monster enlarger saga part2

[Robert]

"How large negatives will this handle?"

12x12

Is that feet or meters-))))

 

[Lemastre]

Normally, here in the "states" the lowest "mix" that I have ever encountered is 3500 lb. That would be the weight per square foot that this material would support in a 4 inch thickness. Normally, in the states here again, the minimum thickness allowable for a garage floor would be four inches. .

If there's a code governing concrete slabs in Dallas, it has little apparent effect on how well the slabs hang together. I wouldn't hesitate to park a truck or an enlarger in my garage, but I wouldn't be at all surpised to see some new cracks in the floor if I did. A slab on shifting soil has to be really thick and/or tied together to resist flexure cracking. I think the codes are based on lab tests of the compression it takes to shatter a block of concrete.

 

[Sean]

what a nightmare. The moving company couldn't get the truck all the way down my driveway, so they've just left it in my driveway siting they've done all they can do! The idiots! It's about to rain, I've got my wife hauling butt to the hardware store to get some tarps and am praying she makes it in time. Meanwhile I have to arrange another company coming out with a forklift to load it in the garage from the driveway. How do I get myself into these messes!! UGH!

 

[bmac]

Oh, what we put ourselves through in the name of Art...

 

[Sean]

I've calmed my nerves a little after remembering I have contents insurance. If it all turns to custard I'll just write it off. I just spent an hour trying to find someone in my area that operates a mini-tractor with forks on it.

 

[Sean]

ok, sent the wife out to buy some tarps because it's the rainy season. I came home to a massive thing laying in my driveway covered with the tarp. I spent an hour making sure it was tented and water tight. THIS THING IS SO HUGE. I've never seen an enlarger this big and didn't even know they made them this big. It's a lot larger than I thought it would be. The vacuum easel is 3 ft 9 inches by 3ft 9 inches. The light diffusion panel below the light source is almost larger than my TV at 24 x 19 inches! So I think this puppy could enlarge 11x14 easy? The shaft is massive like the column on a full size forklift, and has an array of motorcycle like chains running through it which must raise and lower the head. The control box is big too and the fan ducting is around 1ft in diameter hook to two large old heavy motors. There's also a large motor which must raise and lower the head and provide suction for the easel. It's all in very good shape which is a relief. The pulse xenon tube is huge, and it came with a brand new unused tube packed in a special box, it looks very fragile. I found a guy with a small tractor with forks so am going to see if he can get out here tomorrow and ease it into the garage. This is all pretty exciting! Can't wait to fire her up!

 

[frank]

Sean,

Good luck with this project! If it all works out you could end up being the ULF printer in your hemisphere! You could do the printing for others or rent out time for others to print their 11by14s or 12by20 or whatever. This could be the start of a business for you. With those big motors you mentioned, you may have to have an additional industrial electrical service installed. Please keep us informed!
Frank

 

[Les McLean]

Sounds as though you need the crane that I hired to move my darkroom. When you get it sorted and worjing can you post a photograph.

 

[Donald Miller]

Sean,
At this point I am not sure that you are particularly looking for additional work but what Frank said is true. Along those lines, there is a photographer here in the states (Chicago) that is using a behometh such as yours to enlarge ULF negs for other photographers.

 

[glbeas]

How about a standard sized pallet jack if it's on a pallet? Easy to move a good sized load with that.

 

[bmac]

It is starting to look like it might be cheaper to build a darkroom around the enlarger where it sits.

 

[Sean]

That's a good idea, lol!

Well, a guy is coming by in an hour with a little tractor thingy which has forks on it and he'll move it into the garage. I was glad to see the column is attached to the base (I thought it wasn't going to be attached). So my plan is to have a house party next month and while everyone is there grab 10 guys and have them help me raise it upright and move it into place.

Les, I'll definitely post some pics once it is setup.

I've been told by a camera dealer in town that he knows several LF and ULF photogs that would rent time on an enlarger like that. So it will be interesting to see if I can make a little money out of it. I also have a Zone VI 5x7 enlarger which I'll place next to it. I thought my ZoneVI was a huge enlarger, the photos of the two side by side will be entertaining.

Does anyone know much about pulse xenon enlarging? I assume that the bulb operates in a strobe light fashion, so am curious if this will pose a challenge with focusing, etc?

 

[Jeremy]

any chance you have something to set beside it for scale when you take the pictures? (A person would be great, see if your wife would like to model the new darkroom area) I have a 4x5 enlarger and have never even seen a 5x7 so I won't have much frame of reference.

 

[Sean]

Yeah, I'll have someone stand next to it. I'm off to the states for 3 weeks this Friday on vacation. I plan to have it setup a few weeks after we get back.

 

[frank]

Does anyone know much about pulse xenon enlarging? I assume that the bulb operates in a strobe light fashion, so am curious if this will pose a challenge with focusing, etc?

Yeah, Sean. You have to focus really fast!

Frank

 

[Donald Miller]

The photographer that I encountered in Chicago, Tom Yanul, uses pulsed xenon in his process camera/enlarger. The pulsing in most pulsed xenon occurs at such a rapid rate that it seems to be a continuous light source. It is an arc type source and the one benefit, for those who want to enlarge onto Azo, is that it has the characteristics of emitting a fairly large portion of it's spectrum in the near band UV that Azo is most sensitive to (350-410nm).

If Sean wanted to start a secondary business apart from his "day job", it might be interesting to see whether the xenon lamp in his enlarger has enough ooomph to enlarge onto Azo. If it does, I imagine that there are a number of photographers who would love to have a place to outsource medium and even 4X5 negs for enlarged prints on Azo.

 

[Sean]

thanks for the info

I might give azo a try. 8x10 negs enlarged to 20x24 on azo might be interesting. I know with contact printing azo the negs have to be fairly dense right? Would this also apply to enlargement?

 

[Donald Miller]

Sean,

The matter is not so much of density (even though it usually ends up that way) but rather one of the contrast range of the negative. In conventional silver printing on a non diffusion light source (point light or condensor) one would want a negative with the zone viii density of approximately 1.15- 1.20 above B+F. In the case of Azo one would want a negative with a zone viii density of around 1.60 above B+F.

Enlarging or contact printing would make no difference on the contrast of the negative since that would be a matter of the characteristic curve of the paper used. Azo will hold about 9 stops of contrast compared to about 6.5 for conventional silver enlarging papers.

 

[glbeas]

That's a good idea, lol!


Does anyone know much about pulse xenon enlarging? I assume that the bulb operates in a strobe light fashion, so am curious if this will pose a challenge with focusing, etc?

If you've ever used a 45A head on a Beseler you've used pulsed xenon, albeit a bit slow in the pulsing. It's really white light and seems to be very steady in the color temperature though the oiutput can vary a bit due to age, temperature and voltage fluctuation just as any other type bulb. Enlarging meters have no problem reading the output and you should have good speed with the more blue sensitive papers. There may even be a substantial UV output if theres no blocking filter installed- pulsed xenon will give you a sunburn if you are too close for too long. It would be interesting to test a bit of Azo under the behemoths light.

 

[Jorge]

That's a good idea, lol!


Does anyone know much about pulse xenon enlarging? I assume that the bulb operates in a strobe light fashion, so am curious if this will pose a challenge with focusing, etc?

If you've ever used a 45A head on a Beseler you've used pulsed xenon, albeit a bit slow in the pulsing. It's really white light and seems to be very steady in the color temperature though the oiutput can vary a bit due to age, temperature and voltage fluctuation just as any other type bulb. Enlarging meters have no problem reading the output and you should have good speed with the more blue sensitive papers. There may even be a substantial UV output if theres no blocking filter installed- pulsed xenon will give you a sunburn if you are too close for too long. It would be interesting to test a bit of Azo under the behemoths light.

Damm! you might even be able to enlarge pt/pd.....wow..

 

[Sean]

Jorge can you please make me 500 sheets of 20x24 pt/pd?

 

[Jorge]

Jorge can you please make me 500 sheets of 20x24 pt/pd?

No problem, just make sure I get back the negs and the prints..

 

[Sean]

lol

 

[Donald Miller]

Damm! you might even be able to enlarge pt/pd.....wow..
_________________
Jorge Gasteazoro.

There is that French firm that does enlargements doing the Carbon process in color. They use a high output carbon arc lamp (high UV output) from what I understand. Of course one needs to be accepted by them in order to have enlargements made. The only question I would have with enlarging any of the UV sensitive processes is the output of the lamp and the UV limiting barriers in the light path (such as diffusion panels, glass surfaces of the enlarging lens etc). Given that enough UV light is delivered to the paper the process should work.

 

[glbeas]

When do we get the next installment of this installment story, Sean? How was the trip?