Who can tell me about this piece of equipment

[Absinthe]

Ok, on a whim I bought this enlarger on eBay.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=120226464904&ssPageName=STRK:MEWN:IT&ih=002

The fellow doesn't seem to speak english very well, or at least it is with enough of an accent that extended conversation on the phone was difficult. The two main thing I am wondering about is how does this head work "Ilford 500H"?

And since he didn't know at all how to test it or whatever, I have no idea if that will be DOA. If so, how tough are they to fix, what kind of lamps do they take and perhaps can someone point me at a manual?

I gotta believe I got a good deal on it, i am goign down to pick it up this weekend... Can't wait. happy Birthday to Me!!!

 

[Christopher Walrath]

http://www.classic-enlargers.com/omega_manuals.htm

 

[rmann]

From the photos it looks like you will need to get a control unit for the Ilford 500 head. These are on Ebay fairly often - I believe Iford still has the owners manual on their website for the 500 enlarger head. Bulb size is usually listed on the inside of the head - it takes two bulbs. Most important will be the blue and green filters - if they are damaged, you may want to just scrap the head and get an Omega head. The power supply is very heavy - which may be why the end looks to be off in the photo - hopefully it is working. It is a solid enlarger chasis, so good luck getting it up and running.

 

[Absinthe]

So if I have to scrap it, what do i look for in a head? Can I use a Beseler head or does it have to be an Omega? I will keep an eye open for the controller.

 

[Rafal Lukawiecki]

If the head is working, keep it. It is a great head and works perfectly with all current VC (and graded) papers. It is bright and fast and parts are easily available if you need to repair it (Odyssey Sales in UK is my source). You can use it for split-grade printing very easily. If the controller is not there (500CPM), you can pick one up easily - there is one on eBay at the moment. Or you can splash for the fancy RH Designs controller made for this head, like the Analyser 500 or the StopClock 500. One way or another, if the head is good you will enjoy it, it is a fine piece of photo equipment.

 

[Absinthe]

is there any way to test if this is functioning without the control panel?

 

[wfwhitaker]

Make sure the correct lift hardware for the Ilford head is included. It is different from other Omega lift hardware and is specific to the Ilford 500. If it's not there, you'll be faced with having to find it somewhere else. You'll also need the correct mixing boxes for your formats.

is there any way to test if this is functioning without the control panel?

No. At least, there's not an easy way.

I have the RH Designs Analyser 500 mentioned above and it is a very nice piece of equipment.

 

[spb854]

Might find some info here

Look at this website too.

Steve

 

[eclarke]

Look at this website too.

Steve

KHB is terrific. If an enlarger part is available in the western hemisphere, they will have it...EC

 

[Absinthe]

Ok, just picked it up!!

Omega d5-xl with an ilford 500 head. I have what looks like the probe, the foot switch, and the power supply and the light mixing boxes for it.

What I don't have is the control panel. I have plugged it in and sure enough the powersupply comes on, and the fan in the head seems to blow and so on. The lamps don't light, but I am not sure if they should without a control panel attached. Any suggestions before I find a control panel?

I disassembled the mixer boxes, all the mirrors were floppign around. I took them out, removed the masking tape they were assembled with, cleaned them and retaped them with new maskign tape. Are they normally assmebled with masking tape? The paper boxes at the top of the mixing boxes are yellowed with age I assume, and the areas where they are cutout seems to be curling a bit. Do I need to remanufacture these from some heavy cardstock, or should they be fine as is?

This is an impressive piece of equipment..

 

[Rafal Lukawiecki]

Congratulations. My "mirrors" are still in place and not flopping, so I guess yours shouldn't either. The top of mine is white card, not yellowing really. See how it prints and make sure you can get the grades. If not, consider stocking up on replacements.

You can pick up the control panel (Ilford 500CPM) from eBay - there is one there at the moment.

Enjoy.

 

[Absinthe]

Yes I am watching that one at present. I am also watching the light mixing boxes too since mine are not for the 500 but rather the 400. Hopefully I get lucky tomorrow.

 

[GM Bennett]

Yes I am watching that one at present. I am also watching the light mixing boxes too since mine are not for the 500 but rather the 400. Hopefully I get lucky tomorrow.

Whoops, guess I needn't have replied to your other post. As I mentioned there, I have two of these systems. I bought an RH Designs Analyser 500 last year and can highly recommend it over the stock control panel; there's much more control and the exposures recommended by using the probe are generally right on or very close. Very prompt shipping from the UK, too.

From the photos of your enlarger, it looks like you need the Omega mounting bracket as well to mount the 500H head to your D5XL column. Send me a PM if you need the manual, although you can still probably find a PDF on Ilford's site (the one for the earlier model with the 500C controller, not the newer CPM).

 

[Rafal Lukawiecki]

I was planning to bid on the boxes to stock-up for the future. If you are bidding, though, I would be happy to hold off, as I really don't need them yet as much as you do. If you don't get the controller module (500CPM) I might be willing to part with mine some time - for the time being I would like to keep it just-in-case...

 

[Absinthe]

I will be trying to win them both this evening, I will let you know if I don't win the CPM, hopefully I will get the boxes reasonably, but someone just bumped them up by a bunch

 

[Rafal Lukawiecki]

I hope you won them
R.

 

[Absinthe]

Not even close

I will continue to look for the control panel, but I think I would like to try my hand at some sheet metal fabrication and build some of the light mixing boxes. I just need some size specifications and perhaps a photograph or two of the inside.

Would you be willing to take some measurements for me?

 

[kapro]

Watch out! Be aware that mixing boxes for Ilford Multigrade 500 head are different for different enlarger. It means that if you have IM 500 head connected to ,let's say DeVere 504, mixing boxes are not the same as if the IM 500 Head is connected to Durst or whatsoever...

 

[Absinthe]

Well that is something definitely to be aware of. I thought the heads were the same and the mounting bracket was all that was differnt... Live an learn..

 

[youngrichard]

Ilford 500 CPM controller

I just got an RH designs Analyser Pro 500 and it is the bee's knees. You might pay £50 (say$100) for a used Ilford 500 CPM control panel, but if you can afford the £260 (say $500) for the Analyser 500 I would go for it. It does everything you ever dreamed of and will save you money by using much less paper. Unfortunately you never see them on eBay; once bought no-one is ever going to get rid of one. The Ilford probe is not a great piece of equipment; 500 systems are usually sold without the probe, and probes come up on eBay from time to time.
Richard

 

[Absinthe]

The probe I have, it is the controller I don't have. And the mixing boxes too...

Well, no matter for the time being, I will have the d5500 head soon, just got to figure out how to mount it

 

[GM Bennett]

The probe I have, it is the controller I don't have. And the mixing boxes too...

Well, no matter for the time being, I will have the d5500 head soon, just got to figure out how to mount it

I don't think you can easily mount a D5500 head on a D5XL chassis, but I stand to be corrected (and probably will be). I have a surplus D5500 column you can have gratis, but it's too big to ship and I'm guessing you don't live within driving distance of SW Ontario... if you do, however, send me a PM.

 

[Absinthe]

Well, there are 2 accessories listed http://www.khbphotografix.com/omega/Chromega/D5500Dich.htm :

407-920 Adapter Kit with Carrier Cassette for mounting on D5/D6 chassis DL
429-224 Chassis Linkage Kit for mounting on D5/D6 chassis (uses D5 carriers) DL

I am not sure what they look like, but if I can find one I will buy it, if I can see a picture of one, I will manufacture it...

I appreciate the offer of the chassis, I wish I were in driving distance, but alas I am in central virginia... It would be a bit of a stretch...

 

[Absinthe]

Ok, we're gettign somewhere, just bought the

407-920 Adapter Kit with Carrier Cassette for mounting on D5/D6 chassis DL

We'll see what this is when it gets here... does it suggest that I will need all differnt carriers?

 

[Absinthe]

Guess I still need 429-224

Eventually, I will have a whole enlarger/head system... this is getting frustrating