Elwood 5x7 laser alignment test

[Tin Can]

I was about to remove this bench mount Elwood 5X7 from my new Darkroom build.

I decided to test the alignment with a laser without fiddling.

I shimmed the easel on the back side.

This enlarger actually fell apart when moving in my bouncy cargo trailer. The hinge pin walked out and the main bit separated from the upright. I was dismayed, but soon after it went back together easily. I did not adjust it before this test.

Here I test embedding a youtube video, also a first for me.

1st try failed here's a youtube link

https://youtu.be/K2_d7toipqE

Got it to post directly after some fooling around and reading what was right there on the forum!

If it doesn't work, I will try again.:)

[Tin Can]

Test 3


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2_d7toipqE

[ic-racer]

Not sure if I understood the video, but one usually would bounce off optical glass plate or mirror held over the lens front flange and compare that to the spot bounced off the glass carrier. The two should land in the same spot. Once those are aligned (that is lens-to-negative) the alignment to the baseboard can have more leeway and may not even be adjustable on many enlargers.

Exaggerated Analogy: In a small format camera the lens-to-negative alignment is very critical. Yet one can take a picture of a distant billboard and get it all in focus without any laser alignment.

185864

[Tin Can]

Steve,

I did that a little later. I put the mirror in the neg carrier. Very similar! Not too bad for what it is. It could be possible to make alignment far worse as the adjustments are 2 bolts pushing up and rocking on the short pin at the hinge.

The bolts are 2" apart for a 40" high column. Not ideal.

What is neat is the hinge allows wall projection. Never tried that.

I had imagined the upright was tilted far from the baseboard. Not much!

I have the same enlarger as a wall mount, no tilt. My last DR was setup with it. I may switch them.

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7904/46534410251_b4405ff9aa_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2dU61W8)IMG-1566 (https://flic.kr/p/2dU61W8) by TIN CAN COLLEGE (https://www.flickr.com/photos/tincancollege/), on Flickr

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4864/45620988625_0094b525e6_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2cvnuvp)IMG-1572 (https://flic.kr/p/2cvnuvp) by TIN CAN COLLEGE (https://www.flickr.com/photos/tincancollege/), on Flickr

[ic-racer]

Looks good. I forgot those 5x7 Elwoods are 'table top' enlargers...

[Duolab123]

Steve,

I did that a little later. I put the mirror in the neg carrier. Very similar! Not too bad for what it is. It could be possible to make alignment far worse as the adjustments are 2 bolts pushing up and rocking on the short pin at the hinge.

The bolts are 2" apart for a 40" high column. Not ideal.

What is neat is the hinge allows wall projection. Never tried that.

I had imagined the upright was tilted far from the baseboard. Not much!

I have the same enlarger as a wall mount, no tilt. My last DR was setup with it. I may switch them.

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7904/46534410251_b4405ff9aa_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2dU61W8)IMG-1566 (https://flic.kr/p/2dU61W8) by TIN CAN COLLEGE (https://www.flickr.com/photos/tincancollege/), on Flickr

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4864/45620988625_0094b525e6_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2cvnuvp)IMG-1572 (https://flic.kr/p/2cvnuvp) by TIN CAN COLLEGE (https://www.flickr.com/photos/tincancollege/), on Flickr

I love those old enlargers. I had 2 5x7s at one time, and a friend's 8x10 . I've tried to stay away from 5x7 cameras, I have too many other projects. But I love 5x7, great for contact prints and to enlarge.

[Tin Can]

The 8X10 is also a huge table enlarger. I mounted mine on a very study table next to a wall mount 5X7. Both at a good working height.

I have seen 8X10 Elwoods on the floor, really miserable.

This is all gone as I moved it to an undisclosed location.

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4831/46830551872_96a5ec4449_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2emfPw9)2-IMG_3702 (https://flic.kr/p/2emfPw9) by TIN CAN COLLEGE (https://www.flickr.com/photos/tincancollege/), on Flickr

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7904/39917792143_302cfa0318_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/23Pp7Tz)3-IMG_3703 (https://flic.kr/p/23Pp7Tz) by TIN CAN COLLEGE (https://www.flickr.com/photos/tincancollege/), on Flickr


Looks good. I forgot those 5x7 Elwoods are 'table top' enlargers...

[ic-racer]

I moved it to an undisclosed location

A statement like that will generate more attention than it attempts to thwart. Maybe to the secret location depicted in the painting hanging on the wall?

186853

[Tin Can]

I am not hiding.

I found 3 of those odd sized empty frames in my Chicago alley. I bought a bigger one for $6 at my local Goodwill. 36X48" inside with huge 6" frame. Soon it will hold this. Which no longer exists. It was the view from my front door. Sad! Urban renewal sandblasts everything grey. Glad to move away.

Before

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4611/25943775428_7a4ed74dbf_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/FwyCyU)1-The-Witch-30x42 (https://flic.kr/p/FwyCyU) by TIN CAN COLLEGE (https://www.flickr.com/photos/tincancollege/), on Flickr

After
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5811/30142402384_0691c07393_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/MVzG5Q)1-What Witch (https://flic.kr/p/MVzG5Q) by TIN CAN COLLEGE (https://www.flickr.com/photos/tincancollege/), on Flickr






A statement like that will generate more attention than it attempts to thwart. Maybe to the secret location depicted in the painting hanging on the wall?

186853

[Duolab123]

The 8X10 is also a huge table enlarger. I mounted mine on a very study table next to a wall mount 5X7. Both at a good working height.

I have seen 8X10 Elwoods on the floor, really miserable.

This is all gone as I moved it to an undisclosed location.

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4831/46830551872_96a5ec4449_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2emfPw9)2-IMG_3702 (https://flic.kr/p/2emfPw9) by TIN CAN COLLEGE (https://www.flickr.com/photos/tincancollege/), on Flickr

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7904/39917792143_302cfa0318_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/23Pp7Tz)3-IMG_3703 (https://flic.kr/p/23Pp7Tz) by TIN CAN COLLEGE (https://www.flickr.com/photos/tincancollege/), on Flickr

You have the fancier 5x7, with the masking blades. The 8x10 looks identical to my friends 8x10, we used the horizontal feature to print some 5 foot long pan shots back in the early 80's. We were poor, used some Artar lens out of a 16 x 20 Robertson process camera which still resides in my friend's basement. Worked great, lens is tack sharp.

[Tin Can]

Just for the record I had 2 8X10 Elwoods both exactly the same but with a big difference.

One had a cast iron hinged upright and the other was cast aluminum. Same exact casting marks, but weight was an issue.

I had only one cast iron base, which is also very heavy. I kept that, but...

I gave away the cast iron upright with the ikonic Cone Head. It is usable when bolted to a suitable baseboard.

I got 3 free Elwood's from one abandoned darkroom in Detroit. The donor found me on this forum and invited me to pick them up.

That's a good reason for the many lurkers to signup and join this forum.

Not the first time I got freebee's from kind souls that hate to see good old gear go to the dump.

Lurkers, sign up and join the discussion!


You have the fancier 5x7, with the masking blades. The 8x10 looks identical to my friends 8x10, we used the horizontal feature to print some 5 foot long pan shots back in the early 80's. We were poor, used some Artar lens out of a 16 x 20 Robertson process camera which still resides in my friend's basement. Worked great, lens is tack sharp.