Easel questions

wintoid · Nov 4, 2010

Hi all,

I'm a novice printer, currently using a plastic 8x10 mask thing which gives me a thin white border around my 8x10s. So many questions, I hope you don't mind...

If I buy a 16x12 easel, does the size reflect the paper size, or does it reflect the maximum image-on-paper? If the latter, can a 16x12 easel take, for example, 20x16 paper?

2-blade vs 4-blade : when printing from 35mm, I expect whatever paper dimension I have to be mostly filled with image, with a small border, and I assume 2-blade is OK for this. When printing from 6x6, I am going to need a square in the middle of a rectangle. Is this when a 4-blade becomes important?

How do I do black borders?

Any help/advice greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Simon

Paul VanAudenhove · Nov 4, 2010

The size of the easel reflects the largest size of paper it can hold. So, an 11x14 easel can handle paper sizes up to 11 inches by 14 inches.

I prefer to use a 4 blade easel. I find that it is easier to set different border sizes, and the easel stays centered on the baseboard. With a 2 blade easel, the easel may hang over the edge of the baseboard - making it easier to bump.

Jim Jones · Nov 4, 2010

The listed size of the easel is the paper size, not the image size. Unlike a two-blade easel, the four-blade easel permits printing a square in the middle of a rectangle, as you suspedted. Black borders are usually printed by covering the image area and exposing the paper to white light.

(edit) Oops, Paul thinks and types faster than me.

hpulley · Nov 4, 2010

I have an 11x14 4-blade and an 8x10 2-blade but I almost never use the 2-blade.

Note: This is mostly obvious but just in case... A 16x12 easel will let you print onto 11x14 paper right to the edge if you like or of any other border size and 4-sided shape you want. An 11x14 easel fits 11x14 paper but will only print out to 10x13 or so with the 1" blades requiring you to have at least a 1" border.

Ian C · Nov 4, 2010

Black Borders

To make black borders you need a borderless easel. You can buy one or can easily make one from an appropriate sized sheet of plywood. The paper indexes the top edge against the top fence of the easel and the side indexes against the side fence or against both left and right sides if wanted.

Lets suppose that you want 1 black borders all the way around a 20 x 16 print. You can make an 18 x 14 rectangle of dense pressboardcalled Masonite in the US. Youd need four 1 wide pieces for spacers (or 2 long onesone for each of the two indexed edges).

Lay the print in position with the top against the top fence and the side against the side fence and expose the image. Then youd lay 2 spacers on top of the print and against the top fence and 2 on top of the print against the side fence.

Now position the 18 x 14 rectangular pressboard mask with its top edge against the 2 top spacers and its side against the 2 side spacers. The mask is now centered on the print and covers the print except for the 1 borders all the way around.

Carefully remove the spacers while pressing down firmly on the mask so that the mask and the print below cannot move. Switch on the room lights long enough to fully expose the border.

When developed, your print will have the uniform 1 wide black border that you desire.

wintoid · Nov 4, 2010

Thanks guys. So if I use a Saunders 11x14 4-blade to print on 10x12 paper, what's the smallest border I can have? I suppose that's determined by the blade width.

hpulley · Nov 4, 2010

Blades tend to be about an inch wide so you can likely print close to the edge if you're careful.

David William White · Nov 4, 2010

Easier Black Borders:

Instead of spacers and all that, you place the mask in the top left corner, then expose white light. Then slide the mask to the bottom right corner and repeat.

MattKing · Nov 4, 2010

My Saunders 11x14 4 blade easels can be used with 14x17 paper as well - the 4 blades pivot up leaving a fixed 14x17 size mask that produces 1/4" white borders.

I regularly create borders larger than the easel blades themselves. You just need to cover the area outside of the blades. I tape thin cardboard to the blades themselves to ensure that no light hits the photographic paper extending beyond the blades.

GeorgesGiralt · Nov 4, 2010

Hello Wintoid,
If I where you I will try to save money. As my grand mother told me, "we are not rich enough to buy cheap"....
I would buy a 4 bladed easel the largest size and heavier size you can accommodate / find.
I do not know where you live, if in Europe, try to find an RRB or Dunco 4 blades easel, if in the USA a Saunders or the like. The heavier, the best. The Dunco is still made but a t a price. I do not know for the American made products. But the second hand market could provide you whatever you want...
I do favor the RRB because they are build like tanks and they allow for easily making black border. But the killing thing is that all 4 blades can be set at any angle you may want. This allow for square less prints or adjusting perfectly the square of the blades ..... And this can make a difference...

hpulley · Nov 4, 2010

4-blade 14x17" (for 11x14" paper) Saunders are still expensive used, they seem to command $150 or so on eBay.

Wade D · Nov 5, 2010

Easels, even if bought used, are expensive and over rated. Just expose your paper on the base board with small weights holding the corners flat. A simple mask can be made of cardboard for black borders. Just make sure it is very slightly smaller than the image area for a sharp border. When money is in short supply innovation takes over.

David William White · Nov 5, 2010

I tend to side with Wade D. That's exactly what I do when printing 20x24.

However, an easel of any sort (2, 4, or speed) is very useful when a change in perspective is desired. A lightweight speed easel is easy to tilt and chock, even my 16x20.

That said, I do have a 4-blade 11x14 with prop-open thingy that is totally awesome. I've managed to acquire several easels, mostly through the kindness of friends and the desperation of closing labs.

fschifano · Nov 5, 2010

GeorgesGiralt said:
If I where you I will try to save money. As my grand mother told me, "we are not rich enough to buy cheap"....
I would buy a 4 bladed easel the largest size and heavier size you can accommodate / find.

Now that's my kind of thinking. You buy cheap and you're guaranteed to buy it twice or three times. Buy the best you can afford, buy it once, and use it for a very long time without trouble.

David William White · Nov 5, 2010

Easel trouble?

pschauss · Nov 5, 2010

hpulley said:
4-blade 14x17" (for 11x14" paper) Saunders are still expensive used, they seem to command $150 or so on eBay.

FWIW, I bought a Saunders 11X14" 4 blade easel, used, about a year and a half ago for less than $40 with shipping. I believe that it was advertised either here or on photonet. There is a lot of used darkroom equipment out there at very affordable prices. You just have to be patient.

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