I've started this thread because I received some questions in the "Love to see your 8x10 Enlargers darkroom" thread in the Darkroom section. I did not want to hijack the thread with this DIY stuff.
I received the 16x20 Argyle process camera as part of a 'clean out' from another photographer. He was planning to convert the camera to an enlarger but 'never got around to it'. He did do one good thing: He bought the Rack & Pinion gears from McMaster Carr. I looked them up and they're pretty pricey.
I'm using an old process lens for enlarging. Since I use it occasionally on my Kodak 2D's I made the enlarger to accept the 6x6 2D lensboards.
The vacuum easel is from the Argyle camera with one change. I replaced the perforated plastic film surface with a steel one. It necessitated drilling a zillion .062 diameter holes in the steel sheet but this allows me to close off some of the unused holes to get a better vacuum by using more of the flexible magnet sheets (They won't fall off when the vacuum is turned off). Sometimes I need to use the flexible magnet material to flatten out some recalcitrant double weight fiber base paper too.
The bellows was found on ebay
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