De Vere 8x10 enlarger

[cyrus]

I picked up (well, hauled is more like it) a Devere 8x10 enlarger, model 108.
Its sitting in my livign room, and I plan on putting it back together. It doesn't look like anything on the web sites that I've seen but it needs a new bellows. Anyone have any experience with these? The folks at the shop where I got it from said it was 25+ years old.

[tim atherton]

the CIA used to use the DeVere 108A/F for 24cm wide rolls of aerial surveillance film

[Tony Lakin]

Hi cyrus
I use an old Devere 108 which has a four chrome tube column and a Cathomag head, I have also adapted and fitted to this enlarger a 2kw 108 Dichromat colour head from the 108A/F thet Tim refers too.
I have also just won another complete 108A/F on Ebay U.K. for approx. $500 from which parts are being removed and shipped to me to be kept as spares, if I can help in any way please feel free to contact me at tony@tonylakin.com
Best wishes
Tony

[cyrus]

Thanks all -- here are some photos of the enlarger (with the baseboard moved all the way to the bottom and the standards removed)

It says its a "108" -- note characteristics such as the shape of the feet and the number of wheels used to raise/lower the baseboard. I haven't been able to find a matching image on the web, so I can't ID the model.

[tim atherton]

whoa - that looks like an oldie - this was the one I was thinking of

http://de-vere.com/content/products/de-vere/108.jpg

[Tony Lakin]

Hi again
Here is my hybrid of the two with some other modifications including extra counterbalances to support the extra weight of the Dichromat head on the old 108 chassis.
http://www.tonylakin.com/Devere.htm

Regards
Tony

[cyrus]

Well tony it looks like the same model minus the feet -- the rear columns and the head where the "De Vere 108" mark is located seem to match. Is that a paper safe under the baseboard & if so, are there any problems with stability etc? So what model is this enlarger, and where can I obtain a new baffles & other parts?

[Tony Lakin]

Hi cyrus
The enlarger is a Devere 108 the same as yours it came with a Cathomag head which I still have I purchased it from Robert White about 20 years ago.
I took the opportunity to buy the Dichromat head when it came up on Ebay as I was worried that graded papers may become obsolete and this would allow me to use multigrade, took a fair bit of modification but it has been worth it as the head pumps out two kilowatts of light ensuring short printing times.
It is a paper safe you see, of my own construction, stability may have been a problem however as you may see in the photo I have braced it with a timber frame.
Sorry unable to suggest where you could get the parts you require, I suppose you could try Odyssey sales in the U.K. they are usually very helpful.

Tony

[Andrew_4548]

Hi cyrus,

I've got the same vintage De Vere but mine's a 54 model - they are definitely solidly built and use good old engineering design principles so should be easy to repair unless there's a cracked casting etc.

If you need any more bellows, Camera Bellows in the UK made all the original items for De Vere over the years and I guess still have all the patterns to cut new ones. I had a set of the main bellows made for mine and they were approximately 55 GBP. You can either fill in the online form with the measurements or do like I did after contacting them, chicken out and send them the old set and tell them what enlarger they came off - it's a lot easier that way.

[Leon Jester]

the CIA used to use the DeVere 108A/F for 24cm wide rolls of aerial surveillance film

Suitland or NPIC?