Ilford 400 lamphouse on Beseler

[Melvin J Bramley]

I'm looking at an Ilford 400 VC light source to install on a Beseler 4x5 enlarger.
What transition parts are required for these two pieces of equipment to fit together?

 

[MattKing]

These won't help you specifically, but the fitting instructions for the 500 series heads may provide a bit of useful information:
https://www.ilfordphoto.com/fitting-instructions/

 

[MattKing]

And here is the operating manual: https://www.ilfordphoto.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/MG400_Operating-Manual.pdf

 

[Melvin J Bramley]

Thanks Matt but the Ilford manual does not show what adaptor is required.
I am going to assume that the Ilford 500 fits in the same way and the manual for that shows a relatively simple flat mounting plate.
I 'think' the mixing boxes are two piece and extend into the bellows of the Beseler 4 x 5??

 

[mpirie]

Finding a description of the correct adapters is one thing, finding the actual adapters is another.

There seem to have been very few made and many of them will have been thrown out with scrap enlargers.

It took me ages to find the correct MG500 adapter for my Durst L1200 and i've been looking for years for a DeVere 504 adapter.

Mike

 

[Andrew4x5]

You not only need the adaptor plate for the Beseler 4x5 enlarger, but also the correct light mixing boxes. The boxes for the Beseler enlarger protrude about 2cm below the Ilford head so that the bottom of the box is just above the neg carrier. (By way of comparison, the boxes for the Durst L1200 are flush with the bottom of the Ilford head.)
Personally, I would only buy a working setup -- enlarger fitted with an Ilford head and with the matching mixing boxes (there are three: 4x5, 6x7 and 35mm).

 

[Andrew4x5]

Sorry, minor correction to my above comment. The mixing boxes for the Durst enlarger protrude about 1cm below the Ilford head, whereas the boxes for the Beseler enlarger protrude about 3cm below the head. Attached is a photo of the 6x7 mixing box and adaptor plate for the Beseler enlarger. The plate sits on the bottom of the head and the mixing box drops through the plate up to the lugs about 3cm from the base.