Devere 504 Disassembly

[Ari]

I am picking up a DeVere 504 in the morning.
Does anyone have instructions on disassembly so I can fit it into my friend's truck?
Thanks

[dap]

You should try a search over on APUG. I remember seeing a thread about disassembling a Devere for transport on there. I can tell you from experience that if you are going to mess with the head at all make sure you lock down the two knobs at the base of the column - it can be a jawbreaker!

[Fred L]

Is it floor model or bench ? Head is easy to remove but either make sure the neg stage is at the top of the column or it's secured properly to the base of the column ( I used web cam straps to do this) . That thing will clock you good if you let it fly up when the head is taken off.

[IanG]

I did post the instructions on APUG, if it's the floor standing version it's important to do two things.

1 Lock the part the head sits on to the columns tightly before removing the head itself. Otherewise the stage shoots up the columns the counter weight springs are strong and you could do spme serious damage or get injured badly.

2 There's bolts on the back of the base unit that need fully tightening up to hold the chain gears in place, if you fail to do this properly it's a very messy fiffly job getting them back ion place.

I did scan the sections in manual but not sure I can find them quickly

Ian

[Ari]

Sorry, guys, I should have stated that it's the bench model.
Anyway, a snowstorm has prevented me from picking it up today, but I'll go and have look see for disassembly purposes.
Thanks for the replies, and Ian, please let me know if there are any specific instructions for the bench model.

Thanks again!

[IanG]

Ari, I will look and see if my manual has any details if I can find it. The column should unbolt easily though on the bench model it's the same on both versions.

Ian

[Fred L]

and I'll look at my bench model for any additional insight. It should however fit in a truck with the head taken off. If space is an issue, remove the baseboard from the bottom assembly and leave the column attached.

[Ari]

Thank you, Ian and Fred.
Included with the enlarger is a 4x5 mixing chamber, and several negative carriers.
I have 35mm, 6x6, 6x7, and a strange-looking bit of metal; it has what looks like a 6x9 or 6x12 cut-out with rounded corners, but it is much thicker and somewhat smaller than the other carriers.
Anybody know what this is?

And if anyone has a spare 4x5 and 645 carrier, I'd love to hear from you; I also need two lensboards, not sure what the lensboards look like.

Thanks again.

[Fred L]

can you post a photo of the mystery piece of metal ?

[evan clarke]

Heed Ian's advice about locking..I learned this the hard way..when he says "shoots up" that means faster than you can conceive and it will break small bones..EC

[IanG]

Heed Ian's advice about locking..I learned this the hard way..when he says "shoots up" that means faster than you can conceive and it will break small bones..EC

It would break large bones as well if they got in the way :D

Ian

[Fred L]

esp with the 5108 ;)

I don't trust the knobs and physically secure it with external straps.

[evan clarke]

I'm glad I had the experience with the 504 before I got my 5108!!..Evan Clarke

[Fred L]

a different beast altogether eh Evan ! am looking forward to printing 6x17 negs with it.

[Ari]

Thanks, I'll definitely keep all that in mind.
Here are photos of what I have.
The first photo shows, clockwise from top left, 4x5 mixing chamber, 6x7 carrier with flap up, 6x6 carrier, two smaller add-ons for 35mm and 126 (I think), and the 35mm carrier.
The second photo shows the mystery metal piece next to the 6x7 carrier; it doesn't show on the photo, but mystery metal is twice as thick as the carriers.
Any help appreciated.
Thanks.

[dap]

Those are interesting carriers...I have never seen negative carriers for a devere that looked like that before. The only ones I am aware of are hinged metal carriers that fit inserts. I know there are two different types - older cast models and newer models made of plate aluminum w/ plastic hinges. Are these custom models?

[Ari]

I don't know if these are custom; they were with the enlarger when it was sold to the camera store many years ago.
I saw them for the first time today.

[Fred L]

what dap said. I'll try and post a photo of my carrier and inserts for you Ari

edit: pic 1 is carrier with 4x5 insert, second pic is carrier opened up.

[Ari]

what dap said. I'll try and post a photo of my carrier and inserts for you Ari

edit: pic 1 is carrier with 4x5 insert, second pic is carrier opened up.

Thanks, Fred.
Looks like I am without a master carrier for the moment.
I'll look again at the store on Monday, and get back to you.

By the way, the carriers came with this enlarger, which looks like a recent model, not the older version.
Can anyone confirm?
http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?85989-DeVere-504/page2
Thanks

[Peter De Smidt]

Fred shows the newer clam shell carrier, it's much thinner than the older style carrier, but either will work, although you might have to get different length steel rods. I prefer the older, thicker style, mainly because they don't have those idiotic plastic hinges. These lift up the head to take the weight off of the carrier when the requisite lever is moved. I've never seen carriers like the one's in Ari's pictures.

The big difference seems to be the closed loop head, which differs quite a bit from the standard De Vere Dichroic color head. The lens boards look the same, and the pictures indicate that it should probably use the type of carrier that fred showed earlier, the thin clam shell type.

Regarding glass versus glassless carriers, I prefer a hybrid, with metal mask for the bottom and an AN glass sheet for the top. When the head is on, the negative will heat up. It will tend to expend up towards the heat. With glass there it can't move out of focus, and dust is less of a problem without a lower glass piece. All this will depend a bit on how big you print. I only print 16x20 and smaller, and so this was never a problem. But if you go really big, you may need both glass plates. The best thing to do when you are up and running is to try all three ways at the largest size you plan on printing, and make your own judgment.

[glenmoralee]

Hello,

I've just purchased a secondhand MkIII De Vere 504 bench model and I was wondering if you could help me please.

I need to remove the base from the column for transport. I've taken the hex/Allen keys out of the back of the control wheel arms but they still don't come off. What is the trick to removing them so I can then remove the cast base?

Thanks in advance,
Glen

[glenmoralee]

Never mind thanks. I worked out it's a morse taper design and a hammer fixed it.