Super chromega raises and lowers with difficulty

[Clint Francis]

I received a super-chromega D which I reassembled after disassembly for transportation. It raises and lowers with great difficulty. I noticed some sort of debris on the back of the baseboard when I looked for the problem. My recollection from years ago was that it easily operated with the small hand crank in the back bu now, not so much. It appears to be the model with the springs on the top of the support. Any ideas?

 

[silveror0]

You might try emailing Harry Taylor, an old-timer who knows at least as much about Omega enlargers as the folks who designed them.

harry_g_taylor@sbcglobal.net

His enlarger help forum:
http://www.classic-enlargers.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl

 

[darkroommike]

Sounds like the counter balance springs are shot, require lubrication, or are not connected to the head. All easy fixes.

 

[MattKing]

You might try emailing Harry Taylor, an old-timer who knows at least as much about Omega enlargers as the folks who designed them.

harry_g_taylor@sbcglobal.net

His enlarger help forum:
http://www.classic-enlargers.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl

I don't know if Harry is still available to help. His website remains up ( http://www.classic-enlargers.com/ ), but the Help Forum doesn't seem to be available any more.

 

[silveror0]

If you can't raise Harry, here's another possible source of help; they've helped me with info in the past via email - very responsive. They also have a limited list of spare parts on their site:

http://www.khbphotografix.com/

 

[Sirius Glass]

Sounds like the counter balance springs are shot, require lubrication, or are not connected to the head. All easy fixes.

My best guess

 

[Neal]

Dear Clint,

Sometimes when reassembling the little wheels can end up out of place. A search in an open area with good light should solve your problem.

Good luck,

Neal Wydra

 

[Born2Late]

If it is the counterbalance springs, I highly recommend KHB's constant force spring conversion kit. I installed one earlier this year and it is great. The force is perfect and smooth as butter.

 

[RauschenOderKorn]

Welcome to the forum!

Sorry for asking, but: Did you open the break before trying to move it?

 

[ic-racer]

The Super Chromega head mounts on many chassis; D2, D3, D4, D5, D6, D5500. Pictures will be helpful.

 

[frank]

Welcome to the forum!

Sorry for asking, but: Did you open the break before trying to move it?

This idea came to my mind as well.

 

[mwdake]

Check to see if the little black wheels that ride on the chassis are correctly located, they can often get mislocated when manhandling the enlarger during a move. The black wheels are like train wheels in that the lip should on the side of the track not on top of it.

btw, I don't think Harry Taylor is with us any more. I think his nieces tried to keep his website going for a while.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Welcome to the forum!

Sorry for asking, but: Did you open the break before trying to move it?

The enlarger version of taking photographs with the lens cap on.

 

[RauschenOderKorn]

The enlarger version of taking photographs with the lens cap on.

Hey, my enlarging lenses also have lens caps!!!!!!!

Actually I posted the question, because not every enlarger has such a break. My Dunco does not, and it took me a while to figure out why the Omega head would not move.

 

[MattKing]

Correct me if I am wrong, but when people are typing "break" here, I'm guessing they mean "brake" or (from the Omega Pro-Lab D6 Manual), "Projector Lock".

 

[Clint Francis]

Dear Clint,

Sometimes when reassembling the little wheels can end up out of place. A search in an open area with good light should solve your problem.

Good luck,

Neal Wydra

Neal, you are my new best friend. In looking at the chassis I saw that the alignment wheels on the light housing side were both on one side, the brake side. What tipped me off, since I have no parts manual, was very faint evidence of "contact" on the side with the misplaced wheel. I took the axel out, moved the left side wheel into the proper position and viola' a new enlarger. I have no idea how it worked before with that part mis-assembled but know it did because I'd used the enlarger at the previous owners darkroom with no real difficulty and I had only removed the lamp-house itself when I transported and reassembled it. There is no possible way for those wheels to move across the axle. While I was messing around I wiped the springs down with some WD-40 and likewise with the focusing guide pins. Many thanks to all the helpful replies!!!

 

[superpos]

some pictures please; as I do have a Omega D I might be able to help

 

[Neal]

Dear Clint,

Always happy to help!

Neal Wydra