Omega D2 Enlarger stuck!

Willy Grace · Jun 4, 2020

Hey everyone!

I recently acquired an Omega D2 enlarger from a thrift shop with an Ilfospeed 400hl head. I am very new to the operation and adjustments that go along with maintaining an enlarger so please forgive my imprecise language!

I am having an issue where the chassis or the large piece that holds the bellows and lens in place seems to be pitched at about 10 degrees from being parallel with the baseboard. I noticed that it was not sitting parallel and as I went to lower the enlarger body with the elevation crank, the back of the lifting levers would not lower further than the front part of the counterbalance springs.

What I am imagining (and hoping) is that there is an adjustment in which I can rotate that whole piece to make it parallel with the baseboard.

Any insight that you can provide me would be great!

Thank you!

-Willy

cramej · Jun 4, 2020

Unfortunately, you may have discovered why it was at a thrift shop....

Willy Grace · Jun 4, 2020

I sure hope that is not the case, but if it is I guess lesson learned.

Nothing seems to be bent on it so if it is the case of a physical malfunction I am still searching for that.

The guys at the shop had been in contact with the woman who donated the enlarger and were told that she used it up until a year ago when she got sick. I was hoping that perhaps it was just put in a stable position so it wouldn't slide down.

Pieter12 · Jun 4, 2020

Maybe something here will help.

Willy Grace · Jun 4, 2020

Pieter12 said:
Maybe something here will help.

That seems like a great wealth of information, thank you!

ic-racer · Jun 4, 2020

With old darkroom equipment I usually disassemble, clean, repair adjust, lube and re-assemble. The Omega enlargers use SAE hardware, which seems to be an oddball thing these days. The service manual is available on line.

Vaughn · Jun 4, 2020

Someone just let the carriage go too high. If it is like the D5's I dealt with, it is not a hard fix. Wish I could remember what it was!

It might be easier if you disconnect the end of the counterbalance springs (carefully -- grab the end with a pair of pliers to remove and let the spring slowly wind up.) It will let you mess with the carriage with less bother. There are spacers that keep the carriage aligned as it moves up and down. On the D5s a pair of them would hang up if the carriage was allowed to go too high (not during normal operation -- usually during maintenance or moving)

HGettings · Jun 4, 2020

Willy Grace said:
Hey everyone!

I recently acquired an Omega D2 enlarger from a thrift shop with an Ilfospeed 400hl head. I am very new to the operation and adjustments that go along with maintaining an enlarger so please forgive my imprecise language!

I am having an issue where the chassis or the large piece that holds the bellows and lens in place seems to be pitched at about 10 degrees from being parallel with the baseboard. I noticed that it was not sitting parallel and as I went to lower the enlarger body with the elevation crank, the back of the lifting levers would not lower further than the front part of the counterbalance springs.

What I am imagining (and hoping) is that there is an adjustment in which I can rotate that whole piece to make it parallel with the baseboard.

Any insight that you can provide me would be great!

Thank you!

-Willy

View attachment 247630 View attachment 247631

Hi, I got a couple of B2's on an enlarger rescue a few years ago and just started working on one. This is the only enlarger I've seen that has a sort of counterweight system to raise and lower the head. I had what I think is the same problem and it took two of us to muscle the head into the alignment and position it needed to be, but be patient with it, you can do it. I'm still figuring out the head/lamp housing stuff. Unfortunately when the enlarger was un-installed, the guy who did it had no method for how it would go back together again. These babies are complicated! Fortunately, I stored my Beseler 45, and it's a simpler model, so that's up and running. Nice to have backup!

Donald Qualls · Jun 4, 2020

I just looked at my D2 (same column and lifting lever setup). Looks like you need to remove the silver-colored bracket between the two lifting lever pivot bars, then remove the bars (each one will lift up and pull forward). That will allow you to crank the stage and bellows section down enough to get the bars clear of the counterspring head bolts. Having the pressure off ought to then allow you to get the head aligned and reassemble the lifter, condenser, and lamp house.

Bill Burk · Jun 4, 2020

The black wheels on the back, where the lifting springs attach... should be riding like a train wheel on a railroad track... looks like your wheels are off the rails (riding on top instead of rolling over the side. The outside diameter is not load-bearing it’s supposed to lap over the rail left and right)

John Koehrer · Jun 4, 2020

I'm thinking along the same line as Donald Qualls in #9 above.
The silver bars should be under the front edge of the spring housing(I think).

Do yourself a favor & don't mess with the counterbalance springs if you don't have to. If you feel obliged to mess with them USE VISE GRIPS not pliers.
The springs will tear up a finger or two when they retract and they do it with enthusiasm.

Willy Grace · Jun 5, 2020

ic-racer said:
With old darkroom equipment I usually disassemble, clean, repair adjust, lube and re-assemble. The Omega enlargers use SAE hardware, which seems to be an oddball thing these days. The service manual is available on line.

That seems like a great way to get to know the workings of the enlarger, I am going over the manual to try and figure this. Thanks for the tip on the hardware as well!

Willy Grace · Jun 5, 2020

Bill Burk said:
The black wheels on the back, where the lifting springs attach... should be riding like a train wheel on a railroad track... looks like your wheels are off the rails (riding on top instead of rolling over the side. The outside diameter is not load-bearing it’s supposed to lap over the rail left and right)

Thank you so much, Bill! This seems like it was a big factor in my issues. We are back riding on the rails now and things seem to be looking up!

Donald Qualls · Jun 5, 2020

Willy Grace said:
Thank you so much, Bill! This seems like it was a big factor in my issues. We are back riding on the rails now and things seem to be looking up!

Hurrah!

cramej · Jun 5, 2020

Donald Qualls said:
Hurrah!

Glad to be wrong on this issue!

Omega D2 Enlarger stuck!

Willy Grace

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Pieter12

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Omega D2 Enlarger stuck!

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