Home made enlarger

[polyglot]

People still do DIY builds all the time and I think you'd be totally wrong to assume that that sort of thing is on the decline - see the huge surge of interest in "maker" culture, Arduinos, 3D printing, DIY audio, etc, etc. Hell, I welded up a couple of new garden gates the other week ($200 of steel vs $600+ off the shelf!) and have spent the last couple of nights assembling a 6-channel amplifier for my 4-way active-crossover home theatre.

Sure, enlarger builds are on the wane but that's to be expected when you can pick up an as-new medium format enlarger with lens for $50; it's just not worth the labour and materials to start from zero. I still see lots of DIY LF cameras happening, but largely people will DIY things that they can buy the parts affordably whereas the finished product is otherwise too expensive. The reverse is arguably true for enlargers at this point in time!

 

[AgX]

But the most recent books on this issue are from the 70's, maybe 80's.

Meanwhile a lot of new instructions are hanging in the mazes of the net.

 

[Randy Moe]

Evan, What lens are you using?

 

[eclarke]

Evan, What lens are you using?

A 300 Rodenstock f5.6 Rodagon

 

[smithdoor]

The old way some did up to around the 80's is put the lens in the wall or door. Low cost an lot of print shops use this for there process camera
My father made one for a place that print all the coke machine use for over 30 years till they had a fire. They put a lens in the wall with a track over head

Dave

A 300 Rodenstock f5.6 Rodagon

 

[Randy Moe]

So you are saying a 300 Rodagon will print 11x14 negs?

If so, that is great news, as I have one.

Thanks!