Enlarger alignment tools

[Jim Graves]

I'm about to set up a Durst 1200 and have been reviewing past posts for alignment information. I've found information on the Beseler Alignment Tool, the Versalab Laser System, and even one reference to the "Bill Peters Laser Alignment Tool."

Anyone have any experience with these tools and/or specific recommendations on aligning the Durst 1200?

[Don Hutton]

I've used the Zig align and the Versalab - the Versalab has to be the best of these things - so simple and easy to use - you know when you have a perfect result.

[BarryS]

I have the Versalab Parallel and find it pretty simple to use and very accurate. I tried some other (more manual) methods before getting the Parallel and they were all more complicated and less accurate.

[Mark Sampson]

The Versalab is a marvelous device. It can measure to much tighter tolerances than the designers of my ancient Omega ever dreamed of.
It would be a great thing if one was available to the community as some kind of shared resource;it's an expensive device to buy, and then use maybe once a year.
If I owned one myself I'd consider loaning it to other darkroom workers...

[ic-racer]

I use the Versalab laser also. It works great, I would replace it if anything happened to it. Just as important as the laser tool (or what ever device you choose) would be the grain focuser that lets you see the edges. Sharp at the edges and center is the bottom line, so having both devices lets you double check things.

For example, I have at least one enlarging lens where the aperture ring forms the front lip of the lens. When you put the reflecting glass on the front of this lens (to reflect the laser beam) the results are kind of all over the place. Having the grain focuser for the edges of the frame lets me double check to see that I got the alignment right.

[Mark_S]

It would be a great thing if one was available to the community as some kind of shared resource;it's an expensive device to buy, and then use maybe once a year.

I would be interested in purchasing a share in a Versalab Parallel - and other takers?

[Andrew O'Neill]

You could always make one. Two mirrors, one with a small sight hole drilled in it. I made one with a couple of mirrors from the loonie store (not glass) and drilled a small hole in one of them. The one with the hole goes in place of the negative carrier, mirror facing down, the other on the baseboard, facing up. You look down through the hole and if you see more than one spot of light on the bottom mirror, your enlarger is not properly aligned.
I'm sure if you google search the topic you will find lots of info
I do own the zig align system but pain in the butt to use. The mirrors are quick and easy.

[cyrus]

I have never used one of these tools and can't discuss them. I use a cheaper method: take a negative, using a pin scratch a big circle and then an X from corner to corner of the negative, place the negative in the holder, and then make the necessary adjustments.

[Don Hutton]

I have never used one of these tools and can't discuss them. I use a cheaper method: take a negative, using a pin scratch a big circle and then an X from corner to corner of the negative, place the negative in the holder, and then make the necessary adjustments.
Cyrus

The issue with this method is that you don't know what to adjust and when - could be the negative stage, could be the baseboard, could be the lens stage... Where do you start?

A tool like the Versalab lets you isolate and sort each stage out, one at a time, and you end up with the whole thing in perfect alignment...

[Alan Rabe]

I also use the versalab. One thing I discovered was that easels are not flat. I aligned the enlarger and then the lens stage to the baseboard. I then put an easel on the baseboard and checked it. It was out of alignment! In fact the three easels I had, all different sizes, where out of alignment in each its own way. So I purchased a 16/20 adjustable blade easel, aligned it and have been perfectly aligned ever since.

[cyrus]

Cyrus

The issue with this method is that you don't know what to adjust and when - could be the negative stage, could be the baseboard, could be the lens stage... Where do you start?

A tool like the Versalab lets you isolate and sort each stage out, one at a time, and you end up with the whole thing in perfect alignment...

Yes it is a quick and dirty way for alignment for sure but still, lots cheaper than a Versalab.

Start with adjusting the negative stage (which is usually the only adjustable part) - but doesn't really matter anyway as long as you ultimately get a sharp focused view of the scratched image.

[Merg Ross]

I have kept my DII aligned for 40+ years with the method that Cyrus suggests. The only adjustment I need to make is to the negative stage. I check it every few years, although once aligned, it seems to remain in alignment. At one time I thought a special tool might help, but after all, sharp is sharp.

[nathantw]

Wouldn't a $7.99 (or $13) mini laser held straight up with a 15-cent folder clip as it's reflecting off a small hand mirror that's in the negative stage and then the lens stage do the exact same thing as the $190 Versalab?

[SamReeves]

I've had good results with both the Versalab and the Omega spring level on a rod. I find it useful to have both to cross check each other's level alignments.

[Don Hutton]

Wouldn't a $7.99 (or $13) mini laser held straight up with a 15-cent folder clip as it's reflecting off a small hand mirror that's in the negative stage and then the lens stage do the exact same thing as the $190 Versalab?
Yes - how you get it to point straight up in a verifiable and repeatable way explains some of the difference. It's also handy to have some sort of "target" to read the reflected image once it comes back down again... I think the Versalab unit is a lot of money for what it is, but it is an excellent tool.

[nathantw]

Yes - how you get it to point straight up in a verifiable and repeatable way explains some of the difference. It's also handy to have some sort of "target" to read the reflected image once it comes back down again... I think the Versalab unit is a lot of money for what it is, but it is an excellent tool.

Once I make the home-made laser alignment tool and verify it works I'll post pictures (if that's possible on this forum). I think a small plumb would work in helping determine if the unit is pointed straight up or not. That was one of the "problems" I was trying to figure out. The target is also something I'm trying to figure out, though I don't think that part will be too hard.

[Andrew O'Neill]

I have never used one of these tools and can't discuss them. I use a cheaper method: take a negative, using a pin scratch a big circle and then an X from corner to corner of the negative, place the negative in the holder, and then make the necessary adjustments.

Brilliant!

[Chauncey Walden]

I made one seven or eight years ago by mounting a $5 Radio Shack laser in a 35mm film canister using 3 nylon screws from the hardware store. I centered it by adjusting the 3 screws while turning the canister on the floor in a corner formed by a carpenters square and watching the pattern being traced on the ceiling. Once I had the circle reduced to a dot, I put it on the baseboard and easel with a mirror in the negative stage and then on the lens face. Adjusting the enlarger was easy then by just tweaking it until the reflected dot centered on the laser.

[Jim Jones]

I have never used one of these tools and can't discuss them. I use a cheaper method: take a negative, using a pin scratch a big circle and then an X from corner to corner of the negative, place the negative in the holder, and then make the necessary adjustments.

I've used a similar system on several enlargers over many years with a slight variation: clear film is lightly abraded with medium and super fine sandpaper. The coarse lines are for preliminary adjustments. The fine lines permit finer adjustments.

[nathantw]

I made one seven or eight years ago by mounting a $5 Radio Shack laser in a 35mm film canister using 3 nylon screws from the hardware store.

That's actually a good idea. I just saw that Radio Shack has mini-light saber shaped laser pointers. I think I'll pick one up at lunch and also some screws. Thanks for the tip.

[Paul Fitzgerald]

Hi all,

"You could always make one. Two mirrors, one with a small sight hole drilled in it. I made one with a couple of mirrors from the loonie store (not glass) and drilled a small hole in one of them. The one with the hole goes in place of the negative carrier, mirror facing down, the other on the baseboard, facing up. You look down through the hole and if you see more than one spot of light on the bottom mirror, your enlarger is not properly aligned."

"I have never used one of these tools and can't discuss them. I use a cheaper method: take a negative, using a pin scratch a big circle and then an X from corner to corner of the negative, place the negative in the holder, and then make the necessary adjustments."

Put the two together and it works like a charm. Put an X scratch through the back of a glass mirror and install it into the negative stage and a plain mirror on the baseboard. Remove the lens, turn on the enlarger and align the neg. stage. Install the lens and align the lens stage. Recheck at various heights because it will usually change.

After your all done aligning, check your easels also.

[Tony Lakin]

Hi
I use a Versalab laser alignment tool and I am extremely happy with it, after purchasing it I had the great pleasure of reading Barry Thornton's "Edge Of Darkness" in which he describes how to build you own laser tool economically usin a laser unit from a supermarket checkout barcode reader:) :) :)

[Hector.Navarro]

Hi
I use a Versalab laser alignment tool and I am extremely happy with it, after purchasing it I had the great pleasure of reading Barry Thornton's "Edge Of Darkness" in which he describes how to build you own laser tool economically usin a laser unit from a supermarket checkout barcode reader:) :) :)

Tony, that's an interesting take on the issue! could you give more details about it?

[Tony Lakin]

Hi Hector
I can't remember the details exactly as I no longer have the book, from memory there was nothing complicated about it, simply find a laser beam projector from a discarded supermarket checkout barcode reader and use it in the same way as the Versalab parallel alignment tool, you could easily design a target on a computer and stick it on top of the housing voila just place the unit on your enlarger baseboard and direct the beam at a mirror either held at the front of the enlarger lens (rubber bands work well) or sitting in the negative carrier then adjust levels until the returning laser spot coincides with the centre of the target, as I said I use the Versalab tool but this should work just as well, another idea from Barry's book is to use adjustable legs attached to a sheet of rigid board which is located under the enlarging easel this makes levelling even easier.
Hope this helps.

[Hector.Navarro]

thank you Tony, homegrown versalab like definitely. At first I thought that it involved laser bouncing around, wild idea!

[chilihead]

If you can get a Salthill Tri-Linear alignment tool - they work perfectly in the L1200 - and - you can check your baseboard level too - I bought one new years ago and it is still as perfectly accurate as the day it was made.

[Cliff McMann]

No association with this but thought it might be of interest. E-bay
item #270228514228
Versa lab alignment tool

[GeorgesGiralt]

Hi Jim !
I own the predecessor of the L1200, the Laborator 1000 and also a Versalab laser tool.
The tool was not needed until I dismantle the enlarger to install it on an home made wall mount. (see http://www.galerie-photo.com/support-mural-durst-laborator-1000.html article is in French but you can see the pictures).
IMHO, unless severelly abused, the Durst does not require alignment. The only point to check is the play in the rod supporting the lens stage. If there is too much play, the lens stage may be positioned incorectly regarding the negative stage.
If I had to shop again for a laser tool, I would make my own like described in "Way Beyond Monochrome" by MM Chris Woodhouse and Ralph Lambrechts.