Omega D5 alignment

[Todd Joseph]

I'm sure this has been asked before, so please forgive me. I'm wondering if someone could explain to me how to align an Omega D5XL.

Thanks

[Jeffrey Scott]

You will need a LOT of patience!

[Todd Schoenbaum]

There are some fancy devices using lasers, mirrors and levels that you can buy, but I level mine with just a small bubble level (the tube shape, not the bull's eye type).

Unfortunately, on the D5XL, there is no way to alter the lens stage (as far as I know). So you need to make sure that the lens stage is parallel with the easel. This can be done with some careful shimming of the enlarger base mount, the base board or the lens. Make sure that the lens and the easel (on top of the basebaord), are parallel in both dimensions (front-to-back and side-to-side) before you move on to adjusting the negative stage.

Fortunately the negative stage can be leveled. Place a negative carrier in the enlarger with the long end sticking out to either the front or the side. Place the level on the negative carrier, remember it doesn't have to be level, only parallel to lens and baseboard stages. Place the level across the front flange of the lens in the same orientation. Now, assuming that they are not parallel it is time to adjust the negative stage.

First, lift the light source up off the negative stage to make your life easier. Facing the Enlarger, you will find one screw at each corner of the negative stage. The one on the back left does not have an adjustment, the other three do. Only loosen two screws at a time, to level the negative stage. Keep the other two tightened down to limit the movement limited to one plane at a time. With two screws loosened, carefully push that side of the negative stage up or down (with the level still on the negative carrier) until it is parallel with the reading you took off the lens. Lock the screws down. Now repeat in other direction (front-to-back or side-to-side). Be sure to check the first direction again after you finish the second. Also check to make sure that the light housing will still lie flush on the negative stage.

Wow, that was a lot harder to explain that it actually is to do. It may take some back and forth to get it just right, but its definitely worth it. The toughest part is to get the lens and the baseboard level and maybe someone else has some suggestions or a better way all around. Also check out this page http://www.classic-enlargers.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?board=general (http://www.classic-enlargers.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?board=general) for lots of great info from the man with the answers to any Omega Enlarger Questions. Best of luck.

Celluloid and Silver (http://www.celluloidandsilver.com)

[Jon Shiu]

Just to add, it would also be possible to shim the easel, or make an adjustable surface as in Barry Thornton's book.

[Mike Buehler]

You can make smalll adjustments(front to back to the lense stage(also affects the negative stage) on the D5XL by loosening the shaft on the lower set of rollers that ride on the backside of the column and turning the shaft by inserting an allen wrech in the holes that are drilled through the shaft and then tightening when finished. No side to side adjustment though(shimming the column base would be needed). After making the adjustments to the lense stage, then align the negative stage.

Mike

[ronald moravec]

My gosh I didn`t want to write this again. Yes the lens stage can be leveled. It is not obvious how.

Start by leveling the base
Then tighten the column bolts to the base
then loosen the nuts on the upper rear carriage axel
put an allen wrench in the hole on the axel and rotate the axel so the lens is parralel to the base front to back.

retightn the nuts The axel is on an eccentric as are all D`s

level the lens l-r by loosening the two small phillips screws at the bottom of the bellows draw scale. retighten

now level the neg stage to the base with the head on the machine, but not resting on the neg stage

lastly the head can be adjusted to sit flat on the neg stage. The rods in the lift mechanism have a allen screw holding the two halfs together. loosen the screw and make the head sit flat. retighten

Dichroic heads can be leveled f-rear with the screws on the side of the head.