Thanks, people for all your input. This forum has some very knowledgeable users! I'll let you know how I makeout with this unit. I did need to clean the contacts on the control unit....the adjustment buttons weren't working properly, but now they work fine.
Yep, that is common with these (or anything that uses that type of buttons). Good luck with your efforts. One thing not mentioned is there is a 35mm mixing box that can replace the stock 4x5 mixing box, and increases light output (and thus tube life). It's worth having if all you do is 35mm with it. I had thought about modifying one to make a 6x7 or 6x9 mixing box, but haven't hacked one up yet. (I have at least 2 or 3 of the 35mm mixing boxes).
-Ed
I fooled around with one in a pro friend's darkroom once. Very weak, but OK for smaller RA4 prints or basic b&w. You can get
color fringing if dodging/burning quickly. Expect Beseler's service on these to be nonexistent.
I'm on my second one now. I used one I brought on Ebay for 4-5 years. It finally died and I brought another (also on Ebay). I like them.
I have one. It is sitting on the floor outside my darkroom. I replaced it with an Omega D5500 when I discovered that the replacement flash tubes for the 45a could no longer be found. I could have purchased some backups early on, but $50/tube??? How many do you buy for an inventory?
I bought it used and it is on an older Beseler motorized frame (so old that there is no indication of model number on the frame, but it looks like an early MX). Somewhere along the way I acquired another used 45a head (for what reason I don't recall).
When the original control box blew out (it had been acting erratically for several sessions and finally died with a flash and show of sparks) I replaced it. I did scavenge the tubes from the old head.
I have boxes of used tubes that were given to me by the former owner, but in trying them I find that they seem a little dimmer. The book recommends that if the flash tube for one color goes bad, both tubes should be replaced to keep them balanced. Therefor I am not making use of the used tubes.
The real issue is the white focusing tube. It is a little longer than the color tubes. It is difficult to focus with the dim, flickering light and I don't know if a replacement would be any better . . . if I could find one.
Xenon tubes can be found on several of the light bulb sites, but none would match up with the physical size of the Beseler tubes and I don't know how critical the electrical specifications would be.
Several years ago I started a thread on this forum looking for sources for these Xenon tubes (sorry, I tried to find it for this thread, using all possible keywords that I could think of, but the search engine filed me). One poster suggested that almost any of these tubes could be used, but I am a little skeptical unless I know more about the specifications.
I have to say that I did like the convenience of the puck. At the time I was doing 80% of my printing in color. It was especially useful for example when I wanted to go from an 8x10 print to a 16x20. I already have two enlargers in my 8'x8.5' darkroom. If I had more room I would be using it until the last tube burned out.
al
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks