Negatrans for beseler enlarger

Jas · Mar 2, 2009

Hi,
I just got a negatrans for 35mm film from ebay, and I have a few questions about it that I am hoping someone can help me with.
First: There is a small tab like thing on the top left side that can be pushed in and out, but it doesn't seem to do anything. Is it supposed to?
Second: The film only moves in one direction, so I can't go back and forth with it. Should the film be able to move in both directions?

Thanks for your help,
Judith

brian d · Mar 2, 2009

I got one not long ago too.
The tab on the side opens and closes a window to project the frame # onto the easel. Mine will transport the film in both directions. You might want to check your lenses,
with mine (on a 23 c) a Schneider componon-s 50 mm will not focus for a 8x10 enlargement however a 50mm nikkor will.
Have fun!

mikebarger · Mar 2, 2009

mine also goes both ways.

Mike

Konical · Mar 2, 2009

Good Evening, Judith,

The answers above are correct, but there is an additional factor. The movement of the negative strips is dependent on a rubber band within the Negatrans which provides the necessary friction. With age, the functioning can become less certain, reducing the smoothness and precision of the movement. My Negatrans has developed this problem; your description suggests that your unit has also. Some months ago, I happened across an E-Bayer who sells replacements for a very modest amount. I imagine that Beseler can also supply the item. I purchased one but have not yet installed it, probably because I don't often do 35mm, so I can't comment on the ease or difficulty of doing so.

Konical

Jas · Mar 3, 2009

Thanks for your replies everyone. So, it looks like I need an o ring, but now I am having trouble taking the negatrans apart. I have removed the four screws which seems to be the only thing that is holding the sides together, but I still can't separate it. Any idea how to do that? And does anyone know of a cheap source for o rings?

Judith

Jas · Mar 3, 2009

Okay, I just discovered that there were two more screws I needed to remove. So now all I need is that O ring.

Judith

Konical · Mar 3, 2009

Good Morning, Judith,

The seller I mentioned in my earlier post is jacksun44, located in Columbia, Missouri. He has a Buy It Now price on the O-Ring of $9.99 and claims that Beseler charges over $30.00. Since I haven't yet installed mine, I can't attest to the quality or the functioning, but I do recall that jacksun44 shipped the item very promptly. Check E-Bay Item #180329449353.

Please post a follow-up regarding the ease of installation and the functioning of the ring once you have it. One of these days, I'll get around to installing mine.

Konical

Jas · Mar 3, 2009

Thanks Konical,
I just googled negatrans and came across a thread from someone who ordered an O ring from Marco Rubber and Plastics. The part # is 2-166. I bought 5 for $10.00 which is the same price as for ordering 1 because they have a $10.00 minimum. I should get it next Tuesday. I sure hope this takes care of the problem of the thing not moving the neg in both directions. It looks easy to install and I will be sure to follow up and let you know how it turns out.

Judith

Jas · Mar 3, 2009

Oh, I do have another question about this device. Will it hold my negatives flatter than the standard carrier? I'm having big problems with my negatives popping from the heat of the bulb.

Judith

Konical · Mar 3, 2009

Good Afternopn Judith,

I can't really say. My Beseler MCR-X has never caused me any such problems, even with standard negative carriers. I know that I have made sizable enlargements (over 11 x 14) from 35mm negatives and experienced no popping at all with a standard carrier. My exposure times have sometimes exceeded 45 seconds. The Negatrans' main advantage is the ability to move quickly from one negative to another in a strip, but it probably does hold negatives a bit flatter than a standard carrier. Does your enlarger have the heat absorbing glass?

Konical

Jas · Mar 3, 2009

Hi Konical,
Still morning over here. I have a 23c Beseler, and unfortunately it does not have the heat absorbing glass. I would love to get my hands on a piece though. Is this something I can purchase?

Judith

Konical · Mar 3, 2009

Good Morning, Judith,

Where is "over here"--Hawaii?? Anyway, I am not familiar with the 67C, but I would imagine that heat absorbing glass is available. The enlarger has a filter drawer, doesn't it? If so, that's where the glass would normally go. It shouldn't be an expensive item, unless you have to order directly from Beseler. I'm not sure about other suppliers, whether it's something an ordinary glazier would have in stock or not. Incidentally, you probably will have a several-lifetime supply of Negatrans O-rings if the five you've ordered work out OK. My Negatrans is over twenty-five years old and only recently did it begin to show signs of slippage.

Konical

Jas · Mar 3, 2009

'Here' is California. The enlarger is a 23c and yes, it does have a filter drawer. Someone on this site posted this web site: http://www.surplusshed.com/
that does sell heat resistant glass, but there are so many choices, I don't know where to begin.

Judith

greybeard · Mar 3, 2009

J---

What you want is heat absorbing glass, which should be fairly thick and probably a bit greenish. The idea is to absorb the infrared wavelengths which don't affect the printing paper, but do heat up the negative. (This may narrow your search space a bit.)

Surplus vendors also sometimes offer "cool mirrors", which are something else entirely---they are coated to reflect the visible and let the infrared go on through. This is great when placed behind the lamp in a slide projector, but obviously won't work out well in the filter drawer of an enlarger...

Konical · Mar 3, 2009

Good Afternoon, Judith,

My Illinois provincialism interpreted "over there" as being somewhere beyond a body of water (the Mississippi, perhaps??). My apologies for misreading your enlarger type. There are many users of the 23C; surely someone can pass on some precise information about acquiring the right sized heat absorbing glass for one.

Konical

Negatrans for beseler enlarger

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