Lady Durst

[Allen in Montreal]

The story of HRH, Lady Durst, the 138s.

I don't know Allen. (Allen in Montreal) You have been hanging around these 138S threads at least since last summer when I invited you down to Cleveland to have a look. I think it is your turn. Give yourself a big heavy Christmas present. Tell yourself you deserve it. We will all stand behind that one.

Have a good one,
John

I took that advice John! Thank you for all your help over the last few months.

And here is another one. John, don't you need a spare....

http://newyork.craigslist.org/brk/pho/964623125.html

SSSHHHH!!!!!

I have been in contact with this seller and I think we have agreed on a package.

:--)

Someone that reads this forum I am guessing, bought this one up from under me after we had agreed on a package and price. The seller had three different 138 units, timers lens etc and I only wanted to buy one. Someone bought everything he had, lock stock and barrel, so he sold. The buyer of the Brooklyn kit sent me an e mail saying that he would let me know the full contents of the buy if I wanted to get some parts after he picked it all up today (Tuesday the 30th) in Brooklyn. I had delayed going to get the unit as I could not get a mini van rental due to the holidays. I guess I can't blame him given the chance to move off such a large package deal.

Not sure how far you want to drive, here is a 138 listing in Philadelphia:

http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/pho/945114017.html

So, I dashed off to to Philly!
Thank you for the tip IC !
I owe you one buddy.


Not wanting to lose the unit as I had in Ohio and then Brooklyn, when I read Bjorn's comments, I planned to leave asap.
The unit broke down in minutes and I easily placed the top section carefully on the back seat of my Nissan Altima wrapped in newspaper and an old sheet. I used the seat belts to strap her in safe and sound.

...... These machines can be split into the foot-base, the bottom column with the table holder, the table itself, the top column and the head. It is possible that you can go further, but that is good enough for transporting it in the trunk of a small (e.g. a VW Golf/Rabbit) european sedan......this fine piece of machinery will come apart nicely.

Björn

The seller was very nice, he said he has no room in his new house for a darkroom and can not imagine a darkroom in the foreseeable future, he was happy to have it go to a good home. He was a very nice guy, I don't know Philly much, but the older red brick houses in the area were beautiful. He threw in his 5x7 stainless film hangers which was really nice.


My daughter has nicked named it:

Lady Durst.

She proclaimed on sight of it in his garage, (in hushed tones) "it must be good, cause it is ugly!"


Lady Durst in front of my print and neg storage units.
She has not gone into the darkroom just yet. Set up for 35mm, the unit has a full set of condensers with a wooden box to store the unused condensers.






The only "flaws" so to speak on an otherwise perfect unit is the baseboard, which I will borrow some clamps and re-glue in the coming weeks.



And what appears to be old dried lubricant, most washes off with a fair bit of elbow grease. It looks like rust in the picture, but it is a yellowish lubricant that leaked a little from the counter balance housing.



Do most of you just use a fine machine oil spread on lightly with a cloth for the column?

The unit came with a non Durst neg carrier, it was equipped with a Carlwen 35mm.
It is the first time I have seen a Carlwen, it is a nice unit with a built in test/focus negative. I will have to troll around Evil-Bay and others for a 5x7 holder. Glenview is a touch mad with the asking price for a neg carrier.


I need to thank LFPF's Dave also, I almost bought his 1084, and after a flurry of e mails back and forth, it became clear I lacked the height to use that unit with the CLS head. His was pristine too, it was sad to see it go. I do have a 184 project in the works too, it will take time and work to clean it up and get it on line, but with a thin cold light head, any thoughts of using the Durst CLS have gone through the roof! (pardon the pun) :--)


Stats on the mission:

Klms driven to get the unit: 1500

Fuel costs, not much more than the Toll road fees! &%$

Travel expenses unforeseen: $115 parking ticket in NYC as I checked in at the hotel ! Double *&%$

911 calls made: One. A 4x4 driver blew by me in a nasty storm, total white out and then flew off the road into the ditch. i do not think he would have been found for many hours had I not noticed the fresh skid marks in the snow leading off the road.

My daughter's walk through Central Park after breakfast:



A very large Thank You to all those here at LFPF that helped out and gave me tips along the way.
2009 is looking a touch better already.

[ic-racer]

So, I dashed off to to Philly!
Thank you for the tip IC !
I owe you one buddy.

Fix it up and use it will be payment enough (post pictures too)

I love threads like this.

For the column, try some WD-40 sprayed on a rag, see if that cleans it up.

Looks like fixing the lamination on the baseboard will be an easy task with the right glue and some clamps.

[Allen in Montreal]

Fix it up and use it will be payment enough (post pictures too)

I love threads like this.

For the column, try some WD-40 sprayed on a rag, see if that cleans it up.

Looks like fixing the lamination on the baseboard will be an easy task with the right glue and some clamps.

I will post my first print.
Thank you for the WD idea, I had scrubbed the column, but went and got WD this afternoon, the column glows and all traces of the old lubricant are now gone.

It is a bit of a group project in the sense that different tips came from so many.

[Bjorn Nilsson]

Congratulations. It's a beautiful piece of machinery.

It seems like distances can build up over there too. (From here, around Stockholm I can go to the very north of Sweden, which will take me a couple of days driving. If I instead go south the same distance, I will end up in southern Spain. So yes, we do have some distances in Europe too. )

//Björn

[Dave Langendonk]

I need to thank LFPF's Dave also, I almost bought his 1084, and after a flurry of e mails back and forth, it became clear I lacked the height to use that unit with the CLS head. His was pristine too, it was sad to see it go. I do have a 184 project in the works too, it will take time and work to clean it up and get it on line, but with a thin cold light head, any thoughts of using the Durst CLS have gone through the roof! (pardon the pun) :--)

Allen,

Glad to see you arrived at a solution to your enlarger dilemma. The CLS 1840 I had would just have been too tall for your darkroom. Looks like you made a nice purchase with the 138. The 1840 has a new owner also so all is well. Best of luck to you.

Dave

[John Powers]

Congratulations Allen. Glad you made it round trip safely. The 138 looks in good condition. I agree with the WD 40. Light oil tends to attract dust and hold it over time.

Who knows, maybe when your daughter sees prints from negatives she will think Lady Durst is a lucky lady and want to try more things with Dad like photography. I know Dale, ic-racer, is doing that. My step daughter is 34 and raising a four year old in Denver so it will have to be video conferencing for us.

Lets us all help you with any questions that come up.
Glad it worked out.

John

[Keith Tapscott.]

There is an enlarger like that at Inversnaid lodge in Scotland, it is a very sturdy and well made enlarger.

[Gudmundur Ingolfsson]

When you start looking fir the negative carrier try this guy in Munich/ Germany:
Fotoservice Jungkunz
Germany

tel:- 0049 89 6519975
fax:- 0049 89 6519981
web address:- www.used-minilab.net
e-mail:- jungkunz@used-minilab.net
Darkroom equipment and accessories, Minilab systems, Other equipment and systems for photofinishing

[Allen in Montreal]

.........

For the column, try some WD-40 sprayed on a rag, see if that cleans it up.
......

On first scrub down with WD, the column is almost perfect, I will give it a second go.

[Allen in Montreal]

.........

Who knows, maybe when your daughter sees prints from negatives she will think Lady Durst is a lucky lady and want to try more things with Dad like photography.........

John

I am really lucky, she does a lot with me and is really into the arts. She checks the Museum schedule for upcoming shows!