Enlarger stand

[Robert]

I've decided to reclaim the bench the enlarger is sitting on. It's too high anyways. Other then making the new stand good and strong anything people find essential? I figure I might put a couple of big drawers under it but I can't think of anything else that would be of any use. It will be about 36"x36" [say 1meter x 1meter] and 2feet high [60cm]

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

If you're building it from scratch, you could set it up so the baseboard can be dropped to different levels for large prints. The enlarger column would be bolted directly to the frame of the stand or wall mounted, and the baseboard would rest on rails set at the normal level with additional rails, say, one foot and two feet below the top.

 

[lee]

I am fashioning an enlarger stand from two cabinet bases. That way I can have a side for drawers and one for shelves with doors. The issue is they cost an arm and a leg. I only got two of each and I need them. So, I am looking for something cheap. (Home Depot wants about $100 for each unit and I don' t want to pay that much) Then I will put a 3/4 inch plywood top on it and then make that drop table David was talking about. I don't think I will formica it thou. Too much work. Right now, I have installed a 2x4 at the hight I wanted minus the 3/4 inch plywood and then I just screwed the plywood to the 2x4 and added legs at an angle from the wall to the edge of the plywood. Took about an hour to build. The other stand will take longer of that I am sure.


lee\c

 

[Robert]

The problem I have is the basement is a max of 96" high. Sounds good but the enlarger fully extended is 71". It's fine about 99.9999% of the time on the bench it's on. Then you have times like this morning. I was enlarging a 2"x2" section of a 4x5 negative. With the head hitting the ceiling I managed 8x10. Which was fine. I doubt I'll find anything short enough and strong enough so it's going to be me and the saw.

The baseboard allegedly pops out but it's so old I'm afraid I'll never get it back together again.

 

[glbeas]

In most cases the baseboard is not at all hard to replace with a sheet of 3/4 inch plywood or particle board. On my Beseler 45 I replaced it right away so I could make it a good 6 inches longer so I could center the easel under it more effectively. Old baseboards often aquire a warp and need replacing anyway so take that into consideration as well.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

Also, if you're enlarging a 2x2 section of a 4x5" neg, consider switching to a shorter lens, since you don't need to cover the whole neg.

 

[Robert]

Nice thing about the design of my old Beseler is the baseboard is trapped. It can't really go anyplace. Bad thing is you can't make it bigger.

http://www.russcamera.com/beselercb7.html

Mine is the same model but not quite that pretty.

I'll try using the shorter lens next week. I really should try and retake the photo filling the negative.

thanks

 

[glbeas]

Looks like that one at russcamera has the baseboard size limitations overcome by sinking the enlarger into the table flush with the baseboard. With a removeable center board for adjustable shelf projection you would have the best of both worlds.

 

[Robert]

So I finally built the stand. Call me slow it won't bother me. I'd basically settled on the design then late this week decided to change it. When I got to the lumber yard I changed it again. I can add a set of drawers to it later if I want. The whole thing set me back about $40 but that included a box of screws. I now need to get used to sitting down at the enlarger.

 

[Jeremy]

My enlarger is at waist-level when standing and when I turn around my darkroom sink is too. I have a medical condition entailing some funky leg movement so I have a padded barstool. And if I get really lazy it also swings around... now if only school would settle down I could get back to printing. Why do the professors ALL assume that the only class you are taking is theirs?