Question about the Beseler Universal Color Head

[Tin Can]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]136206 [/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]136205

I suppose the current Beseler 45 enlarger has a similar color head. It might be exactly the same.

Mr. Moe,

>Which I hope is not what you have...

What made you think that I purchased a very old enlarger like that?

Because initially you did not supply complete info and they have the same name.

As Drew points out, you now has the last and greatest Beseler head made. Congratulations!

Here is an expert on many things, consider his essay on Beseler. Then read the rest of his very informative site.

http://www.glennview.com/beseler.htm

[Drew Wiley]

The diffusion system on that rig was poorly thought out. It works and should be fine for most purposes. But the light output can be nearly doubled using a true
mirror box below the head rather than that thick moulded piece of polycarbonate or whatever. They almost had a home run. Not quite. I cannibalized the controllers from several of these to build my own "hot rod" additive machines. But I wouldn't wish that nightmare on anyone else. I needed about eight times the
illumination level as the production unit in order to make large Cibachromes. But that era is gone, and RA4 papers are way way faster, along with all typical black and white papers designed for enlargement. If something does go wrong with the electronics, all the components are available through any serious electronics store or online supply. I prefer the stores because they attract soldering iron geeks that still know how to diagnose such components. Funny how these new phD's in electrical engineering up at the University don't even know how to use a soldering iron. But that's a different story. Digitized sinewave control
or additive channels does allow a whole new suite of options, but is inherently tied to constantly shifting expensive software issues, so not really practical for
a limited budget.

[gorsescent]

Folks, thank you very much for the precious information!!!

[Duolab123]

The diffusion system on that rig was poorly thought out. It works and should be fine for most purposes. But the light output can be nearly doubled using a true
mirror box below the head rather than that thick moulded piece of polycarbonate or whatever. They almost had a home run. Not quite. I cannibalized the controllers from several of these to build my own "hot rod" additive machines. But I wouldn't wish that nightmare on anyone else. I needed about eight times the
illumination level as the production unit in order to make large Cibachromes. But that era is gone, and RA4 papers are way way faster, along with all typical black and white papers designed for enlargement. If something does go wrong with the electronics, all the components are available through any serious electronics store or online supply. I prefer the stores because they attract soldering iron geeks that still know how to diagnose such components. Funny how these new phD's in electrical engineering up at the University don't even know how to use a soldering iron. But that's a different story. Digitized sinewave control
or additive channels does allow a whole new suite of options, but is inherently tied to constantly shifting expensive software issues, so not really practical for
a limited budget.

I'm bringing this thread back to life. I just got a "smokin" deal on a like new Universal 45 w/ color controller. I thought I had bagged a VC controller for 2.5x what I paid for the head with all the goodies. Alas the VC controller gets here the timer buttons are so used up that they stick and count up or down out of control. The VC controller works (the red lamp comes on in graded mode) I need this like I need a hole in the head but I have every other colorhead that Beseler has made sooooo.

Are there VC controllers around? I don't want to dump a lot of money into this, The whole outfit cost me less than $175.

I have a really nice late model Zone VI VC head with a Metrolux II controller that works fine for split grade.

I am decidedly non-professional, but I have a heck of a darkroom. I would like to find a virgin VC control box to finish the "late 90's" portion of my museum.

Best Regards, Mike