Disassembly of a Nuarc Flip-top platemaker?

[John W]

Hi all,

First, a brief introduction since I'm new to these forums: I'm a relative newcomer to working with digital negatives; I got my start thanks to Ron Reeder's workshop just this past Spring. Hi everyone!

Since the workshop, I've been keeping my ear to the ground for a good deal on a Nuarc platemaker, and one just came through. I took delivery this morning and now I have the challenge of getting it through doorways into its new basement home. An (admittedly rushed) first look at the unit didn't reveal an obvious starting point for disassembly. I gather it's possible, primarily since Ron mentioned that he'd gone through the process with his unit.

Tips would be greatly appreciated, especially those that avoid costly mistakes..!

Thanks,
John

[Edit: I forgot to mention that it's a Nuarc FT26MH.]

 

[Ron-san]

Hi all,

I gather it's possible, primarily since Ron mentioned that he'd gone through the process with his unit.

Thanks,
John

[Edit: I forgot to mention that it's a Nuarc FT26MH.]

John-- Sorry if I ever misled you but I have never "dis assembled" my Nuarc (an FT26V2UP). I have double doors leading into my studio that can open to 5 feet wide, so getting it through the door was not a problem. I did replace the glass (regular plate glass, not anti-newton), replaced the shock absorbers that hold up the glass top while loading, made a new front panel to replace one that was lost (just covers up the pump and electronics so it looks nice) and eventually had to replace a bulb after the original one blew (also had to find and re attach a wire that melted and burned through when the bulb blew -- I thought that was what fuses are for but no fuses blew!). But I have never tried to dis assemble the beast and would not have a clue where to begin. I think I would personally rather take out and replace the door frame rather than try to slim down the nuarc (I know a lot more about woodworking than nuarc assembly!). Good luck and I hope you can get your machine running. I would be lost without mine by this point.
Cheers, Ron Reeder

 

[sanking]

Hi all,

took delivery this morning and now I have the challenge of getting it through doorways into its new basement home. An (admittedly rushed) first look at the unit didn't reveal an obvious starting point for disassembly. I gather it's possible, primarily since Ron mentioned that he'd gone through the process with his unit.


Thanks,
John

[Edit: I forgot to mention that it's a Nuarc FT26MH.]

John,

It would probably be less trouble to knock a new door in your basement than to disassemble the flip-top NuArc.

Good luck. It is a really nice unit if you can get it up and running.

Sandy King

 

[John W]

Hi all, thanks for the info. I'll note that I did a partial disassembly to mine, removing the top rim, the vacuum frame, and the front control panel. That's sufficient to get it to where I need it to be, but not into the original basement location.

I'll note for posterity and Google, that it would require drilling out spot welds, some in rather awkward positions, to get this unit any smaller than the 30" by 34" base dimensions. As for the resulting reassembly ... let's just hope that whoever undertakes such a project has dual passions for photographic printing and auto body work.

 

[Bob Carnie]

You may want to give Fuji Graphics Division a call , they service these machines with parts and labour, *at least in my area* . You may be able to get some help from them.

 

[John W]

Thanks for the tip, Bob. For now I'm in good shape, and my little exploratory effort puts me in good stead should I need to perform maintenance in the future.

 

[dalton]

Oh good heavens, I was considering a similar model, I am glad I didn't! There is no way I could have fit it into my workshop. I got a smaller vertical plate burner instead (footprint is about 30 inches wide by 12 inches deep while closed, can handle paper up to 18 x 24). It's a bit rickety but it looks like it will get the job done.

 

[Eirik Berger]

John.

I recently had the same issue. I got my hands on a huge Nuarc Fliptop. It was 130x130x110cm and weighing over 300kg. A beast.
Image:
http://bostick-sullivan.invisionzone.com/index.php?act=attach&type=post&id=53

When I first saw it I was close to give up, but after a closer inspection all I had to do was to remove 4 screws, 2 vacuum tubes and 1 connector and the hole machine was in two parts. In the (poor cell phone) image you can see a horisontal line across the plateburner one third from the bottom. This is where the two parts are joined. Below this horisontal line you can see a small hatch. Inside this I got easy access to the vacuum tube (which goes from the pump up to the fliptop) and the connector.

Once it was in two parts I raised them up 90 degrees and the just got them through the doors and into my workshop.

Check if your model is possible to dissasemble the same way. To get access to the 4 screws just flip the top half way so it stands vertically, and look down towards the lamp. On my model they where placed in each corner. I really think it is meant to dissassemble this way, because it was surprisingly easy, and I did it without any kind of manual. Good luck.

 

[John W]

Hi eibr,

Thanks for the info. My unit is smaller than yours, and I disassembled it as far as it would go without requiring welding to reassemble. Thankfully, that was enough to get it into the house. From your description, it sounds like the larger models may be more modular.

It was very easy to remove the vacuum frame, top rim, and front console on the FT26MH. Beyond that there are no more screws, only spot welds.