who wants to build a 4x5 horizontal enlager for me?

[jimmygcreative]

I would like to work with someone who could build a simple enlarger in horizonal confg.

I would like to have a light source that can be replaced at home depot, needs to be about 1200 watts maybe 1400. 120 service. bellows lens boards based on sinar 4x5 f system and a basic track and chassis, any ideas??


the enlarger will be used for bw printing only, the contrast controlled by gels

thanks-J

[John Koehrer]

how large are you printing? 1200W is a ton of light.

[jeroldharter]

With all the inexpensive vertical enlargers and light sources out there, why not use a wall mounted 4x5 enlarger with a drop table? Just asking.

[Leigh]

how large are you printing? 1200W is a ton of light.
Not really.

B&W photo paper is only sensitive to blue, or green and blue, and most of the output power of an incandescent bulb (including halogen) is red.

My Ilford Multigrade head uses two 300-watt lamps, one each for the green and blue channels, and I get normal exposure times for 8x10 to 16x20 prints.

- Leigh

[Peter De Smidt]

There are some super-bright 3w Cree LEDs available in both white and blue. (Maybe green.) There's lots of tips on how to use these on salt water reef aquarium sites. For instance, see: http://www.nanotuners.com/

[Oren Grad]

I guess the other question is whether you can accomplish what you need with an existing enlarger that's designed to allow the head to flip 90 degrees for horizontal projection. My Beseler 23CII will do that, and I imagine the 45M series enlargers will too. There must be others.

[Steve Smith]

It's much easier to design an enlarger like this horizontally than it is vertically as you don't need to attach everything to a central column or framework. It can all rest on a level worktop and has the benefit of gravity working in its favour rather than against it in a vertical design.

If I didn't live half way around the world, I would offer to help.


Steve.

[jeroldharter]

There are so many people who make their own cameras, some of whom sell them to others. I wish someone would come up with a simple enlarger designed to enlarge 8x10 maximum format, variable contrast light source (or at least a simple way to use filters above the negative), enlargement size up to 20x24, ability to use masking carriers like Radeka's, 3-screw alignment of lightsource/negative plane/lens plane, and a simple lens board attachment like on a field camera.

I know the appeal of horizontal enlargers, but they take up a lot of floor space and most existing darkrooms are not designed for them. I would like a vertical enlarger with nothing motorized and made out of standard materials. Sort of like a Wehman camera but an enlarger.

It would take someone more clever than me to build this. I wonder if anyone here has built an enlarger?

[Ari]

This guy was pretty smart:
http://www.deadbread.com/crumbs/23c.html

You could build a light source to accommodate any size negative, and, if you're handy enough, build a simple chassis for it.

I'm not saying I could do it... :)

[D. Bryant]

This guy was pretty smart:
http://www.deadbread.com/crumbs/23c.html

You could build a light source to accommodate any size negative, and, if you're handy enough, build a simple chassis for it.

I'm not saying I could do it... :)

I'm impressed!

[Ari]

I'm impressed!

So was I; if I can't find a free 8x10 enlarger, I'll likely go that route.

[jp]

I'd suggest picking up a 4x5 graflarger for $50-100 on Ebay. It fits on a 4x5 camera back.

If the cold-light it comes with it isn't bright enough or suitable, change it with something custom. For custom light, I'd go LED panel so I wouldn't need serious cooling; the noise of it gets annoying.

[Paul Fitzgerald]

ebay #300575392012

Linhof enlarger head for 4x5 camera, instant enlarger

[Degroto]

ebay #300575392012

Linhof enlarger head for 4x5 camera, instant enlarger

I was thinking the same. Why not build one from a technical camera? If you happen to own one surely it must be possible to remove the grondglass and replece it with a negative holder thingy and a cold lighthead?

[ic-racer]

I'm looking for someone to build for me a simple car just to get back and forth from work each day. Needs to have a 500 HP engine that can be kept running with parts from Home Depot....:)

Seriously, you will be much better off getting a free 4x5 enlarger "camera" (the part that mounts on the column) and a color head and mounting it on a shelf. Or better yet just get a complete vertical enlarger. Will you be doing massive enlargements that you need horizontal? If so there is an inexpensive 8x10 horizontal DeVere listed for sale here that will likely go for cheap. That will do everything you want and will be great for 4x5.

[Allen in Montreal]

I would like to work with someone who could build a simple enlarger in horizonal confg.......



:) :)

It is only at 50 bucks and would be a hell of a lot of fun to salvage!!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250851868678&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

[Adamphotoman]

I did a ton of work using a 4x5 colour head attached to a homemade mixing box to an 8X10 camera. The mixing box was designed with the Ilford Multigrade head specs using shiny mylar in the mixing chamber.
Ansal Adams built his 8X10 enlarger from an 11X14 camera. This was before colour heads.
Colour heads work well with multigrade papers.
So if you can find an older 8X10. which can have leaking bellows for darkroom work, then you have the nuts and bolts of a horizontal system.
You will want to isolate the fan vibration from the negative stage.
G

[Degroto]

That one looks awesome!

[Ari]

:) :)

It is only at 50 bucks and would be a hell of a lot of fun to salvage!!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250851868678&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

It sold for $56.00 (!)

[jimmygcreative]

hummmmm, no one? well, anyone looking to sell a horizonal?

[joselsgil]

It sold for $56.00 (!)

It was a local pick-up only. The lenses were worth more than the final bid.
I would have jumped on it, but I'm on the left coast. :(

[joselsgil]

I would like to work with someone who could build a simple enlarger in horizonal confg.

I would like to have a light source that can be replaced at home depot, needs to be about 1200 watts maybe 1400. 120 service. bellows lens boards based on sinar 4x5 f system and a basic track and chassis, any ideas??


the enlarger will be used for bw printing only, the contrast controlled by gels

thanks-J

Why try to re-invent the wheel? Why not just find an older Beseler 45 enlarger that can project/tilt horizontal? They are out there and very inexpensive.

[jayabbas]

As it is part of your username probably your best bet is to sit down with pencil in hand and get creative and brainstorm up an enlarger -- maybe a "frankenlarger" , parts and pieces from different sources that fit the bill best for your needs. Last time I looked one on one design services are hefty expensive. Feebay has some ultra cheap gear ( like that 56.00 giveaway -- wow). Good luck w/ your project.

[johnielvis]

I got a setup that will work horizontal as well as vertical--what I did was take a beseler cb7 and get a mount for that for a polaroid mp4 column.....then you use that stout column as a horizontal--you can make a board mount with another railrider...or add a second rail-...as many as you want...I use mine vertically, but it'll work horizontally

[Dan Dozer]

For what it's worth, horizonal enlargers aren't necessarily the easiest things to use. I made mine 8 x 10 out of an old Kodak 2D camera and used a 10 x 10 cold light head as the light source. While the enlarger itself is easy to use with the front lens board adjustments usable in adjusting your image, focusing with it is a challenge.

Think of kneeling down on the floor holding a grain focuser up on the wall (and looking through it) and reaching back to the camera adjustement knobs to focus the image. Not that easy and if you are enlarging your images up significantly and you don't have a "wide angle" type of lens, your easel (wall) is going to be too far away for you to reach the camera to focus.

[jayabbas]

Thats the reason the Dursts , HK's and Devere's were motorized and on tracks which also made them mucho expensive. You also need a lot of room for a "hor" -- we use to call it the hor room -- sometimes hot, sometimes nasty, always challenging.

[argos33]

For what it's worth, horizonal enlargers aren't necessarily the easiest things to use. I made mine 8 x 10 out of an old Kodak 2D camera and used a 10 x 10 cold light head as the light source. While the enlarger itself is easy to use with the front lens board adjustments usable in adjusting your image, focusing with it is a challenge.

Think of kneeling down on the floor holding a grain focuser up on the wall (and looking through it) and reaching back to the camera adjustement knobs to focus the image. Not that easy and if you are enlarging your images up significantly and you don't have a "wide angle" type of lens, your easel (wall) is going to be too far away for you to reach the camera to focus.


I have had this problem printing murals - nothing worse than the "guess and check" method. However, I bet you could find a cable of sorts to attach to your focus knob. Something like metal conduit comes to mind, where you could attach a knob on your end and have enough torque to twist it.

Another sillier idea is to find a cheap RC servo kit online, and modify the servo so it runs continuously and attach that to the focus knob - for remote-control focusing comfort! You might have to attach a larger diameter disc/gear on the focus knob to slow it down however.

Another cheaper idea is you could use a system of paired pulleys and cable/string going from your focus knob up to your ceiling, across to the wall, and down to where you focus.

Then again, if you can simply find someone to assist you for the focusing part it's not so bad. I've done this with great results, you just have to have them focus very slowly and backtrack a few times to make sure it is right.

to the OP - I agree with everyone else - I would find something existing that you can at least start with if not use right away. By the time you buy all the materials and/or have someone build this thing, you could probably have bought 2 fully functioning systems. There are lots of good deals out there - just keep looking and be patient.

Evan

[johnielvis]

again folks---beseler cb7

it has MOTORIZED focusing standard equpment

you just use the bellows assembly on a rail and you can stand right close with a remote to focus.

they have full movements like view cameras for perspective control

oversized condensers

and a point light supply if you can find one or make one

no beating it, rally

[bascom49]

While reading this thread I realized you guys were talking about my 56 dollar enlarger.
It weighs 1800 pounds, is 12 feet long and seven and a half feet tall.
It came out of the North Carolina Department of Transportation photogrametry unit
and was used to process 10x10 color and black and white negatives to specific scale enlargements.
To add it to my darkroom I am converting my entire basement into a darkroom. That has led to mural size prints, leading to 4.5' x 6.5' trays, leading to new sinks, tables and plumbing. Not to mention now shopping for an 8x10 large format camera.
Cheap on the front side, pricey and time consuming on the back side. But what a back side.