Re: economical LARGE easel
I have three sizes of the expensive Saunders 4 blade easels, 11x14, 16x20 and 20x24. I stopped using them because fiber based paper curls severely in my neck of the woods, pushing up the blades off the easels.
So I bought speed easels in all sizes up to 16x20 and attached sheet metal to my baseboard, painted it flat yellow. I then had 3/4" strips of clear plexiglass cut to varying lengths and used gaffers tape to attach rare earth magnets bought on eBay.
This works killer, I can use the short pieces on the speed easels for square format shots and larger ones for the baseboard for doing 20x20's and 20x24's.....
I almost can not imagine going back to regular easels this works so well, being able to actually see the edge of the paper under the plexiglass.
My take on easels in my too small for a 20x24 4-blade easel darkroom...:-)
Re: economical LARGE easel
I was in the same boat needing a 16x20 easel without breaking the bank.
I found a fixed size borderless 16x20 easel for $30 and then made frames out of wood to fit inside the opening so as to give a nice wide border. I ended up making frames of different widths so that I have more than one border width.
Re: economical LARGE easel
A piece of sheet steel and magnets works. Speed ezels work but I found my favorite paper at the time was too thick to fit. I bought a mint, four blade Saunders dirt cheap from a lab that was going digi.
I don't know if my current paper will fit a Speed ezel, but if I didn't have Saunders, I'd be using a piece of sheet steel and magnets
Re: economical LARGE easel
If you're into making your own metal/magnets easel for a little larger than 20x24, I've done that and am willing to send pics w/ instructions. I've been using it for a long time w/o issues. Just let me know your email address to send all my info.
Re: economical LARGE easel
Jerry Bodine: If you don't mind, please send the plans to me too, paulocabrita (at) netcabo.pt, or post them here! :-)
Thank you.
Re: economical LARGE easel
Build yourself a vacuum easel!