade to save some moving and storing the big one.

mesaboogie · Jun 4, 2016

bdial said:
"Best" really depends on your taste. I have a Saunders single-size 8x10, that I like, some people like speed easels which are also single-size (i.E. you need a separate one for each size). There are speed easels (Speed-Ez-el's) for just about every common print size that exists.

For versatility with smaller sizes, it's hard to beat the double-sided "5 in 1" easels, they are 8x10 on one side and 5x7, 3.5x4.5 and 2x3 on the other side. They were made by several makers, and the 2 smallest sizes might vary a bit. They are quick to use, and easy to store.

When I use one of these single sized easels I put it on top of my big 4 blade to save some moving and storing the big one.

It seems none of the eBay sellers mention the masked size of the 5x7 area. Since I haven't used one of them I don't know what to look for since searching 5x7 4x6 doesn't seem to do me any good.

Are there any 4 blade easels that are 8x10? One is listed on eBay but I think it's the seller just not knowing it's bigger.

Jim Jones · Jun 4, 2016

You can make a 4x6 mask to drop on top of a 5x7 Speed-Ez-el out of mat board.

MattKing · Jun 4, 2016

Use the 8x10 channel in the Saunders easel for your 5x7 paper - it should work fine.

To make it easy to set the blades, take a 5x7 sheet, draw lines on it where you want the margins to be, put it into the 8x10 channel and then move the blades to line up with your drawn in margins. Then record those settings or mark them on the scales with a felt pen.

You may find it helpful to use longer lenses on the enlarger. That will let you have the head higher up, which will make it easier to fully open the easel.

grahamp · Jun 4, 2016

I have a Saunder 20x16 easel which I reserve for my newer Beseler 45. The older enlarger, with the front bracing struts, does not give me much room to adjust the easel for off-center crops. Four-blades work best when the image is centered on the easel and you can use the paper alignment slots. I have a smaller 11x14 four-blade on the older enlarger because of this.

If you have a two-blade easel, it can pay to use a set square to align the floating blades, and tape them together for a specific size. That gives the benefits of a speed-easel while retaining some flexibility of size. It also helps with the tendency of two-blade easels to be off-square.

mesaboogie · Jun 4, 2016

Good tips.

Ko.Fe. · Jun 4, 2016

I have 11x14 easel and it is too big for 8x10 paper and enlarger I mostly use.

I don't know how it is called, but it is very common easel. One side is for 8x10. And it is the size of the easel. Another side is for 5x7 and post card size. I use this easel most.

paul ron · Jun 4, 2016

set the blades so your 5x7 is in a corner. i had the same problem on my sons b22. mark the easel where the paper lines up using electric tape so you can feel an edge to put the paper against. also tape the blades so they dont drift out of alignment.

Marco Buonocore · Jun 4, 2016

paul ron said:
set the blades so your 5x7 is in a corner. i had the same problem on my sons b22. mark the easel where the paper lines up using electric tape so you can feel an edge to put the paper against. also tape the blades so they dont drift out of alignment.

You really don't need to tape the blades on a VT1400. Those blades don't drift.

jamespierce · Jun 5, 2016

Beslers can be setup with the supports in front and behind the main frame from memory. I had mine setup without the extra supports and I just tied it to the wall/shelving directly to save bench space.

mesaboogie · Jun 5, 2016

jamespierce said:
Beslers can be setup with the supports in front and behind the main frame from memory. I had mine setup without the extra supports and I just tied it to the wall/shelving directly to save bench space.

Mine are behind.

mesaboogie · Jun 5, 2016

I used the Premier 4in1 I got with my gear last night. The 5x7 is masked to 4.5x6.5. It's not centered on the paper and is even a little canted. So gross lol. It's going in the trash.

bdial · Jun 5, 2016

Quarter inch boarders are the traditional norm, so that's what you will likely find with any preset easel. All easels suffer from the same alignment mechanics, that is, a base holding the paper and some kind of frame hinged to it that masks the paper edges. Drops, wear, and just the basic design will take their toll. No easels are perfect or stay perfect without some adjustments and tuning, though some will do better than others.

mesaboogie · Jun 5, 2016

bdial said:
Quarter inch boarders are the traditional norm, so that's what you will likely find with any preset easel. All easels suffer from the same alignment mechanics, that is, a base holding the paper and some kind of frame hinged to it that masks the paper edges. Drops, wear, and just the basic design will take their toll. No easels are perfect or stay perfect without some adjustments and tuning, though some will do better than others.

I think the basic design did since everything else with the hinging and rivers are rock solid. There is no wiggle room at all on it.

I have taken the advice of just using the VT1400 on the 8x10 in a corner and measuring out. This will give me the edges I want a lot easier.

jvo · Jun 6, 2016

hmmm... to get the setup i'd that i'd be happy working with, i'd consider attaching the enlarger to a bigger baseboard - it would provide more stability and checking alignment should not be a problem. am i missing something?

MartinP · Jun 6, 2016

jvo said:
hmmm... to get the setup i'd that i'd be happy working with, i'd consider attaching the enlarger to a bigger baseboard - it would provide more stability and checking alignment should not be a problem. am i missing something?

It seems that the "too big" remark refers to fitting the four-blade easel in the space between the vertical centre of the lens, and the fromt part of the enlarger column. Making the baseboard larger will not affect the distance between the lens and the column. Possible workarounds are to mount the paper nearer the back of the easel or (for easels with a very wide hinged side) turn the easel through 180 degrees or to use a two-blade easel or a single-format easel.

jvo · Jun 6, 2016

MartinP said:
It seems that the "too big" remark refers to fitting the four-blade easel in the space between the vertical centre of the lens, and the fromt part of the enlarger column. Making the baseboard larger will not affect the distance between the lens and the column. Possible workarounds are to mount the paper nearer the back of the easel or (for easels with a very wide hinged side) turn the easel through 180 degrees or to use a two-blade easel or a single-format easel.

ah-ha! thanx martinp...

mesaboogie · Jun 6, 2016

Correct, the baseboard is fine, it would require a shelf to be made for the mount to allow full use of a larger easel.

Mainecoonmaniac · Jun 6, 2016

I've owned a Saunders VT1400 for over 30 years which I use on my Beseler 45MX. You might be running into issues of not being able to lift the blades to put in the 5x7 paper. You can try using a longer lens than normal when you enlarge so your lens is not so close to the paper. As for for making 4x6 on a 5x7 sheet of paper, I would use black paper mask taped to the blade with a 4x6 cutout.

mdarnton · Jun 6, 2016

mesaboogie said:
. . ., but with the 5x7 I cannot get it into position under my Beseler 23c I bought. I really wanted to do various small prints.

Use a longer lens? Then you get more room to work, too.

mesaboogie · Jun 6, 2016

mdarnton said:
Use a longer lens? Then you get more room to work, too.

Just setup my 80mm. Just barely fit now on the 5x7. Probably still use the corner of the 8x10 though if I need to crop. But this does give me that flexibility now.

Ronald Moravec · Jun 10, 2016

You need a four bladed easel. Saunders V track is best

Mark up a scrap print so you know how to set up blades each time, one for each size.

gone · Jun 10, 2016

I'm wondering if the op has the right lens in the enlarger for their chosen film negative as well. If they can't get the right print size on the baseboard, then it's not the easel, it's the wrong lens in the enlarger for the film format.

mesaboogie · Jun 10, 2016

momus said:
I'm wondering if the op has the right lens in the enlarger for their chosen film negative as well. If they can't get the right print size on the baseboard, then it's not the easel, it's the wrong lens in the enlarger for the film format.

its correct

Crap, my easel is too big

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