Rebuilding Seal 200 Press

ic-racer · Nov 7, 2010

Got a pretty dirty Seal 200 to fix up.

ic-racer · Nov 7, 2010

The cord was bad so that was the first thing to be replaced. While replacing the cord I saw the thermostat was new.

ic-racer · Nov 7, 2010

Both bulbs worked and the 'blinker' still worked. The thermostat had an appropriate response to heat, so I went ahead and cleaned it up.
The lever that exerts the pressure on the platen had worn oval holes in the lever-arm. This was repaired with a pair of oilite bearings.

ic-racer · Nov 7, 2010

The platen was cleaned and sanded smooth.

ic-racer · Nov 7, 2010

Rusty parts were repainted.

ic-racer · Nov 7, 2010

Here it is complete, except for a new foam. From what I can tell the replacement foam for the 210M should fit.

Roger Thoms · Nov 7, 2010

Nice job, I was lucky my Seal 200 was mint when I got it. I have a Seal 350 which is on my list of projects, it's in similar condition yours.

Roger

PVia · Nov 8, 2010

Nice job...!

I have a 200 as well...

gmikol · Nov 9, 2010

Not to hijack the thread, but I've got a smaller press that looks like yours (a 150?) and a 210 both in need of some TLC. Do I have to scrounge dead units for parts, or is someone still selling things like thermometers (210) and thermostats (150)?

--Greg

Irvine_Short · Nov 10, 2010

Hi, I also have a press in need of TLC. The heater is controlled by a rheostat rather than a thermostat as far as I can see.

It has a built in spirit thermometer that has broken. I was thinking of scouring electronics stores to find some sort of universal thermostat gadget. Would I be on the right track?

--Irvine

Les · Nov 10, 2010

What did you use to sand the platen?

ic-racer · Nov 10, 2010

Hunt Corporation still sells theremostats for the Model 200 (I know this because I have one). Call 888-240-6021 ext. 5304

Quote from a thread dated 2002. I don't know if it is still current.

ic-racer · Nov 10, 2010

Les said:
What did you use to sand the platen?

I used wet sandpaper 220, then 440 then 600.

ic-racer · Nov 10, 2010

It looks like B&H sells a thermostat that could be adapted. It does not have the same mounting feet like the 200, but it is very similar.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/47223-REG/Seal_Bienfang_SE_6299053.html

Jeff Bannow · Nov 11, 2010

Great restoration as usual Dale. Looks like she's ready for another 50 years of service.

I love that design - like the dry mount press is staring at you, ready to eat your prints.

ic-racer · Nov 11, 2010

Jeff Bannow said:
Great restoration as usual Dale. Looks like she's ready for another 50 years of service.

I love that design - like the dry mount press is staring at you, ready to eat your prints.

I had never flattened prints that way before, it works very well. I suspect that for 'good' prints one would want to protect the print from both the platen and the foam with some textureless material. Mat board?? I guess one also needs a "cold press" like a piece of metal or something to hold the print flat while it cools.

I did not paint the center part because the paint can indicated it was limited to 200F, however, in use the top surface does not get that hot. So I will go ahead and paint that part also.

PS: Jeff, I got an email from someone reading as follows "....maybe interested in parting with one of the [8x10] Horizontal Devere's..."
I can't post a picture on the PM, so I'm hijacking the thread to show it here. PM me if you have any interest.

Jeff Bannow · Nov 11, 2010

ic-racer said:
I had never flattened prints that way before, it works very well. I suspect that for 'good' prints one would want to protect the print from both the platen and the foam with some textureless material. Mat board?? I guess one also needs a "cold press" like a piece of metal or something to hold the print flat while it cools.

That's exactly what I do - a piece of archival mat board on the top and bottom, and then the prints go into a large coffee table book of Ansel Adams. I hope maybe some good karma rubs off onto my images as they cool.

Neil Poulsen · Nov 12, 2010

Nice job!

I have the same model. I picked mine up at a camera swap meet eons ago. It's always worked well for me.

One thing that I notice. I think that I probably have the original cord, and it's much thicker than the cord attached to your press. It's very heavy duty, probably a half inch in diameter.

ic-racer · Jul 22, 2011

Got my new foam rubbert base and I painted the upper portion. Pictures to follow...

George Collier · Jul 24, 2011

Another material for cooling and flattening is glassine, you can buy in a roll about a meter long and cut up. I have a dozen or so "folders" of this stuff (for each print size) that I use to put one print into each, then the board on top and bottom. This puts 2 layers of the glassine between each print, and the prints can be stored in the glassine folders till mounting, inside old paper boxes or 10 sheet packs. They stay flat till framing. I was told by an art conservator that this is good material for this.

ic-racer · Jul 24, 2011

The old rubber base was quite difficult to remove:

ic-racer · Jul 24, 2011

I used a paint scrapper to remove all the old glue and rubber so that the surface was smooth.

ic-racer · Jul 24, 2011

Ready for the new foam rubber:

ic-racer · Jul 24, 2011

New foam rubber in place:

ic-racer · Jul 24, 2011

While the top heating part was out I took the opportunity to repaint it also. I used silver 'hammer-metal' finish paint. So here it is BEFORE and AFTER:

Rebuilding Seal 200 Press

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