mixing box mystery for Ilford 500H

[Kathryn Austin]

I have recently purchased an Ilford 500H on ebay. My friend has the same head in my darkroom. The 35 mm mixing box on mine is long and fits down into the bellows such that when I lift the head up to insert a negative carrier, the box is in the way. When pushed up out of the way, the windows on the box are no longer in the right position for the bulbs. My friends 35 mixing box is just the right size and does not have this problem. We are both puzzled about how to make mine work. It did not come with a manual. Any insight about this would greatly be appreciated! Thanks...........

[Erik Eks]

Kathryn, it is quite obvious that yours is missing the adapter plate which holds the 35mm mixing box in place.

[Larry Gebhardt]

Do you have the 6x7 mixing box and adapter plate? If so you can get a feel for what the missing 35mm one looks like. If not I hope you have the 4x5 mixing box, as that does not need a plate. If you can't find a plate, they look to be simple sheet metal and a shop could probably bend you one for not too much money.

[Kathryn Austin]

Thanks for the responses! I do have the adapter plates that correspond to the mixing boxes, the length of the mixing box that is problematic is just over 6" in length, to fit this head it needs to be 4". I'm wondering if these boxes don't really go with this head, if there is an older model of the 500 that they actually go to..........Kathryn

[wfwhitaker]

Some Ilford 500 heads were intended to be used with the Leitz Focomat IIc. The mixing boxes for this enlarger were longer because of the design of the Focomat. It sounds like you may have one of those.

[Kathryn Austin]

So would this be referred to as an Ilford 500HLZ? I saw one listed on ebay. The actual head I have is a 500H, but the control box and mixing boxes go to a HLZ. These aren't compatable. I need to find mixing boxes for the 500H and then I would be able to sell the unit as a working unit. Thanks for helping me figure this out everyone, let me know if you come across any mixing boxes for a 500H I could buy.............Kathryn

[wfwhitaker]

Unless I'm mistaken, the HLZ was for the Focomat Ic. The 500H is more common and was offered in one configuration for the Focomat IIc with mixing boxes for 6x9cm and 35mm. I may be able to offer some help. Contact me off-line.

[Kathryn Austin]

Hi Will,
Thanks for the reply and offer to help. Do you have a phone number I can call you at? Sorry for the delayed response, I've been out of town. ........Kathryn