First time buyer. Need advice.

http://sandiego.craigslist.org/nsd/pho/3616256568.html

I'm going to pick this unit up if things workout tomorrow.

I wanted to know what you guys know about this model and if the lenses that come with it are decent or not. I will be doing mostly 6x6 and 6x9 black and white. I know I will need a 6x9 lens and carrier.

Anything in particular I should be testing and looking for. This is my first enlarger purchase. BTW, the kit comes with more dark room supplies and timer, etc.

Thanks.

OK what does not make sense is the location is San Diego, but the phone number is Hawaii.
That must be a cell phone retaining the Hawaii phone number.

From looking at the pix, I think you have a pretty good deal.

Blowing up the pix you have a Bessler 50/3.5 and 75/5.6 lenses. So it looks like the enlarger is setup for 35mm and 6x6.
To do 6x9, you will need to get
- a 105mm lens
- another lens board for the 105, or if you will not do 35mm, just use the lens board for the 50mm lens.
- a 6x9 negative carrier

I do not know the quality of the Bessler lenses. It all depends on who made them and what model level. You won't know that until you open the lens box and look at the lenses. Caution, the German lenses have very similar sounding model names, which confused the heck out of me, example the Schnieder Componar, Comparon, and Componon. It took me years to get it straight. I would plan on upgrading the 75mm lens at some point. 75/80mm lenses are not very expensive, you can find good ones for less than $50.

As for testing, it will be difficult to do in the disassembled state that it is in. You may have to buy it on faith that it works. Otherwise you have to assemble the enlarger to get it into a position that you can test the head. Then you have to disassemble it to move it.

If he has the manual, get it. I have a PDF of the manual for the basic 23C, but not the color head. Instructions for the color head is important. You should be able to find it online. But if he has it, so much the better.

I'm not familiar with Beselers but that looks like a 6x6 enlarger. Is the head large enough to do 6x9?

According to the manual, the 23C can handle up to 2-1/4 x 3-1/4 (6x9).

It is a Beseler 23CII with a colour head.

A good, robust enlarger that was a favourite in school darkrooms in North America. It will handle everything from sub-miniature to 2-1/4 x 3-1/4 (6x9).

I have a pdf manual for the enlarger, but not the dga colour head. If you need the enlarger manual, send me a pm with your email address.

The lenses shown (assuming they match the boxes ) are fairly mediocre, but they will certainly get you started.

I agree with MattKing, looks to be new out of the box, but you will need a new set of lens. Finding a 6X9 negative carrier should not a problem, check ebay.

I got the kit this morning. Erected in the garage for now to play around with it. It did come in original box and everything seems to be in top shape / new. however, I've few questions.

1.) Seems like the timer is not working for me, not sure if I'm wiring it correctly from the pwer supply. When I put the timer on lights On for focus the lamp insdie the head comes on. But when I put it to exposure and press the relay switch for timed exposure I do not see the the lamp being turned on. Note: The door to the head is closed, Im looking under the bellows.

2.)Should the fan inside the head be running all the time? or is it on a thermocouple and only turns the fan on when it gets hot in the head unit.


Thanks

Congrats on the kit.

#1. Timer. At first glance, it seems that the relay/circuit in the timer has gone out.
I find it easier to trouble shoot one part at a time. So lets deal with the timer alone. Unplug the color head and plug a regular incandescent lamp into the timer, turn on the lamp, then check the timer to see if it works. Set the timer to something like 10 sec, vs. 00 sec. Only when you have figured out the timer, then plug in the color head to see if they work together.
Did you get a manual for the timer? If not do an internet search for a manual.
Worse case, timers are not expensive. Heck I managed to collect 3 of them w/o trying, like you they came as part of a package.

#1 and 2. That is why I said you need the manual for the color head. Different systems wire the color head/power supply/timer differently. Some come after the timer, some put the timer into the power supply circuit, others .... Do an internet search for the manual for the color head.
Hopefully someone who has a C23+color head can help.

And CLEAN everything. I found that stuff in storeage gets dust everywhere. YUK.

ac12 said:

Congrats on the kit.

#1. Timer. At first glance, it seems that the relay/circuit in the timer has gone out.
I find it easier to trouble shoot one part at a time. So lets deal with the timer alone. Unplug the color head and plug a regular incandescent lamp into the timer, turn on the lamp, then check the timer to see if it works. Set the timer to something like 10 sec, vs. 00 sec. Only when you have figured out the timer, then plug in the color head to see if they work together.
Did you get a manual for the timer? If not do an internet search for a manual.
Worse case, timers are not expensive. Heck I managed to collect 3 of them w/o trying, like you they came as part of a package.

#1 and 2. That is why I said you need the manual for the color head. Different systems wire the color head/power supply/timer differently. Some come after the timer, some put the timer into the power supply circuit, others .... Do an internet search for the manual for the color head.
Hopefully someone who has a C23+color head can help.

And CLEAN everything. I found that stuff in storeage gets dust everywhere. YUK.

Click to expand...

Yes, it appears the timer is not enaging when in the switch is positioned in "Time" bummer.
I would need to get a working timer and then see if the fan works or not. Hopefully, as you said someone could tell me if the fan should be working regrdless of the timer or not.

Thanks

You NEED the manual for the color head.
If all the power to the head is via a single standard power cord to the timer, the fan will NOT run except when the timer is ON.
For the fan to run w/o the timer on, the power to the fan has to bypass the timer.
The wiring can be a little complicated which is why you need to get a copy of the manual for the color head.
Example, the Omega color head has a 6 pin power cable that has to go to a special power supply where the timer is on a separate circuit from the fan.

What make and model is the timer?
Maybe we can find the instruction manual on line.

Look at this manual and see if it matches your color head.
http://www.jollinger.com/photo/cam-coll/manuals/enlargers/beseler/Beseler_DualDichro23_head.pdf
If so the wiring instruction is on page 6 and 7.
Note that there is a very important caution in the instructions.

ac12 said:

Look at this manual and see if it matches your color head.
http://www.jollinger.com/photo/cam-coll/manuals/enlargers/beseler/Beseler_DualDichro23_head.pdf
If so the wiring instruction is on page 6 and 7.
Note that there is a very important caution in the instructions.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the link, my colour head is the Dichro 23dga. I will look for manual but it seems there is not much on this head. I also got the condenser type light dome and glass, I wonder if I should change it back to just that for black and white work,
then I will have to use contrast filters. I read that I can use the integrated filters in the head for contrast filters though.

Thanks and if you have a link on the 23dga I would really appreciate it.

Thanks again for your help

Amir

Yes I stumbled on the other link.
Some instruction manuals are VERY hard to find for free and you may just have to buy it.

You can go to Ilford site and I think they have a table of the color head setting to equate to MC filters.
Then you just dial in the setting you need and go.

But there is nothing wrong with a condenser enlarger.
Just buy a set of Ilford MC filters of the correct size for the enlarger.
It really isn't much of a hassle to use.
And this will also let you start to use your enlarger while you are figuring out the color head.

BTW do you have a manual for the enlarger? If you don't that same site has manuals for the 23C.
Pay attention to the setup process for using the condensers. You have to adjust the condenser height based on which lens you use.

Thank you so much for your help.