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Thread: Will a partially disassembled Omega D-2V fit into a compact car?

  1. #1
    Name: ______William Booth
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    Will a partially disassembled Omega D-2V fit into a compact car?

    I am travelling about 150 miles to pick up an Omega D-2V. I am going to partially disassemble it, as per Harry Taylor's recommendation, into three units: Enlarger Column/Chassis, Lamphouse/Variable Condenser, and Baseboard/Hardware. So my question is, can I pack this thing into a 4-door, mid-size car ('04 Toyota Corolla)?

    As I was researching this, I did find a related post giving a column height of 46 inches, and I know that the standard baseboard measures 18" x 26".

    So the baseboard is going into the trunk, and the lamphouse/condenser is going to rest on the driver-side rear floorboard, but what are the approximate dimensions of the chassis? I know the lamphouse/condenser should be kept vertical, but am I correct in assuming I can wrap a towel around the column/chassis and lay it across the back seat. Do I need to maintain the tension on the counterbalance springs with some kind of spacer?

    I will probably have a human passenger in the front with me. Am I missing anything critical? Also, sorry if this is all terribly obvious, but this will be my first enlarger and I'd like to go into the situation with some clue as to what I should expect.

    Thanks!

  2. #2

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    Re: Will a partially disassembled Omega D-2V fit into a compact car?

    It will probably fit in the trunk, all of it, with some padding. IIRC you can unhook the springs and gently let them retract, the tabs will not retract into the housing. You can also lock the chassis on the column, at least on mine there is a locking screw/knob.
    One man's Mede is another man's Persian.

  3. #3
    Jim Jones's Avatar
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    Re: Will a partially disassembled Omega D-2V fit into a compact car?

    I safely carried a 5x7 Elwood enlarger 65 miles roped down to carrier bars on the roof of a Volkswagon bug. The little DV-2 ought to ride better than the Elwood.

  4. #4
    Land-Scapegrace Heroique's Avatar
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    Re: Will a partially disassembled Omega D-2V fit into a compact car?

    I think your Toyota Corolla will handle the enlarger w/ ease, even if you have someone in the passenger seat.

    For a safe and secure fit, here are a few steps about disassembly & transport that have worked for me. Specifically, they’re for the common D2v whose column is attached to a circular metal base plate (as yours might be) – which in turn attaches to a base board.

    The steps should be general enough to apply to additional D2v configurations:

    1) Make sure you’ve securely locked the enlarger’s chassis (the part that goes up and down) to the column by tightening the lock knob.

    2) Remove/loosen the 4 knurled thumb screws that attach the lamphouse/VC box to the four lever arms.

    3) Remove the lamphouse + VC box + main condenser housing, as one assembly, and carefully set it aside. (This 3-piece assembly is in the photo below.) Or, you can remove the 3 pieces one at a time. In any case, once the assembly is removed, separate it into its 3 pieces for easiest transport. To be extra safe, you might also remove the variable condenser lens from the VC box – making a fourth piece.

    4) Now back to the column. Unhook the counterbalance spring tapes from the upper back axle, and let the tapes back into their cartridges – carefully! If you let them snap back, someone might get hurt and cry , or the hooks might break off. (To make this safer, you might raise-up the chassis, shortening the length of exposed tape, then detach the hooks.)

    5) I’d go ahead and fully retract the bellows to help protect them for the journey. You might even remove the bellows by unscrewing the tiny 4-top and 4-bottom screws.

    6) Now, with someone else holding up the column, remove all three bolts holding the three clamps that anchor the column to the metal base plate. (This plate is directly attached to the base board.)

    7) Reattach the clamps to the plate for travel (that is, if you’re taking the base board with you).

    -----
    Now you can carry all your pieces to your Toyota Corolla w/ ease, laying them flat in the trunk w/ less chance of being damaged. Or, if you place them on the floorboards (in front of the seats), they might have less chance of moving around in the restricted space...

    Here’s to a safe voyage to you and your Omega enlarger!
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Omega D2v head.jpg  

  5. #5
    lenser's Avatar
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    Re: Will a partially disassembled Omega D-2V fit into a compact car?

    I'm not familiar with the features of the Corolla. Does it have rear seats that pull down to access the trunk? if so, it should be a piece of cake to insert the entire enlarger from the rear and through the seats. You may have to remove the baseboard for that, but I doubt it if you lay the enlarger on it's side. I have a D2V and have moved it several times just lying on the back seat of vehicles as diverse as a full sized Blazer to a pair of compact station wagons, to a mid sized Ford Tempo......all without any disassembly.

    Do keep in mind the fact that the lamp house carries two large and fragile condenser lenses that are secure enough in vertical position on the enlarger, but could be quite vulnerable lying on it's side on the floorboard, especially if your roads are anywhere near as pot holed and rutted as some of ours in Missouri. If you must remove it, I suggest you belt that onto the forgiving back seat and lay the column on the floorboard sans the baseboard. By the way, there is no reason whatever for removing the entire head. Just remove the part above the bellows (the lamp house and condensers), and leave the rest attached, negating any need to deal with the counter springs. Lock the control knob down tightly and enjoy the ride.
    .
    "One of the greatest necessities in America is to discover creative solitude." Carl Sandburg

  6. #6
    Name: ______William Booth
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    Re: Will a partially disassembled Omega D-2V fit into a compact car?

    Thanks for all the advice. I will probably end up somewhere in between Jim/Tim and E./Heroique. I definitely appreciate all the input, but especially the disassembly instructions from Heroique. Thanks for typing all that information out. I will let you know how things go. Looking forward to having a positive lying around. The negatives are starting to stack up.

  7. #7
    lenser's Avatar
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    Re: Will a partially disassembled Omega D-2V fit into a compact car?

    Great enlarger, by the way. I bought mine new in 1967 and everything except the base board still looks new.
    "One of the greatest necessities in America is to discover creative solitude." Carl Sandburg

  8. #8
    lenser's Avatar
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    Re: Will a partially disassembled Omega D-2V fit into a compact car?

    Great enlarger, by the way. I bought mine new in 1967 and everything except the base board still looks new. If you are lucky enough to find one, the old cold light head from Omega, the one that looks like a flying saucer, makes gorgeous prints with really lovely tonal ranges.
    "One of the greatest necessities in America is to discover creative solitude." Carl Sandburg

  9. #9

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    Re: Will a partially disassembled Omega D-2V fit into a compact car?

    You shouldn't have any trouble with the Corolla handling the enlarger. My ex and I used to have a '00 Toy Corolla and the rear seats did fold down to allow large items to fit. Should your Corolla not have this feature, you can remove the back seat with simple hand tools. Just reinstall them, once you get the enlarger home.

    Have fun,

    Jose

  10. #10
    in the dark since 1965
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    Re: Will a partially disassembled Omega D-2V fit into a compact car?

    The column with neg stage will be fine anywhere you put it, with the column locked to protect the plastic gears, and as Harry says all the glass packed separately. Do be careful of your enlarging lenses- do not leave them in a hot car while you eat, etc. Wrap them and carry them
    if you leave the car in sun or heat. I just moved a D2V about 50 miles(in Vt), and wrapped, in a box,
    and covered with a board I had a thermal event, and the outer elements in a Rodagon 135
    separated, which will be an iffy and pricy repair. Beware, Brother, Beware!

    Good luck, David

    p.s. I have a few extra carriers/etc if you have a problem

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