Durst 138s 5x7 Enlarger

[Curt]

I had given up on getting an enlarger, 5x7 or 8x10, when the whining had stopped here at the house and I had put away the childhood dreams, sure enough what Albert Einstein said same true.

I have a complete Beseler 45mcrx with color head, cold light head, all of the negative carriers and lenses etc., then the need to go larger, 5x7 hit and then 8x10, and then... well you know the story. Someone said that when I stopped looking one would pop up. I was looking at one's from all over the country and most were pickup only. Resigning my self to the 4x5 I was just getting happy when I was cleaning up my computer and deleted some old sites like the local Craigs list. I clicked on it and up came the local listing for photo. On the first page was a Durst 138s 5x7 enlarger without a head but having a negative carrier, in excellent condition.

Six hours later and one ferry ride, my son and I got back two hours ago with the enlarger. Cost, $9.00 toll, $12.00 gas, $30.00 lunch and snack, $150.00 for the enlarger. Getting together with my 18 year old son for the afternoon, priceless. He goes back to college on Sunday.

And Ole, I found that the base (feet) come off, the bottom column comes off, the upper column comes off and it fits in my truck just fine. It's really tall and heavy but taken apart it's a dream to move. I have to take it up to the darkroom now, it's in my front room, my wife already had a cow. It has wheels for a track which is interesting. There is a turret for three lenses and operates smoothly. The table top, is really large. I think it looks like someone took an industrial drill press and made an enlarger out of it. I'm happy, I have a Schneider Componon 180 lens and an Aristo 5x7 Cold light head already.

Now for an 8x10, really I have to quit this kind of thinking.

Curt
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[JLP]

Congrats Curt, it's a fantastic enlarger and a joy to use. My only problem is that i am not very tall so reaching the filter tray is a stretch.


jan

 

[gordrob]

I think you might find that most drill presses don't have a column as well designed as the Durst 138 has - I know mine doesn't.

Gord

 

[Ian Grant]

mmm I had a colour head for a Durst 138s, I even offered it on this forum free, unfortunately shipping was too high to Canada/USA so it went for landfill.

Ian

 

[eclarke]

Good for you Curt, I think I made the comment about hanging in. I found my 8x10 on Craigslist the same way. In about one more week, I will be printing with it after a LONG wait..Evan Clarke

 

[gandolfi]

congrats Curt!

I (we) have two of those beasts (one for spare parts) and it is my favourite enlarger to worl with!

what I really want is the 184 (8x10), but my birthday is coming up, so I might give my self a nice present...(if I can find it)

 

[jp80874]

Curt,

Michael Mutmansky converted a 138S to 8x10 using an Aristo 10x10 cold light head. I own it now and would be willing to send pictures if that would help. I don't pretend to know how he did the conversion, but it has worked very well for me for about two years.

John Powers

 

[Guillaume Zuili]

When I moved from Paris to LA it was impossible to move the 184 out of my darkroom. We were 3 people, no way. I need a crane that goes to the 5th floor.I miss it but what a beast... The 138 came with me. This is really one of the best enlarger ever. Congrats.
Guillaume

 

[Curt]

Good for you Curt, I think I made the comment about hanging in. I found my 8x10 on Craigslist the same way. In about one more week, I will be printing with it after a LONG wait..Evan Clarke

Yes, Evan you were the one who said to hang in there and one will come my way; Thank you, it was the best advise of the year.

I have a 210mm and a Durst Componon 360mm enlarging lens along with an Aristo 8x10 cold light that I bought for an 8x10. I think the light is a little larger than 8x10 by an inch. This enlarger would take a conversion, the beseler is too weak in my opinion. I rather like large heave well built items. I have a 12 inch planer in the shop that's too heavy to even move with out disassembly.

I already love this enlarger, there is not a spot of rust or heavy wear on it. It is missing the foot release for the table though. The locking mechanism works It just need the cable and foot lever. I could make one I think. Other than that, it's really cool, it's over 7 feet tall with he head column extended all the way up.

Thanks for the nice comments,
Curt

 

[Curt]

Michael Mutmansky converted a 138S to 8x10 using an Aristo 10x10 cold light head. I own it now and would be willing to send pictures if that would help. I don't pretend to know how he did the conversion, but it has worked very well for me for about two years.

John, now that I have it cleaned and shining from tip to toe I need to get down to the head I will need. If you can send or post a picture of the 8x10 head adapter it would be greatly appreciated. I can fabricate one here if I can see what the work around is for the column in the right rear of the head support.

I am still looking at light sources other than my Aristo too, like a dichroic filter system with halogen or even LED's. It looks like the negative carrier is incomplete, it appears to need inserts or glass, it has a serial number in the frame, #4872, I think it's a universal carrier. What carrier do you folks use? Got a suggestion for a 5x7 negative carrier?

Jan, I can see that when the head is raised way up it can be quite a reach to the top, how do you focus when it's up that high?

Next is to get the lenses I want to use on it mounted on the round lens boards that go into the turret. I found that the Schneider Componon 180mm has a flange that is larger than the lense board size and the threads are some thing close to 58mm to 60mm without the ring. It would have to get the exact lens board, not likely, or make an extension lens board that flares out at the bottom. To date I don't have any of the Durst lens boards. I haven't figured out the Durst numbering system yet.

It's going to be well worth the extra work to get it up and running. I feel an exhilaration that I haven't felt for a long time.

Curt

 

[Ole]

The Durst lens board numbering system is quite simple: The lens boards you need are called LAPLA. The number is the thread size - a LAPLA 39 has 39mm threads, the LAPLA50 has 50mm threads.

 

[jp80874]

John, now that I have it cleaned and shining from tip to toe I need to get down to the head I will need. If you can send or post a picture of the 8x10 head adapter it would be greatly appreciated. I can fabricate one here if I can see what the work around is for the column in the right rear of the head support.

What carrier do you folks use?

Jan, I can see that when the head is raised way up it can be quite a reach to the top, how do you focus when it's up that high?

I feel an exhilaration that I haven't felt for a long time.

Curt

Curt,

Happy exhilation.

Focusing: I keep the head of my 8x10 conversion about an inch under the 7’ 2” ceiling. Though I have a 240mm lens, I have only used the 300mm in the two years I have had the 138 S. To adjust size of image other than changing lenses, I raise or lower the table until the image fills the easel. The easel is set for 16x20 or 20x24. This usually means the focusing loupe on the easel is an uncomfortably long reach from the focusing knob (#56 in the manual). Quoting the manual “Optionally the Laborator 138S may be focused via the FOMOT 138 motor drive and the FODES control unit.” If your 138S didn’t come with one of those, as mine did not, an old sailor’s trick works quite well. Use a ¼” nylon cloths line, wrapped twice around the knob. Drop both ends of the line to the table. Turn the knob by pulling either end of the rope until the image looks good in the loupe.

I will be glad to take a picture of the Aristo head and the 138 S head adapter. They are both very dark, so it may take me a little while to sort out the lighting for a usable image.

My 8x10 negative carrier has upper and lower glass in a wooden and metal frame. There is no visible part number on the carrier.

John

 

[Curt]

John, thanks for the info, a glass holder with larger negatives seems to be the best answer.

Curt

 

[jp80874]

Curt,

I couldn’t find out how to upload to a thread, but I did put two pictures of the enlarger head in the standard gallery. Note Michael Mutmansky chose the 12x12 cold light head so that fall off would not be a problem in the 8x10 area. He also designed the split grade filter holders under the lens. The ruler is in inches. Foam core took care of the dark parts against a flat black darkroom wall. Let me know if you need other pictures.

John

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

 

[Curt]

John, Michael did a superb job, the rounded corners and fine lines show that some careful design planning when into it. Is it made of metal? I think I can go from there, I figured out the dimensions for the Beseler 45 adapter to 5x7 so I'll work out this one too. I have a gas welder with a fine tip and might just use thin steel sheet. It's a little like making a gas tank for a motorcycle, a lot of work but years of use. Thanks for the photographs, they are a great help.

Curt

 

[JLP]

Curt, Focusing is not a problem, i'm not that short :rolleyes:

My 5x7 Neg. carrier is a NEGA 138
Sounds like you need a Lapla 58 for your Schneider and they are very hard to come by.
I recently bought a 210 Rodenstock Rodagon which also have 58mm thread. The lens does however protrude to far behind the thread so the Lapla would not work with that lens. Luckily my dad has a Laid so while visiting for christmas i made an extended Lapla board.
Give Jensen a call if you need parts. http://www.jensen-optical.us/imagine_2007.htm
Good luck with your 138


jan

 

[Curt]

Thanks Jan, I think I will be making some lens boards, the one's I see on eBay are either the wrong size or they are the wrong size. With photography being "handy" is nearly a requisite these days, or knowing someone who is. jensen and glenview are too $$$$$$ for me.:rolleyes:

I'm having a great time with it so far though. It's like I have been getting ready for this for a long time, I just need to fit it out.

Curt

 

[jp80874]

John, Michael did a superb job, the rounded corners and fine lines show that some careful design planning when into it. Is it made of metal?
Curt

Curt,

The dark grey box tapering down from the cold light head to the lens board is made of wood.

John

 

[Curt]

Bump:

John, looking at the photos I see that you still have the masking shutter knobs on the enlarger, did you remove any of that hardware inside? Several people mentioned gutting and enlarging the negative stage for 8x10. I think if the negative carrier is high enough this is not necessary. Can you tell me the distance from the enlargers stage were the box sits to the negative carrier? I can guess from the ruler but I'm not sure. I have a 10x12 Aristo Cold light head but I'm thinking of building a light box and using the three MR16's with dichro filters I have for VC papers, split etc.. I roughly checked a Rodenstock Gerogon 210mm I have and got a full sharp image, I do have an APO Nikkor 300 but it might just be too long, and large. I'm looking for a better choice of enlarging lens.

Curt

 

[jp80874]

Bump:

John, looking at the photos I see that you still have the masking shutter knobs on the enlarger, did you remove any of that hardware inside? Several people mentioned gutting and enlarging the negative stage for 8x10. I think if the negative carrier is high enough this is not necessary. Can you tell me the distance from the enlargers stage were the box sits to the negative carrier? I can guess from the ruler but I'm not sure. I have a 10x12 Aristo Cold light head but I'm thinking of building a light box and using the three MR16's with dichro filters I have for VC papers, split etc.. I roughly checked a Rodenstock Gerogon 210mm I have and got a full sharp image, I do have an APO Nikkor 300 but it might just be too long, and large. I'm looking for a better choice of enlarging lens.

Curt

Curt,

Welcome back.

For those reading this, coming into the conversation at this point, it may help to look at two pictures of the 5x7 to 8x10 Durst 138S conversion in my jp80874 gallery.

I have an Aristo 1212 head. Michael Mutmansky says he chose to build this with that rather than the 1010 head in an effort to avoid the fall off on the 10 inch side of the negative. I was not aware that they made a 1012 head.

At an earlier date I tried to answer the measurement question. It was difficult because the only way into that area is through the negative carrier slot forcing me to measure on an angle. Looking at it again this morning I realize that I misunderstood how the negative carrier seated. I would say my earlier estimate was 3/8” to large.

What I see is that it is about 1.5” from the diffuser that the cold light head rests on to the bottom of the negative carrier. The carrier is 3/8” wood. There are two sheets of 1/8” glass on top of the carrier. The distance from the diffuser to the top of the upper sheet of glass is then about 7/8”. It is 1” from the bottom of the diffuser to the negative. Again all these measurements could be off slightly because I can only measure on an angle and I am trying to convert to a straight drop.

The dark grey tapered wooden box in the picture is empty except for the negative carrier. At the top is the diffuser or base for the cold light head. At the bottom the box connects to the bellows.

“I'm looking for a better choice of enlarging lens.” As mentioned in another thread you have open, I am using a 300mm Rodagon on a flat wooden board which replaces the turret. I also have a 240mm Rodagon but have not used it. I make 20x24” enlargements from full frame negatives with the head an inch under the 7’ 2” ceiling and the table roughly 18-20” off the floor. I could make larger prints by lowering the table to it’s stops or by using the 240mm Rodagon. I have not done so because of other tray and sink limitations in the darkroom. The 18-20” is from memory because I have not made a 20x24” since last August. I have been using the rig to make 7x17 contact prints on Kentmere VCFB using Ilford filters in holders Michael designed, seen under the lens.

I hope I have understood and answered your questions. If not please try expanding the questions so I better understand what you want.

John Powers

 

[Curt]

John,

Thank you very much for the detailed information, I came to the conclusion that the turret won't work with the lenses I need to use. I made a brass adapter that fits in one hole of the turret to mount a Schneider 180mm and it works great for 5x7 but I am going for 8x10. I'll remove the turret for the 8x10 conversion. I can get to work on the riser box support now.

Thanks,
Curt