Transporting Beseler 23C III XL

[ediz7531]

Quick question. I may have found a nice 23C III on a craigslist listing not too far away.
Problem is that the enlarger won't fit upright in the trunk (too tall).
Can I transport on its side safely? Or is it possible to remove the metal frame from the baseboard without affecting the alignment/working of the enlarger?

 

[Sundowner]

Can I transport on its side safely?

Sure...or on its back; just cushion it with a blanket or something.

Or is it possible to remove the metal frame from the baseboard without affecting the alignment/working of the enlarger?

Possible, yes, but you're going to align it when you get it home, regardless...so it doesn't matter how much you disassemble.

When I've moved mine, I pulled all of the breakable stuff out of the head, locked the elevation, and laid them flat; they've survived some very long, neglectful trips in that configuration. Basically, just keep things from rattling and moving and you'll be good to go.

 

[MattKing]

Just avoid putting a twisting force on the frame.
My wife would be happy to share our story of transporting a significantly larger Omega D6 with at least a portion of the top of the column resting on the back of her car/bucketseat and her shoulder.
I don't think there is an issue with that Beseler model, but you do need to be cautious about disassembling an enlarger where the raising and lowering mechanism is spring loaded!

 

[Sundowner]

I don't think there is an issue with that Beseler model, but you do need to be cautious about disassembling an enlarger where the raising and lowering mechanism is spring loaded!

That's a good thing to remember. Naturally, I've never done anything like that before...

If memory serves, I just tightened the lock screw and removed the condenser head. Naturally, I also did exactly that with the 45 that I moved the other day, and I absolutely did not just lay it over on its back and drive across 25 miles of potholed highway...

 

[John Koehrer]

Removing the base board and lamp housing won't hurt anything but makes it much easier to handle. Remove the lamp housing and raise the carriage to reduce the tension on the spring.

 

[ediz7531]

Removing the base and transporting it like that went a-ok. It’s a beautiful 23c iii with a variable contrast head.

One issue is the lightbulb . It was working on the seller’s porch. When I got home the enlarger wouldn’t turn on. I don’t detect any resistance when measuring with a multimeter so I’m hoping simply replacing with a new one will solve the issue. I believe this enlarger hadn’t been used in 20 years or so…

Sadly the lenses look beyond repair. They were not stored properly so are etched with fungus.

 

[Sundowner]

Removing the base and transporting it like that went a-ok. It’s a beautiful 23c iii with a variable contrast head.

Bonus. Party on.

One issue is the lightbulb . It was working on the seller’s porch. When I got home the enlarger wouldn’t turn on. I don’t detect any resistance when measuring with a multimeter so I’m hoping simply replacing with a new one will solve the issue. I believe this enlarger hadn’t been used in 20 years or so…

No continuity in the bulb means a dead bulb. Just put any bulb at all in it and see if it turns on, or check the socket with a meter.

Sadly the lenses look beyond repair. They were not stored properly so are etched with fungus.

Etched, or just covered up with it? Good time to learn lens disassembly, since they're no-loss to you.

 

[ediz7531]

Bonus. Party on.


No continuity in the bulb means a dead bulb. Just put any bulb at all in it and see if it turns on, or check the socket with a meter.


Etched, or just covered up with it? Good time to learn lens disassembly, since they're no-loss to you.

Good point. Maybe I will disassemble and try to clean myself.

 

[Sundowner]

Good point. Maybe I will disassemble and try to clean myself.

Get a proper spanner if you want to try it; decent ones make a difference.

Post some pics of the new machine.

 

[ediz7531]

Get a proper spanner if you want to try it; decent ones make a difference.

Post some pics of the new machine.

All it needed was a new light bulb .

At least it powers on now.

Quickly testing focusing just now its night and day compared to my printmaker 67.

 

[Kodachromeguy]

That is a beauty! You have a paneled darkroom? How elegant.

 

[ediz7531]

That is a beauty! You have a paneled darkroom? How elegant.

Thank you! It's a basement bathroom. It's VERY tight for the enlarger in that space, so I'll have to get a cart for it.

 

[Sundowner]

Nice easel.

Glad you have it working. Looks like a clean one!