Simmon Omega Print Easel - setting margins?

[Heath Moore]

I can't move the margin setting on the Simon Omega 2 blade easel. It does not budge. Is there a locking mechanism? Or do I need open up the back to see if it has jammed.

 

[MattKing]

I've tweaked your thread title - because I didn't know what a "Simon" was
Over the years, there may be a huge variety of easels that were labelled with the "Simmon Omega" brand. It might help if you posted more photos, showing the entire easel, both top and bottom. Perhaps open and closed as well.
If there is a model number anywhere that might help as well.

 

[bdial]

i’ve used those off and on over the years, though haven’t seen one in a while. They were never easy to adjust, as I recall, so yours probably needs some internal attention, probably lubrication and cleaning.

 

[btaylor]

I have one of these easels, like bdial I also seem to recall the margin setting was difficult to move. If I can find it easily I’ll check mine and see how it feels. I believe there were a bunch of things moving to make these margin adjustments under the paper surface. I found the Ganz Speed Ez-El a lot easier to use, so used the Omega infrequently.

 

[Heath Moore]

Thanks for suggesting the speed ez el.
I really enjoy the 2 blade easel because it makes it easy to gang 2 prints on 1 sheet of paper. I recently changed my work flow from 8x10 paper to 5x7 which gives me 3.5x5 prints. So thought I should reduce the margins accordingly. I have no wet darkroom so now I'm getting to process 4 exposures at once in the Unicolor drum!
These little prints give me so much more information about how to attack a final enlargement than I get from scanning. I find the scans to be great eye candy, but like a beautiful transparency the prints are never quite as satisfying. So I'm trying to get back to my 70s all analog mode.

 

[MattKing]

If you can't adjust the margins with the control, you could probably adjust them smaller by adding a thin piece of something to the positioning surfaces.