The Kaiser Promask series and 4 bladed easels

Tom Kershaw · Apr 28, 2009

My current LPL 16x20 2 bladed easel has always delivered an adequate result but certain aspects of its construction have started to irritate now I'm printing more frequently. Due to the vagueness of the two bladed design it can often be difficult to position the paper precisely to ensure consistent image dimensions and flatness, especially under low or no safelight conditions.

If my understanding is correct, a four bladed easel design such as the Kaiser Promask (probably the 50x60cm paper model), would allow or facilitate flat paper, consistent paper placement, no need to maneuver the easel around with attendant dangers of flying grain focusers, and consistent image dimensions throughout a printing session. Are my impressions of the benefits too optimistic?

http://www.kaiser-fototechnik.de/en/produkte/2_1_produktanzeige.asp?nr=4706

Tom.

Tim Gray · Apr 28, 2009

For the most part, I think you are correct.

Tom Kershaw · Apr 29, 2009

Any other views or experiences?

Tom.

ooze · Apr 29, 2009

A four bladed easel usually requires more space between the enlarger column and easel edge. This is especially bothersome if you like to leave broad borders. That's it's only disadvantage I can think of.

You can of course always remove the enlarger column from the baseboard and mount it onto a raised platform so that you can slide the easel underneath.

Tom Kershaw · Apr 29, 2009

ooze said:
A four bladed easel usually requires more space between the enlarger column and easel edge. This is especially bothersome if you like to leave broad borders. That's it's only disadvantage I can think of.

You can of course always remove the enlarger column from the baseboard and mount it onto a raised platform so that you can slide the easel underneath.

Thanks for that consideration. I have envisioned using a Kaiser Promask with my DeVere 5108, but the column space issue would crop up using my Meopta Magnifax.

Tom.

BobNewYork · Apr 29, 2009

In my experience the advantages of a 4-blade easel far outweigh the disadvantages. With a 4-blader you can adjust print borders easily. I often print with very large borders on larger paper and I don't think I could, (or perhaps would) do this with a 2-blade easel.

Bob H

Marco B · Apr 29, 2009

I have both a 14x17 LPL easel, and a 12x16 Kaiser Pro.

Don't get overexcited with the Kaiser.

What I like:

Yes, it's build like a tank, and will hold paper firmly once down.

However:

Paper placement is not necessarily better than with my LPL. Yes, there are pop-up place holders in the base board, but only for the smaller paper sizes, and I don't like them, almost never use them. And for the larger papers, the paper aligning is NOT so straightforward! I have similar problems as with the LPL. Sometimes it's wrong and I have to re-do a print.

In addition, I don't like the fact that the easel's topframe doesn't open up at 90 degrees. At most, it opens up to 45 degrees and is than held by a small cylinder. Unfortunately, this design is non-adjustable...

As others have stated, you may run into issues with the enlargers column, as the frame wastes a lot of space and potential printing size. Hence, you need a far bigger easel than the paper size, especially if you are not printing large wide borders. Frankly, I think they should have designed it differently with the 4 blades sliding into each other or beneath the outside frame, to conserve space. That would have posed a small engineering challenge maybe, but some less space wasting design might be possible.

Tom Kershaw · Apr 29, 2009

As others have stated, you may run into issues with the enlargers column, as the frame wastes a lot of space and potential printing size. Hence, you need a far bigger easel than the paper size, especially if you are not printing large wide borders. Frankly, I think they should have designed it differently with the 4 blades sliding into each other or beneath the outside frame, to conserve space. That would have posed a small engineering challenge maybe, but some less space wasting design might be possible.

How well does your Promask deal with a full size sheet of 12x16, how large are the borders?

I presume the 12x16 model is built to the same specification as the 20x24" model.

Tom.

Marco B · Apr 29, 2009

Tom Kershaw said:
How well does your Promask deal with a full size sheet of 12x16, how large are the borders?

The borders are in a sense of course "unlimited", since, contrary to the LPL easel, the hinge is completely on the back and doesn't limit you on the left site. In the LPL, the hinge on the left back site poses a problem.

However, in practical terms, you probably need to account your borders as the width of the inside blades, about 1.75 inch.

Inside the blades, you have the full 12x16 inch exposing area when setting the blades at their maximum positions.

Tom Kershaw said:
I presume the 12x16 model is built to the same specification as the 20x24" model.

My mask, although second hand and maybe 10-15 years old, looks almost exactly like the one visible in the link you posted in your original post.

Marco B · Apr 29, 2009

Oh, and my LPL, even though having a smaller total size, has a bigger maximum exposing area than the Kaiser... that tells you something about how much space is wasted on the Kaiser. The 20x24 model will be a huge and heavy easel.

Tom Kershaw · Apr 29, 2009

Marco B said:
Oh, and my LPL, even though having a smaller total size, has a bigger maximum exposing area than the Kaiser... that tells you something about how much space is wasted on the Kaiser. The 20x24 model will be a huge and heavy easel.

Marco,

From what you have written about the Kaiser Promask it sounds as though it would be much more suited for the DeVere 5108 and not for the magnifax.

The DeVere has a 30x40" approx. baseboard the large easel should be ok.

Tom.

Martin Aislabie · Apr 29, 2009

Tom, I have a 20x16 Kaiser 4 Blade - the whole thing is larger than a 20x24 sheet of paper

Very solid, nicely made, occasionaly needs a tweak to adjust for backlash in the blades.

Very heavy - I have a weak back and carry it only occasionaly and with caution.

Have had it for nearly 10 years and still solid as a rock

I would recommend them to anyone

RK & Silverprint list them

Martin

Tom Kershaw · Apr 29, 2009

Martin,

Which enlarger(s) are you using with the Kaiser Promask?

Tom.

Adrian Twiss · Apr 30, 2009

Tom

Have you considered the Beard range of two blade easels. I have a 12X16 and 20X16. Borders are adjustable in 1/4 inch increments from 1/4 to 2 inches. I have never had any problems with maintaining right angles and given the weight of the frame that holds the arms print flatness has never been a problem.

Just a thought

Adrian

Marco B · Apr 30, 2009

Tom Kershaw said:
From what you have written about the Kaiser Promask it sounds as though it would be much more suited for the DeVere 5108 and not for the magnifax.

Yes, I think so. From looking at the Meopta website, the baseboard of the Magnifax is only 60 x 60 cm wide. Now my Kaiser 16x20 inch easel is already 60 cm wide too, so you won't have enough space for the 20x24 inch model under the Magnifax.

Of course, the huge DeVere 5108 is no problem...

Tom Kershaw · Apr 30, 2009

Adrian Twiss said:
Tom

Have you considered the Beard range of two blade easels. I have a 12X16 and 20X16. Borders are adjustable in 1/4 inch increments from 1/4 to 2 inches. I have never had any problems with maintaining right angles and given the weight of the frame that holds the arms print flatness has never been a problem.

Just a thought

Adrian

Adrian,

I hadn't looked into the Beard easels, I thought they had been discontinued.

Tom.

Tim Gray · Apr 30, 2009

The new Freestyle printed catalog lists Kaiser enlargers and easels too. For those of us in the US.

Martin Aislabie · May 3, 2009

Tom Kershaw said:
Martin,

Which enlarger(s) are you using with the Kaiser Promask?

Tom.

Hi Tom

I use it with both a Kaiser 9005 and a DeVere 504

I have never had a problem with the easel being too big for small prints (but I only go down to 10x8) or having the easel restrict the paper position because it fouls the enlarger column

Martin

Martin Aislabie · May 3, 2009

Marco B said:
Yes, I think so. From looking at the Meopta website, the baseboard of the Magnifax is only 60 x 60 cm wide. Now my Kaiser 16x20 inch easel is already 60 cm wide too, so you won't have enough space for the 20x24 inch model under the Magnifax.

Of course, the huge DeVere 5108 is no problem...

I have had my Promask hang out over the edges of the base board - but its not a problem - you just need to make sure you don't disturb its position as you move around the darkroom.

Flatness isn't a concern - while it isn't the substantial tractor engineering of the DeVere enlargers but it is none the less a robust piece of kit

Martin

Tom Kershaw · May 3, 2009

Martin,

I presume you can achieve repeatable boarders. e.g. making a print from a negative, changing the negative and then making another print with the same image dimensions and positioning as the first print?

Tom.

Martin Aislabie · May 4, 2009

Yes Tom.

My problem is - I don't always get the Negs in exactly the same location in the carrier - usually OK but not always

There is no way I could accidentally knock my easel, move it and not be aware of it - it needs a good hard bump to dislodge its position

I can wiggle and adjust its position very precisely as I find the rubber feet have a good balance between sticking and sliding

Martin

Marco B · May 4, 2009

Martin Aislabie said:
There is no way I could accidentally knock my easel, move it and not be aware of it - it needs a good hard bump to dislodge its position

Yes, that's definitely true of these Kaiser easels, they won't move unless you force them! Or is this getting a bit to bureaucratic?

The Kaiser Promask series and 4 bladed easels

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