DIY Wall Mount Kit?

[ParkerSmithPhoto]

I am in need of making 20x24 from my LPL4500II. KHB Photographix is out of stock on the LPL wall mount kits and no estimate as to when they will be available. Does anyone have some good DIY solutions for this?

 

[adelorenzo]

You can flip the head around on the column to project onto the floor. Does that work for you in your space?

Otherwise mounting the column just requires drilling four holes so you could build a sturdy, level shelf and mount it to that. I have my column directly mounted to my counter top without a baseboard.

 

[adelorenzo]

 

[John Koehrer]

I've mounted one on a hollow core door, mainly so If needed I could just move the entire setup without damage to the wall.

Depending on the size & weight of the machine, 2 pcs 3/4" ply wide enough to mount the enlarger plus a little bit.
I glued the ply together to get 1 1/2" thick. Install a crosspiece wide enough to screw into the joists plus a little bit (16" + 8"). Again I used
2X4 doubled with a machined edge for the mount to rest on and support cables to the top of the enlarger to the wall.

For giggles, when I did this I also put a couple of movable brackets for a shelf. That way I wouldn't have to move from the wall to a table.

 

[Frank53]

Is this what you’re looking for?
https://www.secondhanddarkroom.co.uk/product/lpl-7700-7450-wall-mounting-bracket/
Regards,
Frank

 

[ParkerSmithPhoto]

Is this what you’re looking for?
https://www.secondhanddarkroom.co.uk/product/lpl-7700-7450-wall-mounting-bracket/

That's very close but the 4500II uses a different mount. Thanks for the info. I will definitely keep an eye on that site.

 

[ParkerSmithPhoto]

You can flip the head around on the column to project onto the floor. Does that work for you in your space? Otherwise mounting the column just requires drilling four holes so you could build a sturdy, level shelf and mount it to that. I have my column directly mounted to my counter top without a baseboard.

You know, I had totally forgotten that you could flip the head around. That might work with some crouching and bending! I guess I just need to have a low table to hold the easel. Thanks!

 

[ParkerSmithPhoto]

I've mounted one on a hollow core door, mainly so If needed I could just move the entire setup without damage to the wall.

Depending on the size & weight of the machine, 2 pcs 3/4" ply wide enough to mount the enlarger plus a little bit.
I glued the ply together to get 1 1/2" thick. Install a crosspiece wide enough to screw into the joists plus a little bit (16" + 8"). Again I used
2X4 doubled with a machined edge for the mount to rest on and support cables to the top of the enlarger to the wall.

Any chance you could post a few photos of your setup? I'm just wondering how to get it all fixed and leveled out.

 

[Mainecoonmaniac]

I have a Beseler 45MXT. I used plumber's tape to secure it to a wall stud behind the enlarger. Luckily, there are holes on top of my enlarger to mount the tape. But raise your enlarger as high it will go, focus the image and use a grain focuser to see if the film grain jiggles after you're done.
I used this..
https://www.grainger.com/product/44...!?cm_mmc=PPC:+Google+PLA?campaignid=175663197

 

[markbau]

I'm in the process of doing the exact same thing, also to a LPL 4500. I'm having a C channel bracket made that will dynabolt into my brick wall and then the head will fit onto it. The head will not move. I'll post some pics when the the bracket is made and installed

 

[mgb74]

As Shakespeare said: "Get thee to a welder".

Should be simple enough to cut and weld a bracket similar to the store-bought one. But I'd use much heavier steel. And I'd make the plate that fits on the wall wide enough to span 2 studs.

 

[M Carter]

I'm considering doing this for my MXT with plywood and lumber. I've made ceiling braces for column enlargers before, it all depends on the wall you're mounting to - mine is a stud wall so it will need to be reinforced with plywood I'd think.

 

[mgb74]

I'm considering doing this for my MXT with plywood and lumber. I've made ceiling braces for column enlargers before, it all depends on the wall you're mounting to - mine is a stud wall so it will need to be reinforced with plywood I'd think.

I'm sure that would work fine if properly braced and you span 2 studs. Also, very heavy angle iron (8x8x3/8 or 8x6x3/8) would probably work. For the top, I've used steel electrical conduit with the ends flattened. Though in a vertical column enlarger like the OP's LPL, a sheet metal solution might be fine.

 

[MattKing]

Consider making it possible to have an easel extend below the bottom of the column - to help avoid the problem with easels that are too big to get the centre at the centre of the light path.

 

[adelorenzo]

I finally got around to making a wall brace for my 4550 a couple of months ago. As mentioned in an earlier post I took it off the baseboard and mounted the base directly to my work surface. This was pretty simple to do, there are already threaded holes on the top of the column to attach the bracing. It's rock solid now.

 

[ParkerSmithPhoto]

I finally got around to making a wall brace for my 4550 a couple of months ago. As mentioned in an earlier post I took it off the baseboard and mounted the base directly to my work surface. This was pretty simple to do, there are already threaded holes on the top of the column to attach the bracing. It's rock solid now.

So it's braced at the top but still mounted flush to a table top at the bottom. This doesn't really change your max print size, does it? Looks like you have the XLG so that's probably not a problem!

I can project a 20" image on my baseboard but it doesn't leave enough room for the easel. I would assume that it needs to be mounted at least 10" off the table to clear the column.

 

[Ian Grant]

I had a wall bracket made for my Durst M601/605, I can't find the photos. It's easy to go to a metal workshop they can knock something up from scrap basically an L shaped 3/16" plate with a triangular brace welded in the middle and two mounting holes. Then I had a small piece made to brace the top. But any workshop could make something easily and cheaply.

Ian

 

[adelorenzo]

So it's braced at the top but still mounted flush to a table top at the bottom. This doesn't really change your max print size, does it? Looks like you have the XLG so that's probably not a problem!

I can project a 20" image on my baseboard but it doesn't leave enough room for the easel. I would assume that it needs to be mounted at least 10" off the table to clear the column.

Correct, I do have the XLG so I can make larger prints on the baseboard up to 20x24. I haven't gone any larger than that. I meant to give you some ideas for bracing the top if you end up wall mounting.

 

[John Koehrer]

Any chance you could post a few photos of your setup? I'm just wondering how to get it all fixed and leveled out.

Gosh, that had to be almost forty years ago. That was five moves ago at least, wanderlust or something I guess.
Considering my skills with Mr Computer, I'll give it a shot with the keyboard. You're going to need a bit of interpreting.
The door was just a hollow core from the local door store. Hardware, lumber etc

The mount for the enlarger was simple 2X4 pine with the long edges ripped to give a sharp edge. 2X6 would work too
probably a bit better considering the size of your enlarger.
Glue/screw the 2X's together & trim the edges.
________________
I...............................I dotted line = glue joint
I________________I solid = surface of 2 X's
I________I < Brace is just another 2X4 with at least the top edge machined. Level it out & mount it to whatever
surface you want to use.

A shelf system can be as simple as shelving uprights(hardware, big box) with movable shelf brackets. I never made 16X20
so the shelving would probably have to be commercial grade to support the easel.

Told you the picture needs some interpretation.

 

[ic-racer]

You know, I had totally forgotten that you could flip the head around. That might work with some crouching and bending! I guess I just need to have a low table to hold the easel. Thanks!

That makes a lot of sense, because one big difference between a table-top enlarger and a free-standing one, is the ability to lower the baseboard. In both cases the maximum head height is about the same.