DeVere 504 Dichromat Filter set up - help needed please

[almostpilot]

Hello guys
I have recently acquired a DeVere 504 (arrived in bits and badly mishandled by the bloody shipping company DPD never again!) I have the manual but it does not cover the problems I have.
I have 2 questions.
1.
I have put it together and it "works". By which I mean lights come on (after being replaced) and timer works. But I noticed no light was coming through the lens!
Upon looking into the compartment which houses the two lights I saw there was a lever on the left which operates a metal "slide" which blocks the light going through from the lamps to the "diffusion box". I can slide it manually and let the light through but the question is why is this slide there and how do I keep it open? I can always jam it open with a bolt or something so this is a minor problem, i think. But I am curious.

2. See image attached of compartment with lamps removed. The slides ("C") with the filters ("D") were all over the place, prob. moved in transit. I have tried to put them beck in place so that the sickle shaped metal actuator (A) connected with the filter knob on the outside works on roller (B) and lets the filter "slide in" moving from right to left.

The problem is that as I turn the knobs the slide (any of the 3 that I try) jump out at point "B", the roller. The sickle shaped metal thing is stable, it's the whole slide that moves and detaches the roller A from the sickle metal controller.

I noticed that the slides are sitting on rollers bottom and top (like roller "E") but they are not really firmly within the rollers, specially at the top they are barely touching them. I cannot figure a way of adjusting the top rollers though.
Can someone tell me if the set up in the image is correct and give me some advice?

As I see it I have two options:
a) Use lever "F" which pushes all three filters out of the way and lets white light through. Thus turning the enlarger into a "normal" enlarger to be used with graded papers
b) find a way to stabilise the filters moving, so that I can use multigrade papers with it. And I have a lot of MG papers.
please someone help!

[interneg]

I'd contact Odyssey Sales who are the successors to DeVere - amazingly helpful people.

Find them at: http://www.deveresecondhanddarkroom.com/contact-us

They should be able to tell you what's correct or not & should have suitable spares if needed.

[almostpilot]

I have. No replies so far. Can any DeVere 504 owner help me please?

[LabRat]

I haven't wrenched on one of these, but from the pix, the first thing that comes to mind is this was a well used unit, hot/cold many times, seems filthy in there, and maybe paint peeling/wear on sliding surfaces... These will cause binding in colorheads, and will really need a thorough cleaning, polishing/lubing sliding surfaces, and making sure shafts are aligned, cleaned, not binding, and lubed before looking for possible problems...

Once done, you can check the unit hot & cold to first see if if all linkages are doing their thing, and setting/resetting properly...

Good luck!!!

Steve K

[interneg]

I have. No replies so far. Can any DeVere 504 owner help me please?

You probably won't get a response till next week - bank holiday weekend.

Can't really help beyond what Steve has said - while I have used the VC dichro head (not that dissimilar to the more recent colour heads internally) the better part of a decade ago, my own recent experience with 504's is with the MG500 head & the MK3 dichromat (control dials, not knobs, & no ND filter) - I take it yours is the MK5 dichro - ie the 2 lamp model? I recall there was/ is the option of a chassis mounted shutter on some of the DeVere dichro heads & it sounds a lot like that slide may well be a component intended to enable that - DPD's mishandling is probably to blame for knocking it shut. Have you tried operating the filters with the bulb housing in place? It may play an important role in holding them in correct alignment.

[Fred L]

I have the MkIV head which is a single lamp head so ymmv.

The filter panels shouldn't be blocking the light path at all if it works the same as the Mkiv. As you've found, the lever slides the filter set in and out of the light path. You get either filtered or unfiltered light. Regardless, you should have light coming through the mixing box and lens that shouldn't be blocked. Although as Interneg noted, it might be part of a shutter system ?

Something is preventing the arm and lever from moving the entire filter assembly completely it might appear. As well and I'm not sure about this, but the knob on the outside left side of the head, *should* be what is used to move the filters in and out of the way. So check to see if that is working properly. On mine, there's a knob on the front panel.

As for why they're not engaging the top guides, I'd probably try and reseat them and see if they sit in the grooves.

Also, I'd be contacting Kevin at Khbphotografix.com to see if he can help diagnose the problem.

[almostpilot]

Hello Fred
The three filter panels do not block the light. There is another slide which blocks it. Yes it could be part of some kind of shutter system.
The arm lever "F" in my picture does work and does slide all three filter panels to the right letting light through, as I said in my initial post. This is working fine.
What i am havin' trouble with is dialling in the amount of filtration I want, because the three filter panels "jump" out of position and then the filter knobs on the outside of the head turn without doing anything. that is the issue.
Good idea about writing to Kevin. I am a customer so hopefully he will answer me.
cheers
alex

[almostpilot]

For Fred again
Thanks for your image. Your filters are sitting straight and nice, mine are not. Can you tell me this please: is each of the filter slides i see in your image really SITTING in its groove on the top roller (pictured) or is it barely touching it?
that info would help me
thanks

[Phil Hudson]

The Mk V twin lamp head does have a sliding shutter mechanism, or at least both of mine do. It is quite sensitive but it's a basic mechanism which might need some cleaning from time to time.

[Luis-F-S]

Don't know if this will be of any help, but here is a shot of my 5108 head. It's a 4 bulb head without the shutter, but does have the red lever to move the filters out of the way. You can see, it's a little cleaner than yours, and unfortunately, as Steve pointed out, you may need to remove most of the insides of yours, clean, maybe paint and reassemble. Your other choice is to pick up a used 504 head, either single or double bulb at auction. They often go pretty cheap as parts without the rest of the enlarger. I've always avoided any dichroic head that had a built in shutter, I figured, only something else to break! Good luck.