Aligning a Durst Laborator 1000

[mbuonocore]

I've just wall mounted a Durst Laborator 1000 and am in the process of getting everything ship shape. The Uniwal wall mount offers some provisions for aligning the unit side to side, and that's all good.

There is a discrepancy between the negative stage and the lens stage, which I would like to correct. I'm using a Durst metal lens board that seems true enough. The carrier is a Tauneg, with glass top and bottom. I don't see any obvious ways of aligning either independently. I'm used to the 138s which is a joy to align, so I'm spoiled.

Does anyone have any advice other than shimming?

Thanks!

[Luis-F-S]

Sorry Marco, I've not used a L-1000, but on the L-138 I always aligned the negative frame to the baseboard and then the lens frame to the neg. Left to right was easy as it pivots, but front to back was a bit more problematic and the only way I could figure it out was to use paper shims where the pivot bolts to the frame. Was there another way for front to back that I missed? Thanks, L

[mbuonocore]

Hi Luis - the difference between the L1000 and 138 is pretty massive. On the Laborator 1000, the negative stage and lens stage are joined, so the only movements you can make are left and right swings, nothing front to back. I think Durst made an adjustable lens board called Tauba, but I've never seen one. I was hoping the negative carrier would have some way of doing adjustments like the Nega 138, but there's not that I can see.

The discrepancy between the lens and neg stage is slight, but it's always nice to get things running 100%, right? I suppose I can live with it being a bit off if I have to.

[Luis-F-S]

Hate to sound dumb wasn't aware the Nega 138 was adjustable?

[mbuonocore]

Sure, you can adjust the front to back pitch with a lever on the carrier. It works well.

[Luis-F-S]

Well, I'll be.... you learn something new every day. I mostly used my Nega MC which I had modified to take the Lapfe inserts so it did not have that functionality; but my Nega 138 which I keep with glass certainly does! Now I just have to find the room to set up my SM-183 again. Probably won't happen until I can make my darkroom larger....L

[Greg]

I use a Durst Laborator Ce 1000. The negative carrier is totally rigid to the enlarger's column, but the large square Lensboard that holds the interchangeable round lens mounts is totally align-able by using shims under mounting screws in each of the 4 corners. I don't think DURST meant the lens board to be align-able by this method, but it just plain works. Had 3 rolls of stainless steel shim material and just cut out a bunch of small squares to use as shims. Sheets are 0.002, 0.005, and 0.010 inches in thickness. Took a good bit of time to align the lens board by trial and error, but never have had to re-shim it.
Greg

[mbuonocore]

Hello Greg, perhaps the CE 1000 is a slightly different beast? The only screws on the lensboard area on mine are for securing the bellows in place:



Nothing else down there that I can see. Am I missing something? There *are* four screws set in the base where the negative carrier slips in to. Beneath them, I suspect, is the machination for the masking blades. But I guess I could put some sort of shim down there.

Thanks!

[Greg]

Yes mine is different

Greg

[mbuonocore]

Thanks for posting that picture, Greg. Those bolts would be real handy, for sure!