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Easel - one or more?

kal800

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Location
Gdynia, Poland
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Multi Format
Hi,

This seems to be the last issue for my new darkroom. I will be doing enlargements from 13x18 till 30x40 for now. Most of them will be 13x18, but in case I'll want to put it on the wall, I would do 24x30 or 30x40. The question - should I acquire one big easel for 30x40 or maybe it is better idea to have 2 or 3 easels and choose one depending on the actual print size? I can buy very good condition RRB 30x40, but I'm not sure whether that one will cover all my needs...

Kal
 
It's up to you. I'm assuming that's continental European metric sizes in which case one easel should be fine, it's all I used or needed for 30 years mines the same size Beard (RRB) easel. 30x40cm /12"x16" isn't a particularly large print size and the Beards are easy to adjust for different sizes and border widths, it also sits nicely on enlarger baseboards.

I also have a larger one that came with a 10x8 enlarger.

Ian
 
I have a large easel 20"x24" [50cm x 60cm] , a medium size easel for up to 16"x20" [40cm x 50cm] and a small easel for up to 11"x14" [27.5cm x 35cm]. The first one is a Saunders four bladed easel that provides print margins. The other two are borderless easels.
 
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depends on the easel. If its an easel that holds the paper in the center of the easel such as a four bladed easel, then a single big easel will work OK. But if its a two bladed easel you find that a big easel used for smaller prints is a real pain becasue the paper goes into top left corner of easel and that needs to be centred under lens so that the easel then hangs out a long way over the baseboard edge which makes it very easy to accidentally move and the easel feet may not be on baseboard.
It might seem 4 bladed is better but personally I found them a pain to adjust and use and they don't have slots for all paper sizes. For that reason I have two 2 bladed easels (both RRB (Beard) easels). One takes upto 16x12in (30x40cm) paper which is great for smaller prints and the other will take upto 24x20in (60x50cm) paper for bigger prints.
 
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I will add to what RobC said. My four bladed easel has the paper in the middle of the baseboard. The reason that i do not use it on small prints, like 8"x10" is that when I lift the blade frame, the blade frame can get in the way if the enlarger head is low.
 
I would add that a 40x30 print is not a big print. Its medium I would say. Actually 135 format neg printed onto 40x30 paper with a 50mm white border is my personal favourite print size from 135 format neg.
So if 40x30 is the biggest print size you want to make then a single 2 bladed easel that can take 40x30 paper would be ideal for you assuming you don't have an enlarger with a tiny baseboard. It should do smaller sizes too without problems.

The RRB (Beard) easels are excellent if in decent condition. Minimum border size is 1/4 inch (6mm).

[edit]
took out link to one because on closer inspection it is in very poor condition
 
yes that looks in decent condition. There is a slight bend in the vertical blade so it doesn't quite lie flat on baseboard but that should be easy to take out if you are careful.
 
I'd suggest that a 40x50cm two blade easel is inconvenient for small prints (eg. the 13x18cm you mentioned), so find a smaller easel for those. With a couple of lower quality 40cm easels behind me I have ended up with a 42cm three-blade easel (as good as a four-blade and easier to set up, at this size) and a big RRBeard two-blade easel for large prints (used if either dimension is over about 35cm).

If the largest print size you can currently develop is 40cm, then don't worry about making a mistake getting a 40cm easel because it will still be a very practical thing to have, even if you eventually make some 60cm prints in the future.

Non-adjustable easels for general use seem a daft idea, though might make sense if you regularly have to turn out a few hundred 13x18, for example.
 
the beard 40x30 easel takes up 8cm of distance between baseboard column and paper when set to 1/4 inch border.

So on your enlarger you will a lens axis to column distance of at least 23cm for the 40x30 easel to fit properly and be able to make a full size print on 30x40 paper including 1/4 border.
 
correction. My smaller beard easel takes max paper size of 40x30. But at that size paper the largest image size (with blades at max opening) is 31x26. So if you printed a 135 format neg full frame then the biggest actual image would be close to 30x20 (12inx8in) with a 50mm border all round.
As I saaid before, I regard this as ideal for 135 format negative.
If you want to use more of the paper with narrower border all round then you would need a bigger enlarger.
I had forgotten that beard always quoted their easel sizes by the max printable image size and not the paper size. So my easel is actually a 12x10 easel which takes 40x30 paper. They also made a 16x12 (40x30) easel with actual max printable area being 40x30.

You need to check what the max printable size is before buying. The one in the video looks to be a 12x10 the same as mine but some people will call it 40x30 because thats the largest size paper it accepts.
 
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I have two easels - an 11x14 (inch) LPL 4-bladed easel which I use for everything from 5x7 to 11x14. With 4 bladed easels - as it was mentioned earlier - you always have the paper in the center so no need to move the easel around.

I also have a 20x24 easel which is a monster and I only use it when I need to print larger than 11x14. It overhangs on all 3 sides of my enlarger baseboard and limits the available space in my already small darkroom. It spends most of it's time behind a cabinet standing up along the wall.

If I were you I'd go with a 4 bladed easel. They are such a joy to use and easy to set up.

Ben
 
I have 4 easels. For consistency, I'll use inches - just multiply by 2.54 for centimetres.

I use a small, two bladed 8"x 10" easel that I use for weird paper sizes like 4" x 6".

Most of my work is done with a Saunders four bladed 11" x 14" easel that also serves as a fixed easel for 14" x 17".

I have an old, quite heavy 16" x 20" easel with two adjustable blades and a four sided outer frame - it works well with 12" x 16" paper, which I like, but have difficulty obtaining at reasonable cost.

And I have a two bladed 16"x 20" easel that is a little bit more flexible and a lot lighter than the heavier and older version.
 
Just get that 30X40cm RRB easel, they're really nice. The previous posters are correct to say that a large easel may not be ideal for small prints, but if 30X40cm is going to be your largest size, the RRB you talk about will be fine.

Then, as you will be working, printing, etc: over time you will understand your own needs, this too. Just keep an eye on 2nd hand equipment, easels in particular, and the perfect one always turns up. Give it all time !

It is how, over 40 years, I got four or five great easels and use them all, ha

PS: if you can't fix that blade to lay flat, send me a pm
 
I only do RC prints - prints I made 30 - 40 years ago on RC are still good and I don't think anyone is going to look at my pictures in 100 years time, so FB is not for me. So I use borderless easels with Spraymount adhesive. Most enlargers will only give you 20 x 30 inch enlargements at the height of the regular column i.e. without floor or wall projection; or a cranked column extension if you have the head-room in your darkroom. But, a 20 x 30 inch RRB easel needs a couple of inches around the edge, so that 16 x 12 inch is max you will get at the top of the column with an RRB easel. With my borderless easels I can get 20 x 16 inch borderless prints, though there is only minimal scope for cropping. I hate paying for paper with nothing on it; I can border the picture with the mount. If you want to do FB I think you need an RRB or similar blade easel, to keep the paper flat; re-positionable adhesive keeps RC paper flat without difficulty, unlike FB paper, in my experience
<http://www.apug.org/forums/forum41/6...nlarger-3.html> (there was a url link here which no longer exists)
 
Oh dear, I do find links difficult.
The message I wanted to convey is that with borderless easels and RC paper, I have one easel for 5 x 7 inch and 8 x 10 inch, my standard small sizes. And a 20 x 16 inch easel which I use for 10 x 12 inch, 16 x 12 inch, and 20 x 16 inch papers.
(there was a url link here which no longer exists)
Richard
 
When making many prints in a very few sizes, I found a set of Ganz Speed Ez-El easels to be practical. Their small outside size overcomes the problems with using a large easel under small enlargers.
 
Big easels are difficult to manage compared to medium size. Buy two.

Unless you have a custom baseboard that is very large and you can move a big one freely around.

One custom design is mount the column on a sturdy large panel. Another is to recess the factory base into a custom cut bench top.

Easels print in the center with four adjustable blades are easier to use than those that have only two blades and force you to work in upper left corner.

If on a budget, get a 4 blade for the largest print you wish to make.

Saunders V track are my favorites.

If you have an auto focus machine, you need a 1" high one or shim up a smaller one.
 
I would get multiple easels.
Even if a LARGE easel will handle smaller prints, just the physical handling of a LARGE easel can be a hassle.
The only decision is where to cut off. Example, for me, an 8x10 and 16x20 easels would make sense. The 16x20 easel would be a hassle when making 4x5 or 5x7 prints. Whereas the 8x10 easel would easily do them.
Also, a major factor is what size prints do you normally make. If you primarily make 11x14 and up, then don't bother with a small 8x10 easel.
 
Saunders 11x14 v track works well 3x5 to 11x14 . Small print is centered with 4 blades. Bigger is required for 16x20 or wide borders on 11x14 image. They are a pain for small prints.

If you can find a v track on e bay or garage sale, buy it because if it has not been dropped, all that goes wrong is the foam back goes bad. Tiffen will replace for a small fee. Store with weight of easel so as not to crush foam.
 
OK, I'm after the first printing session, have not done that for 20 years. It worked, but definitely I need an easel. I will go for 24x30, but I'm having sort of dilemma - I can buy four blade Leitz Easel, or two blade Beard one. Yes, I know - the Beards are the best available, but I'm wondering what would give me more convenience - additional blades or Beard's legend

Comments appreciated.
 
I thought this was all answered in above posts.

Buy them both and then sell the one you don't like.
 
As stated above, a four bladed easel sets the paper directly under the enlarger lens. A two bladed easel makes you move the easel every time you change the paper size.
 
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