therbert
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Thread title tweaked to aid future searches.
Good luck with your search and welcome to Photrio.
In case you don't already have it, here is a link to KHB's information on the E3: http://www.khbphotografix.com/omega/Enlargers/E3E4.htm
I've written about the two granite baseboards I have on a Leitz Valloy II and an Omega Pro Lab 4"x5" and I suggest you look into trying one for your own baseboard.
Mine are made from a natural stone, three centimeters thick and both were tapped with through holes matching the single column designs of both.
I simply chose the surface size by casual observation of the baseboards that came with several Omega D's 4"x5" and a 5"x7" E-5, and stay on top of the 24" deep bench top to my self-made eight foot long.
These were made of cut-offs of larger sheets of rock, already paid for and left at the granite counter top shops by the buyer who does not have a want or need for a large piece of refuse, so you should be able to find your own at a reasonable price, just have several very fit young men to handle it into place, no kidding here.
The edges of these baseboards have rounded top edges and corners, and usually a rough flat bottom and there are care products that will seal and protect their surfaces from most activities that'll be undertaken in the darkroom and they are easy to keep clean.
I use self adhesive cork spacer feet in the mounting of the board to the bench, easily lifted to a hight that will allow a pen or pencil to roll underneath easily.
Just be sure to place more than four feet under the board and make sure the bottom center area is well supported too.
I suppose the easiest way to guess at a baseboard size is to take the film carrier in the size you're wanting to print at its largest and with the enlarger temporarily mounted to its table top or bench, and the carrier mounted in the lamp head, turn on the enlarger's white light, from the tallest position, plus some additional hight for luck, and measure the possible areas for baseboard size in both vertical and landscape positions, reducing the head hight as needed, to stay on the bench.
Heavy granite baseboards are easy to make, for single column enlargers, and give great stability to the enlarger and easel on a strong enough bench or table.
Cheers
I've written about the two granite baseboards I have on a Leitz Valloy II and an Omega Pro Lab 4"x5" and I suggest you look into trying one for your own baseboard.
Mine are made from a natural stone, three centimeters thick and both were tapped with through holes matching the single column designs of both.
I simply chose the surface size by casual observation of the baseboards that came with several Omega D's 4"x5" and a 5"x7" E-5, and stay on top of the 24" deep bench top to my self-made eight foot long.
These were made of cut-offs of larger sheets of rock, already paid for and left at the granite counter top shops by the buyer who does not have a want or need for a large piece of refuse, so you should be able to find your own at a reasonable price, just have several very fit young men to handle it into place, no kidding here.
The edges of these baseboards have rounded top edges and corners, and usually a rough flat bottom and there are care products that will seal and protect their surfaces from most activities that'll be undertaken in the darkroom and they are easy to keep clean.
I use self adhesive cork spacer feet in the mounting of the board to the bench, easily lifted to a hight that will allow a pen or pencil to roll underneath easily.
Just be sure to place more than four feet under the board and make sure the bottom center area is well supported too.
I suppose the easiest way to guess at a baseboard size is to take the film carrier in the size you're wanting to print at its largest and with the enlarger temporarily mounted to its table top or bench, and the carrier mounted in the lamp head, turn on the enlarger's white light, from the tallest position, plus some additional hight for luck, and measure the possible areas for baseboard size in both vertical and landscape positions, reducing the head hight as needed, to stay on the bench.
Heavy granite baseboards are easy to make, for single column enlargers, and give great stability to the enlarger and easel on a strong enough bench or table.
Cheers
FWIW, I've adapted a Chromega E dichroic head to my Beseler 45MXL enlarger. When working with Omega D (4x5) enlargers, I found that the coverage of the Chromega D heads was minimal, lots of falloff, even clipping the corners on full-frame prints. Having a 5x7 diffusing panel right on top of my 4x5 negatives ensures nice even coverage and minimal falloff.I have an E5 and its baseboard is 18x34. I modified the lamp source to take a Nikor 6x7 color head. Somehow I managed to end up with another 5x7 E lamphouse that is sitting on a 4x5 condenser can. Maybe I can attach a pic. There is a government tag on the condenser can and only the government would turn an E into a 4x5.
You may want to bolt the workbench to the wall and install a "wall brace" at the top of the column, that should help with any vibration issues.Thanks for all the information everyone. I was already considering just bolting the enlarger to the back edge of my workbench. I currently have it bolted to the front edge of one of my workbenches, for cleaning and painting some of the parts. I have a 30x72" maple-topped industrial workbench in the darkroom that it will sit on, so if I bolt it even with the back edge, that will give a clear space underneath it of 24x72" for printing. The original 5x7 lens on these was a 190mm, so I picked up a 190mm f4.5 Wollensak in good condition that fits into the threads of the enlarger cone for $32, I think. if it shows flaws, I can always pick up a 210mm Schneider at a later time.
Wow, granite baseboard! Can you post a picture. Not only super functional, but fashionable too!
Wow, granite baseboard! Can you post a picture. Not only super functional, but fashionable too!
Doremus, I can see why the old Chromega heads might prove a problem which is why I replaced just the tungsten light source on my 5x7 condenser head with the small Nikor/Rollei 6x7 dichroic head. Its diffusion plate is larger in surface area than the old tungsten bulb and works like a champ.
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