Home made enlarger

thisismyname09 · May 11, 2009

Is it possible? Is it worth doing? The necessary components of an enlarger include a light source, a condenser/matte glass, negative holder, bellows, a lens, something to alter the height, and a flat surface to project the image on, correct? If people can make their own LF cameras, I'd assume I can make an enlarger with enough planning and care.

BetterSense · May 11, 2009

I've thought about it myself. I'm sure it would be possible to make one, using a commercially available lens. The light source would probably be the hardest part. I would be interested in a LF one, and that's a lot of light.

thisismyname09 · May 11, 2009

What exactly makes the light source the most difficult?

JPD · May 11, 2009

Of course it's possible. People have made their own enlargers since glass plates were invented. There have been many instructions and blueprints in photo magazines and books for over a hundred years.

I'm making one, or at least an enlarging head for 9x12 I'm planning to use on the stand for my Fujimoto G70. It's basically a box of wood and plywood. 25W energy saving lamp (I know, but with it I don't need ventilation) a slot for filters and acrylic opal glass ca 25 cm beneath it. Then an old plate camera with bellows for focusing, with a Schneider Componon.

The light is very good and even. The fluorecent lamp needs to be on for a while to reach it's full brightness, and I will have to cover the lens with my hand after the exposure, because it takes a few seconds before it compleatly stops giving off light.

Changeling1 · May 11, 2009

With the huge quantities of high-end enlargers available for ridiculously low prices there would be little monetary advantage to building one from scratch. Maybe you should look into building a sturdy trailer that you can attach to your car to transport all the cool darkroom equipment you can pick up for a song!

Jeff Bannow · May 11, 2009

I just bought an 8x10 enlarger for $200, and 4x5 enlargers are going for even less around here. Personally, I would rather spend my time printing rather than tinkering.

But, sure it can be done, if you have the tools, time and patience.

vdoak · May 11, 2009

I live where there is not an over abundance of cheap 4x5 enlargers flooding the market. So I made one. http://www.doak.no/index_files/2-enlarg.htm

The diffuser is perspex, the light source is 6 incandescent light bulbs, the rest is shelving brackets aluminum angle brackets and plywood.

I do spend a little extra time aligning it for each session but have found a alignment tool made from a conference room laser pointer indispensable.

dpurdy · May 11, 2009

I made one that is designed to turn an 8x10 wood field camera into an enlarger. Once I made it I just left the camera in place and got a different camera to shoot with. Rather than moving up and down for enlargements, I put the camera in the top of a wooden cabinet, looking down, and put shelves in at the right height for 11x14 or 16x20. The film holder is plate glass that fits the place for the film back. The light source is a smaller wooden cabinet, a box, with a piece of milk glass at the bottom and nine small light bulbs at the top. It was pretty simple to build and I built the whole thing with a table saw. I took the bellows off the camera and replaced it with plain black cloth.

It was a necessary project for a guy with no money when 810 enlargers were expensive. I wouldn't bother building one today.

srs5694 · May 11, 2009

See (there was a url link here which no longer exists) recent thread.

DWThomas · May 11, 2009

I made a couple of them back when I was young and poor, but with the going rate for used ones it would be difficult to justify today. One used a large tin can (1.5 liter or so) for a lamphouse upon which I emblazoned "Nomega." Not to mention unless one is a machinist, it's tough to get a real smooth-working quality unit compared with what one can buy. I picked up my Omega B-8 with the 6-element 50mm EL-Nikkor lens and supplemental condenser for about $80 and acquired an 80mm Nikkor for less than $30 and I'm quite happy - my first "real" enlarger -- after only 50 years!

There have been a fair number of stories on these forums about units being given away.

DaveT

Removed Account · May 11, 2009

6x6 and 4x5 enlargers can be found pretty easily and cheaply around here if you keep your eyes peeled, but 5x7 and 8x10 enlargers are few and far between. There is one Durst 5x7 on the island right now, but the owner is asking $1500 which is about 2 months income for me. In this case, it would be worth the effort to build my own rather than wait for the mythical cost-of-taking-it-away enlarger!

JPD · May 11, 2009

It's difficult to find used 4x5" enlargers in my part of the country, and they are expensive to ship. I will use my home made cheap enlarger until I find a good used one for less than $400.

dougjgreen · May 11, 2009

Nowadays, there is no reason whatsoever to do this. Due to the digital revolution, Perfectly good used enlargers can be bought nowadays for barely more than the cost of shipping them.

Andrew O'Neill · May 11, 2009

I think it's worth it to build your own if you need an 8x10 enlarger. I couldn't afford one so I got my hands on an old copy camera from the graphics industry for nothing, stripped it down to bare bones, added an Aristo 1212 head up top, and a 240mm Schneider lens below. I made the negative holder out of 3/8th inch plywood with A/N glass on top, and cheap plate glass below. I split filter print with large Rosco filters. The enlarger is bolted to the wall. It has served me well.

nicefor88 · May 12, 2009

I admire you guys, capable of building your own enlargers. I don't even try. I was lucky enough to get for free a Leitz Valoy a few years ago. An old lady wanted to get rid of her dead husband's photo equipment. She didn't know the real value of that item and refused my money so I did some repair work at her house, to feel better about it.

Steve Smith · May 12, 2009

vdoak said:
I live where there is not an over abundance of cheap 4x5 enlargers flooding the market.

Excellent. The adjustable shelf bracket mounting for the enlarger and the baseboard is a fantastic idea.

Steve.

Jeff Bannow · May 12, 2009

I would also investigate having an enlarger shipped - a couple hundred dollars in shipping is likely cheaper than making your own.

Steve Smith · May 12, 2009

dougjgreen said:
Nowadays, there is no reason whatsoever to do this. Due to the digital revolution, Perfectly good used enlargers can be bought nowadays for barely more than the cost of shipping them.

Not in the U.K. They are common up to 6x9cm but 5"x4" and upwards are expensive.

Steve.

Steve Smith · May 12, 2009

dougjgreen said:
Nowadays, there is no reason whatsoever to do this.

Except that some people like making things just for the challenge of making them.

Steve.

michaelbsc · Jun 16, 2009

Steve Smith said:
Except that some people like making things just for the challenge of making them.

Here! Here! I don't know that I would try to make an enlarger, but I certainly would try - and have tried - to make other things that I could buy cheaper. Sometimes the satisfaction is in the challenge.

MB

vdoak · Jun 27, 2009

michaelbsc said:
Here! Here! I don't know that I would try to make an enlarger, but I certainly would try - and have tried - to make other things that I could buy cheaper. Sometimes the satisfaction is in the challenge.

MB

! !

AlanC · Jul 5, 2009

Victor,
I have just seen this thread for the first time. I checked out your enlarger and am very impressed. Some great ideas there!

Alan Clark

vdoak · Jul 6, 2009

AlanC said:
Victor,
I have just seen this thread for the first time. I checked out your enlarger and am very impressed. Some great ideas there!

Alan Clark

Thanks Alan. It is a little slow to use but it works well. As for the ideas, I wish I could claim them all but a good portion of them I got here on APUG.

Home made enlarger

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