Durst Laborator 1200 Alignment

[mpålsson]

I recently acquired a Durst Laborator 1200 and just had the chance to set it up in my darkroom and check the alignment with a Versalab Parallel laser alignment tool. Unfortunately, both the lens and negative stages appear out of alignment. In both cases, the x-axis is centered, but the y-axis is not. On the lens stage, the dot appears below the zero point of the y-axis. However, on the negative stage it appears above the zero point of the y-axis.

Does anyone have advice on aligning this enlarger, specifically the y-axis (pitch)? The L1200 has no obvious way to manipulate the alignment of the y-axis, besides maybe adding shims between the baseboard and the base of the column. I’ve searched through old discussions here and on other forums, but no luck so far finding useful information. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated!

[Oslolens]

Hammer, a really big one...

[Oslolens]

Start with the vertical rail, then negative carrier, then check the focusing bar carrieng the lens, and lastly the lens carrier.
You may have to do this more than once.
This way adjustment change the next item, but not backwards.

Is this procedure not described in the manual?
I have only adjusted an Omega and a LPL 4x5" enlarger. Omega was not so easy.

[Luis-F-S]

There are a number of enlarger alignment videos on U-tube. I believe they are for DeVere enlargers, but the proceedure may be similar for Durst. Good luck. L

[Cor]

I have a L1200 too, but AFAIK the possibilities to adjust are limited. There were lens boards with adjustment screws. The lens stage can only be adjusted up and down at the left or right side, same for the head, the lens stage: I would not know. Make a print perhaps, to see if it really is a problem ?

Good luck,

Cor

[Luis-F-S]

Make a print perhaps, to see if it really is a problem ?

+1

[LabRat]

The other place for adjustment is the connection between baseboard and column base... This can be shimmed with thin materials such as sheet film, metal strip, etc until lifted enough... Often the baseboard mating point had its wood dented and needs a lift from a shim there...

Enlargers with "fixed" non-adjustments can be fixed this way...

Steve K

[mpålsson]

The other place for adjustment is the connection between baseboard and column base... This can be shimmed with thin materials such as sheet film, metal strip, etc until lifted enough... Often the baseboard mating point had its wood dented and needs a lift from a shim there...

Enlargers with "fixed" non-adjustments can be fixed this way...

Steve K

Thanks, Steve! I'll try this first.


Is this procedure not described in the manual?

No. I have pdfs of the L1200 user manual as well as the 165-page service manual for the Pictochrom/Pictograph (mechanically similar to the L1200 but with significantly more advanced electronics). Unfortunately, neither one discusses alignment.


There are a number of enlarger alignment videos on U-tube. I believe they are for DeVere enlargers, but the proceedure may be similar for Durst. Good luck. L

I think you might be referring to the series of videos posted by The Naked Photographer. He shows how to align various models of Beseler, DeVere, Leitz, and Omega - not Durst, though. I might watch them again for some general clues.

Thanks to all for your replies! If anyone else out there has experience aligning a Durst L1200, I'd be grateful to hear how you did it.

[interneg]

I believe they are for DeVere enlargers, but the proceedure may be similar for Durst.

A Durst L1200 and a De Vere 504 (etc) are extremely different in terms of construction, mechanism and alignment. The L1200 relies to a large extent on being correct enough from new & reasonably careful assembly by the end user, the De Vere is highly alignable but knocking it out of alignment takes some doing (and tools). The best you might get with the Durst is shimming some areas, depending on how badly worn the relevant surfaces are.

[ic-racer]

If it is really far out of alignment there may be some structural damage to your enlarger. Id look for damage and try to fix that first.

Otherwise, if you are having issues, you could try to make a mini version of the Prola adjustable lensbaord.

A simpler solution would be to shim the negative carrier.

220398

[mpålsson]

Thanks again for everyone who reached out to offer their thoughts. I wanted to follow up with how I solved the problem. It might be useful for someone facing a similar issue in the future.

For clarification, my L1200 came to me in excellent condition. There was no sign of damage or abuse.

The first thing I checked was the parallelism of the negative and lens stages in isolation, with the head detached from the column. I tested this in a number of ways, and the stages were consistently parallel with one another.

Therefore, I deduced that probably the column was not perfectly perpendicular to the baseboard. As one member had suggested, the weight of the enlarger might have compressed the baseboard over time, causing the column to lean.

After much experimentation, I ultimately found a set of shims from McMaster-Carr (part number 97235K808) with slots cut into them that fit nicely around the L1200's baseboard bolts.

0.02" thick shims under the front bolts brought the head carriage/column into alignment. I double-checked whether the lens stage was still in alignment. And it was.

221083
221084