Saunders easels framing accuracy

ediz7531 · Aug 17, 2025

I’m wondering what im doing wrong here.

Saunders easels are universally praised. They are sturdily made for sure, but I’m a little surprised at the inaccuracy of the framing placement.
For example take the screenshot of a 7.5” x 7.5” framing I traced on 8x10 RC Pearl on a UA1620 easel.
While the frame size is indeed approximately 7.5x7.5, it’s really off centered.
I’m aware that the paper needs to go all the way to the left along the paper slot, and that I need to make sure it’s properly slotted.
And yet the left edge of the trace is off by 50% or so (not .25” from the paper’s edge like it should be), and similarly for the right edge.
The top and bottom edges are more reasonably placed, although still around 5% off.

F4U · Aug 18, 2025

I've never seen a multi bladed easel that was accurate. There's always a non-parallel blade, or a side that was not equal. And it's made worse that 8x10 inches for instance is never a dead perfect 8x10. Something's always going to be off. And 5%?? You can forget that. Unless you have a drafting or light table with a T square and triangle, so you can cut masks out of printer's masking paper, also known as offset printers stripping paper to lay on top of your print paper before closing the easel. Notnnig wrong with the easel you have. You can buy a thousand easels and they'll all be off.

ediz7531 · Aug 18, 2025

F4U said:
I've never seen a multi bladed easel that was accurate. There's always a non-parallel blade, or a side that was not equal. And it's made worse that 8x10 inches for instance is never a dead perfect 8x10. Something's always going to be off. And 5%?? You can forget that. Unless you have a drafting or light table with a T square and triangle, so you can cut masks out of printer's masking paper, also known as offset printers stripping paper to lay on top of your print paper before closing the easel. Notnnig wrong with the easel you have. You can buy a thousand easels and they'll all be off.

Thanks. The paper does measure 8x10 spot on.
I don’t have issues aligning the blades to be parallel with reasonable accuracy.

pbromaghin · Aug 18, 2025

Maybe a precision-cut mounting card instead of an easel?

F4U · Aug 18, 2025

By now ediz has learned ruler markings on a easel don't mean a whole lot. Once again, what I'd do is make a mask on a drafting or light table with a t square, triangle, and exacto knife to lay on top of the print paper before closing the easel. Yes, it will be a bit of trial and error cutting your masking paper just right. but once you've made one, you're set. As long as you use that one brand of paper, logically all border will be straight and equal. After 58 years in the graphic arts and photography business, nothing is perfect till you MAKE it perfect. No easel at any price is going to give you that.

David Brown · Aug 18, 2025

I use graph paper at the same size as the printing paper. I have used store-bought and papers I have made myself with the computer. I set up the blades with the graph paper, and then when I put the photo paper in, it works every time. One doesn't need graph paper, one can simply make up papers with the outline of a given print size and line up the blades to that.

MattKing · Aug 18, 2025

After a short while, you get used to how your easel's scales "perform". They tend to be out a consistently small amount, which is easy to recall.
For my most commons setups, I use something like the graph paper setups referred to earlier in the thread to set the blades the way I want them, and then add a small black mark to the scales to serve as a reference for future use.
The only real challenge is when I use someone else's easel in their darkroom.

Pieter12 · Aug 18, 2025

I draw the image size on the back of a sheet of fiber or RC paper with a fine Micron pen, making sure the guidelines are square and positioned as I want it. Then I put it in the easel and line up the blades to my guides. Once everything is where it needs to be, I tape the blades together with gaffer's tape.

I also have a number of gridded sheets cut to print sizes the I use to line up horizons or the verticals on buildings when needed.

ic-racer · Aug 18, 2025

18 years ago I got a like-new Beseler 16x20 in which the vertical scale sticker is applied 1/8" off. I set the vertical blades, then simply move both 1/8" down. Problem solved x 18 years.

ediz7531 · Aug 24, 2025

David Brown said:
I use graph paper at the same size as the printing paper. I have used store-bought and papers I have made myself with the computer. I set up the blades with the graph paper, and then when I put the photo paper in, it works every time. One doesn't need graph paper, one can simply make up papers with the outline of a given print size and line up the blades to that.

MattKing said:
After a short while, you get used to how your easel's scales "perform". They tend to be out a consistently small amount, which is easy to recall.
For my most commons setups, I use something like the graph paper setups referred to earlier in the thread to set the blades the way I want them, and then add a small black mark to the scales to serve as a reference for future use.
The only real challenge is when I use someone else's easel in their darkroom.

ic-racer said:
18 years ago I got a like-new Beseler 16x20 in which the vertical scale sticker is applied 1/8" off. I set the vertical blades, then simply move both 1/8" down. Problem solved x 18 years.

Thank you. Yes, I'm not too concerned about how to fix it. I basically just offset by eye based on that initial offset measurement. I was wondering if this was normal on Saunders easels, and it seems like it is.

cliveh · Aug 24, 2025

A Beard Darkroom Easel is the best you can buy.

Mal Paso · Aug 24, 2025

ediz7531 said:
I’m wondering what im doing wrong here.

Saunders easels are universally praised. They are sturdily made for sure, but I’m a little surprised at the inaccuracy of the framing placement.
For example take the screenshot of a 7.5” x 7.5” framing I traced on 8x10 RC Pearl on a UA1620 easel.
While the frame size is indeed approximately 7.5x7.5, it’s really off centered.
I’m aware that the paper needs to go all the way to the left along the paper slot, and that I need to make sure it’s properly slotted.
And yet the left edge of the trace is off by 50% or so (not .25” from the paper’s edge like it should be), and similarly for the right edge.
The top and bottom edges are more reasonably placed, although still around 5% off.

Your borders are too small. LOL
Paper is often smaller than stated dimensions, that will throw things off.
Now that you know the problem the solution is easier.

ic-racer said:
18 years ago I got a like-new Beseler 16x20 in which the vertical scale sticker is applied 1/8" off. I set the vertical blades, then simply move both 1/8" down. Problem solved x 18 years.

That's cheating. The good kind!

Pieter12 · Aug 24, 2025

Mal Paso said:
Your borders are too small. LOL
Paper is often smaller than stated dimensions, that will throw things off.
Now that you know the problem the solution is easier.

That's cheating. The good kind!

I have both a Beseler and a Kaiser 4-blade easels, different sizes. I find I need to be careful loading the paper or I can get uneven margins either because the sheet is not fully set in the slot, or it is crooked.

Mal Paso · Aug 25, 2025

Pieter12 said:
I have both a Beseler and a Kaiser 4-blade easels, different sizes. I find I need to be careful loading the paper or I can get uneven margins either because the sheet is not fully set in the slot, or it is crooked.

I have only had the Saunders 11x14 standard model and the 16x20 that is 1" high for autofocus enlargers and never noticed any scale problems. I have used 2 different 11x14s since the '70s. I have to be careful inserting paper with a heavy curl but no problems with crooked prints. All of these easels were likely hand assembled and subject to the craftsmanship of the builder. None of them are new at this point and have their own idiosyncrasies. My 11x14 has a lazy blade I have to watch or I get a crooked border but checking it has become part of my routine.

igzabeher · Aug 26, 2025

This thread makes me feel so much better about myself and my understanding of basic math/measurements.

ediz7531 · Aug 28, 2025

Pieter12 said:
I have both a Beseler and a Kaiser 4-blade easels, different sizes. I find I need to be careful loading the paper or I can get uneven margins either because the sheet is not fully set in the slot, or it is crooked.

The first easel I had was the earlier Saunders UA 11x14 easel. I couldn’t find a way to adjust the blades’ alignment on it, so my margins were a tiny bit uneven.

Saunders easels framing accuracy

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