Edwards Engineered Products Vac Frame

James Sullivan · Jan 3, 2017

Has anyone purchased or used a vacuum frame built by Edwards Engineered Products? Ive been looking into getting one, was wondering if anyone could attest to how it worked out for them...

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barzune · Jan 4, 2017

James Sullivan said:
Has anyone purchased or used a vacuum frame built by Edwards Engineered Products? Ive been looking into getting one, was wondering if anyone could attest to how it worked out for them...

See:
Dead Link Removed

At those prices, I wouldn't even consider it.

RalphLambrecht · Jan 4, 2017

barzune said:
At those prices, I wouldn't even consider it.

true and totally unnecessary too.the depth of field during enlarging takesare of any unevenness in the paper!
awaste of money and time.

Sal Santamaura · Jan 4, 2017

RalphLambrecht said:
true and totally unnecessary too.the depth of field during enlarging takesare of any unevenness in the paper!
awaste of money and time.

This thread was started in the "Contact Printing" category. Enlarging has nothing to do with it. The larger the negative and the less flat a particular printing paper, the more valuable a vacuum frame is compared to spring-back (or other design) contact frames. An even greater advantage over the "just put a piece of glass over it" contacting approach.

RalphLambrecht · Jan 5, 2017

Sal Santamaura said:
This thread was started in the "Contact Printing" category. Enlarging has nothing to do with it. The larger the negative and the less flat a particular printing paper, the more valuable a vacuum frame is compared to spring-back (or other design) contact frames. An even greater advantage over the "just put a piece of glass over it" contacting approach.

my oversight,sorry but this stillseems OTT to me

James Sullivan · Jan 5, 2017

RalphLambrecht said:
my oversight,sorry but this stillseems OTT to me

Do you think vacuum frames aren't valuable? Im not understanding why you dislike them so...or is this one just too pricey?

Sal Santamaura · Jan 5, 2017

James Sullivan said:
Do you think vacuum frames aren't valuable?...

I suspect Ralph thinks they're "over the top" because he's never tried to make a contact print of an ULF negative on a sheet of very curly fiber-based paper.

RalphLambrecht · Jan 5, 2017

James Sullivan said:
Do you think vacuum frames aren't valuable? Im not understanding why you dislike them so...or is this one just too pricey?

I hsd one. I dont dislike them but found them to be overrated and unneccessary. A simple spring-loaded frame does the trick. I just prefer low-tech solutions,I guess;still use a fountain pen...

Tom Taylor · Mar 11, 2017

Recently I started contact printing 8x10 negatives onto 11x14 size paper for alternative printing and recalled reading somewhere that you really need a vacuum frame for contact printing beyond 8x10. Instead of getting a vacuum frame I have been placing a blank sheet of paper in the frame with the coated sheet which doubles the thickness of the paper resulting in a "tighter" fit. When I reach the end of the package I'm working on I'm going to place the stiff cardboard covering the paper comes with for an even tighter fit.

Thomas

Mick Fagan · Mar 11, 2017

Vacuum frames were a wonderful tool in the graphic arts community, still used a bit, but nothing like in their heyday, which was the seventies and eighties. We had heaps of Nuarc swinging vacuum frames. Some of them double headers, meaning you could load the flip side while the underside was being exposed.

There may be something quite cheap available from graphic art houses or printing shops, as almost all of them probably used a vacuum frame of some sort.

I live in Australia and these things were a bit thin on the ground here, compared to the USA that is. We have quite a few turning up every now and again here, so I have no doubt there should be quite a few around your neck of the woods.

We ran a Nuarc vacuum frame under a wall mounted enlarger for contact printing B&W and colour negatives and/or transparencies, usually 8x10" and 11x14". But with the Nuarc it was certainly possible to do 24x30" as that was the size of the vacuum rubber.

I have no idea as to whether or not the Edwards Engineered product is any good, but I have viewed them online sometime ago and wondered if any made it to my country and would they ever come up secondhand and would I know about it and would I be able to purchase it? Sigh.

Mick.

Oxleyroad · Mar 12, 2017

RalphLambrecht said:
... still use a fountain pen...

So do I! My grandmother gave me mine when earned my pen license in grade 5 (1979) and is still going strong with one overhaul. It's a pleasure writing with a fountain pen.

Mick Fagan · Mar 13, 2017

Had this for over 50 years.

silveror0 · Mar 13, 2017

Yes, they're a joy to write with, but I gave up on them after my brand new Cross sprang a leak in the breast pocket of my suit at a business meeting, soaking my shirt and coming through the front of my suit. After cleaning up the mess my hands looked like I had just finished working with a mimeograph machine. YuK!

Edwards Engineered Products Vac Frame

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