Focomat IIC Head / Bellow Suddenly Drops Down

[Hilo]

wfw, I am sorry to hear you had trouble with the IIc, that is never nice. Although my experience has been the opposite, what you say is not new to me. As I wrote before, from the mid-nineties until last year, I had this dear friend who was a repairman with Leitz for most of his life. He was schooled in their factories around his twenties and kept going back year in year out to be updated on everything. We talked, on numerous occasions, about the IIc and also about it's tendency to not focus correctly. For him it was simple: either the enlarger had suffered a trauma, or someone had worked on the lens and had put back elements incorrectly. He retired early and then worked from home. I sent many friends to him with their enlargers and he fixed problems like this.
He found the IIc's largest weakness that it should be taken apart to be transported. I don't remember why exactly he thought that, it had to do with the IIc still being a rather small enlarger and people not realizing they should take it apart for transport.

For me it has never been a problem. Perhaps I have been lucky. Printing sizes (still these days) from 24x30cm to 50x60cm, I use the Elmar and the Focotar 100mm lenses and not only in the IIc but also in a Durst L1000 that is wall mounted. I also use some Computars and Schneiders. I always focus as much as possible in the corners, because I was taught that was the way.

Your remark about the early Focomat IIa is spot on! The one helical focuser is so much easier to work with. This enlarger's negative holder is also larger than the IIc's negative holder which can be too tight for certain 6x6 (and up) negatives. The Focomat Ic (135mm) is a great enlarger too, but the same plays. In many ways I much prefer the Valoy II which, like the IIa, has a simple large helical that makes it possible to use any lens. I have modified two Valoy II enlargers to do up to 50x60cm. The lack of automatic focus is a relief.

To work now. Printing.

 

[Lachlan Young]

Consequently for us, the IIC cannot utilize standard modern enlarging lenses.

Yes it can - if you're prepared to pay Kienzle quite a chunk of change to do the work.

 

[wfw]

Yes it can - if you're prepared to pay Kienzle quite a chunk of change to do the work.

Yeah, right. I understand, but that has always been out of the question for me. At one time I drew up a plan of my own to be able to use modern lenses. But it required so much work that I couldn't possibly impose it on my machinist (or my bank account).

 

[Wyck]

Sorry for my absence, yesterday was a trip to visit family.

Thank you for everyones help with this. Today I came back with a fresh approach and re-read the comments. I retracted my temporary Bowden cable to enable the wheel to run on the top cam to give maximum bellows movement, I did this to test the movement in the head, I lowered the head as far as it will go, this enabled me to lift the head up and down to test if the head was sticking as suggested in a post. It wasn't. There is plenty of weight there too, so for it to be sticking it would take quite a bit of crud in the runners.

I then looked at the knurled knob and watched the indent move nicely in and out of the ridges as I raised and lowered the head (using the technique of holding by where the Bowden cable enters. I then thought this may be where the enlarger is sticking as it moves from one ridge to another. There are 4 screws that hold the enlargers enlargement scale plate to the enlarger. You have to unscrew the knurled knob that you undue to move the head up and down to gain easier access to the screws. I cleaned all parts and gave them a very light oil with WD40 (perhaps not the best). I then put this back on and the result was the same. I then removed this once more to enable me to dismantle the knurled knob. This I dismantled, cleaned and oiled. There is a grove within the knurled knob that I cleaned too. Unfortunately none off this has solved the problem.

I then looked at WFW's comment regarding - from memory the knurled knob should be pulled out and not in. As you all know I have had the knurled knob selected. I was wrong, it shouldn't be selected, it should be out as WFW and I think someone else hinted at (sorry). With the knurled know selected correctly the enlarger moves up and down beautifully and stays in focus throughout the range. I will always double check the focus before printing.

I am sorry if I have wasted your time, I have included the pictures of the work I have done and I believe it was well worth me oiling the nipples and cleaning the section in the photographs as the enlarge moves with ease. I have also included two pages from the manual that talk about the knurled knob. Page 18 is perhaps not that clear, it's the last 13 lines on page 18. It says to "Disconnect the automatic focus mechanism as follows. Pull out the knurled head, give it half a clockwise or anti-clockwise turn." This suggests to me the the head should be in for the autofocus to work. It is only when you read on and it refers to the grooves that all kind of makes sense. It may be me but this is not very well written and perhaps incorrect.

My wife is going to kill me! All she has heard over the last 2 days is about the enlarger or the cricket.

Thank you all for your help and support.
Gary

 

[wfw]

wfw, I am sorry to hear you had trouble with the IIc, that is never nice. Although my experience has been the opposite, what you say is not new to me. As I wrote before, from the mid-nineties until last year, I had this dear friend who was a repairman with Leitz for most of his life. He was schooled in their factories around his twenties and kept going back year in year out to be updated on everything. We talked, on numerous occasions, about the IIc and also about it's tendency to not focus correctly. For him it was simple: either the enlarger had suffered a trauma, or someone had worked on the lens and had put back elements incorrectly. He retired early and then worked from home. I sent many friends to him with their enlargers and he fixed problems like this.
He found the IIc's largest weakness that it should be taken apart to be transported. I don't remember why exactly he thought that, it had to do with the IIc still being a rather small enlarger and people not realizing they should take it apart for transport. ...

Michael,
Don't misunderstand my comments. I loved the Focomat IIC. But I was disappointed with the optics, especially since they came from the hallowed halls of Leitz. As I noted, I was able to make some good prints with that set-up and truly enjoyed working with such a mechanically robust enlarger. I'm just of the opinion that Leitz painted themselves into a corner with that one.
But then, they didn't consult me!

I am now working with an early Focomat IIA with the single helicoid which I was able to adapt to take a modern lens. While not as robust as the later IIC, it is still a substantial enlarger. I enjoy vintage equipment, so it satisfies that itch, too. And my 35mm enlarger is a Valoy II which, as you note, is a pleasure to work with. I have a 63mm El Nikkor lens on it. Being longer than the designed lend for that enlarger, I used an old 15mm M39 extension tube from a Visoflex (I believe). That neatly makes up for the difference in focal length and the 63mm El Nikkor is a wonderful lens for 35mm. Yes, I am restricted to making relatively small prints. But if I need to make larger prints, I can use the Durst 138.

I've always been a frustrated engineer...
Regards,

 

[wfw]

Gary,
So glad you found success!

Light machine oil doesn't sound quite like the correct lubricant and WD-40 certainly does not. But no harm done; you're not building a racing engine!
I don't know what would be appropriate. There's probably a schedule of lubricants somewhere either in a service manual or in someone's brain. I'd keep searching. My guess is that some molybdenum disulfide grease would probably work. And a few dollars will buy you a lifetime supply at the auto parts store. But don't take my word for it. I'd hate to cause you a problem!

Tell your wife how much money you saved by not having to ship that beast of an enlarger off to a technician (if you could find one who knows Focomats).

 

[Wyck]

Thank you again, I do feel a bit stupid if the truth be known!

I used the recommended pure sewing machine oil (singer) on the red nipples, I also purchased a really small precision oil dropper tool for the purpose. From a google search I came up with Helimax-XP - 'Camera telescope optical instrument focusing helicoid grease'. I may look to purchase some of this in the future as it appears to be the best option, but I will continue to research.

Good point, I must remind her how much money I've just saved. Or perhaps not as she many want to spend it...

 

[Hilo]

Gary, all good then ! No worries about that !

I learned something again. I have been stalling to take apart a very dusty and dirty early IIc. Now I am glad to be back into it.

Long live the curled head screw !

 

[bence8810]

Hi all,

Michael's friend here, I read through the comments and saw that I am late to the party Great that the enlarger is now fixed and that it was such a simple fix after all. While reading I had images running through my head with your IIc falling off a workbench years ago which resulted in some parts being bent etc... glad that wasn't the case after all.

I have replaced the bellows on my IIc once as it was mentioned above and it isn't a simple task, you should be happy you don't have to go through it

Good luck with the enlarger and let us know if you have any other questions.
Once you have the bowden cable your enlarger will be up and running like it should. I assume you got the one from Kienzle...

Good day,
Ben

 

[Wyck]

Hi Ben,

Thanks for looking in on this thread. Yes really pleased all is working well now. I too had that thought that something may have got damaged in the past.

I did order my Bowden cable from Kienzle. Hopefully that will be with me soon so then I will have a nice setup that works as it should.

All the best
Gary

 

[bence8810]

Hi Ben,

Thanks for looking in on this thread. Yes really pleased all is working well now. I too had that thought that something may have got damaged in the past.

I did order my Bowden cable from Kienzle. Hopefully that will be with me soon so then I will have a nice setup that works as it should.

All the best
Gary

Hi Gary,

Since written to you here I tested my IIc's (have 2 right now) and indeed I could recreate what you described about the lens stage train dropping abruptly just by moving the knurled knob to the "in" position.

Happy printing and keep us posted on how things are going. I don't check this site as often as I used to but Michael will surely alert me if something...

Ben