convert De Vere 504 Bench Enlarger (4x5) to 5x7 help needed

[zsolt]

have a De Vere 504 Bench Enlarger that has a problem at the moment with its head,so i took it down and saw this huge hole under my negative carrierit was 14x15cm,and i shoot 13x18cm film,was thinking at a spacer between the film holder and the light source,to be able to enlarge this negs..and of course another light source,but thats already figured out..
and here comes my question..anybody has an idea how far should i take the light source away?
enlargements would be between 20x25cm(8x10inch) and 40x50cm(16x20inch)with a 240mm G-claron
is there anybody out there who thought about this,maybe even made it?saw a guy thinking at converting it to 8x10 here(gave up at the end),but not 5x7..
could use some help here,cause i feel a bit lost,and dont feel like making100 lightboxes till i find the optimal thickness
anybody has an idea?or a formula,or something to solve this?
Any help is appreciated!
Thanks!

[IanG]

You need a different light source, I have a 5108 and the head is up against the negative.

Ian

[zsolt]

of course i need a different light source,namely a bigger..but even if i would have it now,the diameter of the hole under my negative carrier(dunno how they call that place)would still be the same..14x15cm..and im willing to enlarge 13x18cm negatives with the 504..
now i have to take my light source away from the hole,with the negative,to compensate for the 3 cm what i dont have there..
but my question would be how far should i place the thing?
i red my post again,and its wrong,sorry..
the order is normal,as a normal enlarger,light source, film, lens..and the spacer should be between the lens and the film,but on the upper side..
i hope this clears things..
sorry bout that,my bad

[interneg]

I wouldn't start hacking away at a DeVere, they're precise & solid for a reason.

You could contact Odyssey Sales to see if it's possible to convert it into a 507 - won't be cheap but it'll definitely work. I recall it involves replacing the entire head/ bellows assembly.

[Tin Can]

I also wanted to convert a DeVere 504 without a head to 5X7. I changed my mind.

Too nice to mess up. I tried an extension box which just sat on top but it was NG, for reasons I now forget. I think my lenses couldn't focus. Distances were off.

It will remain 4x5.

[zsolt]

Christ,no..i didnt want to touch the thing..just the head,make a bigger one,for 5x7,and with an extension try to fix the missing 3 cm i have there..
i have a good frien who is pro working with metal and all kindsof machines cnc, and others i dont remember,if this attempt fails,was thinking to ask him to make a bigger base that holds the negative carrier(no idea how they call the thing)but if so,than maybe it could be even 8x10,red here that the chassis for the 4x5-8x10 is the same,so it would be stable..
but first would like to fix this somehow,if possible with an extension..
Thanks for the Odyssey Sales idea,but i would like to end this cheap-but good,and buy film instead..i cant see any problem why couldnt someone,who knows what he is doing, make a bigger base(neg. holder thing) out of metal,and install it..
heck if it doesnt work for some reason,the other base can be put back easily..its just screws,and of course,i dont want to cut things..im not a vandal..

[zsolt]

I also wanted to convert a DeVere 504 without a head to 5X7. I changed my mind.

Too nice to mess up. I tried an extension box which just sat on top but it was NG, for reasons I now forget. I think my lenses couldn't focus. Distances were off.

It will remain 4x5.

Thanks for sharing this with me-us Randy!
could you Please tell us some details of your extension experiment?how far did you try to move the neg from the neg holder base(still dont know the name)?and what lenses did you try?yours is also a bench enlarger?
if i would wall mount it,or make a small metal drop table for it,i think it should be able to focus.it might need just bit more distance what your enlarger(maybe) couldnt handle with the lenses you used..
or maybe a wider lens,lets say not 240,but 210..
i might sound like a vandal terror guy,but im not..i will make everything with care and love.
and i really dont see why it wouldnt work..
all the enlargers in the world were made by humans using machines,and their hands..and mind

[zsolt]

I have a 5108 and the head is up against the negative.

Ian

Ian,
may i ask what lenses you use with your 5108,and could you tell me some info on the distance between lens and easel,and lens and negative when making 2x-3x enlargements?(with the lens you use)
Thanks in advance!
zsolt

[zsolt]

You need a different light source, I have a 5108 and the head is up against the negative.

Ian

also may i ask you how big your chassis is?(mine is113cm(44 inch))Odyssey Sales sad this on their site about the 5108:
"This Enlarger has the same range as the 504 and the 507 models, although the maximum film size used here is 8"x 10"."
to me it sounds that yours is the same big..exept the floor stand,of course..
also may i ask what is the max magnification that you can get without dropping the table?
Cheers!
zs.

[Tin Can]

You need the charts that show enlarger magnification, with distances with each lens.

Here is a sample Durst doc. http://www.durst-pro-usa.com/pdf/MAK...%20APENDIX.pdf