xpan negative carrier for beseler 23c iii

[sambw]

I have both a 105mm and a 75mm lens and a couple 6x9 negative carriers (one with glass and one without) and some extra, normal 35mm negative carriers. Does anyone have any suggestions for how to make a negative carrier for xpan negs (either masking or converting the normal 35mm carrier would be fine) or a good (somewhat cheap) negative carrier made for the xpan?
Thanks

 

[Mick Fagan]

There are various ways to tackle your dilemma, one is to mask the glass with tape, bit of a pain. Another way is to make an insert into another neg carrier that has a bigger negative size than your Xpan negatives.

I did a work around with my DeVere enlarger for my Horizon 202 negatives, 24x56 (nominal) size. I had a friend with access to a Laser cutter who cut a blank from a mild steel sheet to fit exactly into the 4x5 neg carrier, then another cut was made to the exact frame size of my Horizon 202 minus 0.25mm all round.

By making the negative carrier hole ever so slightly smaller, I am able to make direct prints without any black edges showing on prints, unless I'm doing border less prints.

This has been very successful.

The only downside is that the negative carrier is quite heavy when the steel inserts are placed. You will need an under and over set of inserts, by the way.

Laser cutting of mild steel is reasonably cheap these days, certainly cheaper than when I had mine cut in 1994/5.

Mick.

 

[David Brown]

The glass 6x9 will work, obviously. Whether or not you want to mask depends on how you work making prints.

OTOH, if you have an extra 35mm carrier, it is no big deal to re-shape it for the xpan negs. It takes some patience and skill with a hacksaw and metal files, but it can be done. You'll find that going from 36mm to 56mm (or whatever it is), split between the two sides is not removing as much material as one might think. Then you have an actual neg carrier!

 

[Vincent Brady]

A friend filed my metal 35mm negative carriers to suit my xpan negs. He did have his own workshop and was well used to metalwork. I would not have been able to do the task myself or would have made a bags of the job. He filed the new edges so as to avoid any scratches on the negs and painted the new edges with matt black paint to complete the job.

 

[mesantacruz]

I always suggest this as a quick remedy, especially if you have a mat cutter... cut one out of a mat... it won't scratch your negatives and if the mat is hard enough, will last a while, i've had one for my b67 negatives for over a year...