Quick baseplate question

[Rael]

A while back I got an Eastman Auto-focus 5x7 enlarger and I'm trying to find out the thickness of the original baseplate since mine is missing. Does anyone know? I did a search here, but came up empty. Thanks!

[Ted R]

Do you mean the flat board that everything is attached to? Unless there is some very special hardware that attaches the column to the base board I don't think it matters what the thickness is exactly, basically the thicker the better. For comparison the base of my LPL 4x5 is 1in (25mm thick) it is about 30x24in. There are sheets of construction material having standard thicknesses, MDF may be suitable, it is strong and has a smooth sanded finish and can be drilled easily. In the USA the most common thickness is 3/4in, and it comes in precut sheets 2x2ft and 4x2ft at Lowes, quite inexpensive. There are also thicker sheets (but not at Lowes I think) they may require the purchase of a custom cut-to-size service with additional shipping charge.

[Jac@stafford.net]

Butcher Block comes in sizes from small up to full desktop.
I would not choose grain-up cuts.

[Jim Jones]

My 5x7 Elwood came without a baseboard. I glued two sheets of 3/4" plywood together for a new baseboard. It worked perfectly until a darkroom fire several years later. A lighter and more rigid solution might have been two sheets of 3/8 or 1/2" plywood separated by a grid of 1x2 strips. MDF and some other particle board is not nearly as rigid as plywood.

[Rael]

Well the thing with this one is that the base has to be an exact thickness since there is no focus other than the autofocus cam. No fine focus on this guy. There is a base that is basically a cast iron frame that I believe the original baseboard and or printing frame sat on. Not sure if that makes sense or not...

[Jac@stafford.net]

Well the thing with this one is that the base has to be an exact thickness since there is no focus other than the autofocus cam. No fine focus on this guy. There is a base that is basically a cast iron frame that I believe the original baseboard and or printing frame sat on. Not sure if that makes sense or not...

If that is true, then the very best place for the enlarger is in the bin, the trash.

[Rael]

If that is true, then the very best place for the enlarger is in the bin, the trash.

Yeah, you're not wrong there. It's an interesting antique. I am still not sure the fine focus adjustment isn't just screwing the lens in and out of the lens board, but that's about the only method on this. I'd still like to get one print off of it before I toss it since the bulb is still good, the bellows are light tight, and I went through the trouble of cutting a new diffusion glass for it.

[metalsmith]

Real, if your still working with this, Set up the enlarger with a negative. Put a ream of paper as a base board, then remove sheets a few at a time until the grain is in focus using a grain focuser. Measure what is left.

[Rael]

Real, if your still working with this, Set up the enlarger with a negative. Put a ream of paper as a base board, then remove sheets a few at a time until the grain is in focus using a grain focuser. Measure what is left.

Thats a great idea! Thanks! I have a board being made now to 1" but your idea will allow me to shim it as needed.