Want to Buy WTB: 16x20 easel

Hello,

I am looking for a 16x20 easel - something of high quality (Saunders / Kaiser / Dunco / Kienzle / RRB) in good condition.

If it has a base height that works with the Focomat defaults for autofocus, it's a plus.

If Saunders, I am mainly looking for the V-track (VT2000) or maybe the UA one (UA1620).

Shipping will be to Tokyo.

Thanks,
Ben

Just an update, managed to find an RR Beard 12x16 and a Kostiner 16x16 easel so will see how I get on with those.

Any comments on the ones I got? The RRB is 2 bladed and the kostiner 4.

Thanks,
Ben

bence8810 said:

Hello,

I am looking for a 16x20 easel - something of high quality (Saunders / Kaiser / Dunco / Kienzle / RRB) in good condition.

If it has a base height that works with the Focomat defaults for autofocus, it's a plus.

If Saunders, I am mainly looking for the V-track (VT2000) or maybe the UA one (UA1620).

Shipping will be to Tokyo.

Thanks,
Ben

Click to expand...

Why not just take a steel sheet and some magnets or a wooden board and some double-sided tape?

RalphLambrecht said:

Why not just take a steel sheet and some magnets or a wooden board and some double-sided tape?

Click to expand...

Ralph, that's very similar to what I did when building an easel for 20x24" prints. If anyone's interested in doing such a project, I have lots of pics of details of the construction process as well as a prepared sheet with step-by-step instructions for how to build and use it. It would not be difficult to scale it down to whatever size one desires.

Here's one pic, complete with digital distortion, thanks to my wife's digicam:

Hi,
always used RRB and just got a 16x20. I find them well made, simple and solid. And I think the advantages of 4 blades are really marginal over 2 blades...
Cheers
Ferru

Thank you guys for the answers.

Steel frame - good idea of course for large prints but I already have a 24x24 LPL easel for the extra large prints. It is a very poorly made easel in terms of it being thin and at that size it warps unless placed on a very stable / large baseboard. Thankfully my IIc has a large board so it sits firmly but still the blades (4) are all very thin and flimsy and I use a lot of magnets to keep the blades straight. It is okay as I don't print that large often and even if I do I don't mind taking time as each piece of paper is expensive at that size so I go very slow and careful. If I print larger than that I wall / floor project and take the paper to the surface I use.

The reason I was looking for this (these) easels is to have something i use everyday and I mostly print 5x7 / 8x10 with 11x14 and larger being rare.
I got the RRB which I haven't yet seen as I am overseas on business but I already have doubts about it, for the fact that it's 2 bladed. I don't mind the 2 blades at all but when I print 5x7 the easel would need to be positioned with its top-left corner in the center of the baseboard and the rest of the easel hanging off of the enlarger towards the bottom right. For this I think having a 4 bladed easel will be better, hence the Kostiner. Anyone has any experience with this Kostiner 16x16 (40cmX40) easel?

Iam thinking about to keep the RRB for larger prints when the easel would be placed normally centered on the baseboard but if the kostiner will be also very good, I might actually just sell the beard.

I missed the 4 bladed Proton Beard (RRB's latest model with a slight name change) and those don't come up often.

Thanks all,
Ben

silveror0 said:

If anyone's interested in doing such a project, I have lots of pics of details of the construction process as well as a prepared sheet with step-by-step instructions for how to build and use it.

Click to expand...

I would love to take a look at your other info before I attempt a similar project soon. Can you send it, or is there a link you can post?

Also, do you have a guess as to how thick a steel plate needs to be to to avoid flexing on this size scale (~2x3 feet)?

Thanks!
Kyle

Rust concerns with a steel plate?

sepiareverb said:

steel plate

Click to expand...

spray paint.

kylewilcox said:

I would love to take a look at your other info before I attempt a similar project soon. Can you send it, or is there a link you can post?

Also, do you have a guess as to how thick a steel plate needs to be to to avoid flexing on this size scale (~2x3 feet)?

Thanks!
Kyle

Click to expand...

If you send me your email address via PM (conversation), I can send you a Word document with all my info and photos.