Does anyone have images of a De Vere 108 enlarger?

[TimberwolfII]

Just landed back from picking up a De Vere 108 (not 5108) enlarger tower, with a separate condenser head (plus 'spare' condenser lens).

So, now I need to fathom out if the head belongs with the tower. I don't have the "arms" that go between the tower and head/stages. A google turned up the eBay listing of my unit but no complete 108's, just 5108's.

Does anyone have any pics?

The head doesn't seem to have a negative stage or lens stage. I also have a De Vere 54, and the tower just looks like it's big brother so I'm hoping the rest is similar too?

I need some guidelines to start cobbling up a working system.

I've searched this forum but there was nothing in the first five pages.....

[interneg]

Just landed back from picking up a De Vere 108 (not 5108) enlarger tower, with a separate condenser head (plus 'spare' condenser lens).

So, now I need to fathom out if the head belongs with the tower. I don't have the "arms" that go between the tower and head/stages. A google turned up the eBay listing of my unit but no complete 108's, just 5108's.

Does anyone have any pics?

The head doesn't seem to have a negative stage or lens stage. I also have a De Vere 54, and the tower just looks like it's big brother so I'm hoping the rest is similar too?

I need some guidelines to start cobbling up a working system.

I've searched this forum but there was nothing in the first five pages.....

You could try John Boyce of Odyssey Sales/ DeVere - he might know what bits are supposed to go where - though unlikely he'll have parts for the pre 504/507/5108 era.

What's behind the big black handles towards the bottom of the head? My guess (going off an encounter with a 54 a long time ago) was that the upper one of the two is the neg stage...

[Luis-F-S]

That is a very very old 108. Read, ancient. What exactly are you trying to find out? Looking for parts? If you have an old 504, you can probably upsize the parts for the 108. Like Interneg suggested, contact second hand darkroom aka Odyssey Sales, but I'm not terribly hopeful. Good Luck!

[Gudmundur Ingolfsson]

This is what you call a contraption. I think this something from carpenters workshop.

[Tin Can]

It's fixable, all machines are.

You have only just begun.

Make it work, it's how I learned, this decade.

The mechanical machine is all about alignment, the lamp can be modernized or be happy with it. You might be surprised.

I have four ancient 8X10 enlargers. I sold the 5th.

I like to fiddle about...

[Luis-F-S]

Depends whether they are complete enlargers, or are missing parts that are un-obtainable. I'd still call SHD. L

[TimberwolfII]

Thanks for the comments ! Ancient? Lol suits me fine, my camera is 1940's lens 50's etc etc. Like Randy I fiddle, and if I wanted an easy life I'd take images with my iPhone

What I'm trying to do is use it as an enlarger to make prints. I have a devere 54, which was a cold cathode diffuser and is now an LED diffuser. I also have an ancient Kodak which has condensers. I believe there should be a negative stage directly under the condensers ( lower round bit). The handle is above the condenser and is for filters I think for multigrades. I have one condenser in the head and another 'spare' or different focal length.

It seems to be missing the arms that would hold the head, neg stage and lens carrier. If I can get an image I can maybe make some (I'm a robotics engineer as well as a fiddler).

The tower has two wheels which move an upper and a lower "runner" which must be for image size (moving the light head and condensers) and focus (moving the lens).

I just wondered if the great and good of this forum had some images or actually HAD such a magnificent device of their own?

Gudmundur, you are correct, it is a contraption and all the more wonderful because of it!!

[TimberwolfII]

This looks like a baby version:


Looks like there should be a neg stage directly under the condenser, then bellows then lens stage.

[Luis-F-S]

Old is fine as long as it's complete and working. Your 57 Devere appears to be a complete working enlarger. The 108 should accommodate a 10"x10" film. Hard to tell dimension wise from the two photos you posted. Perhaps you could post a few more so we could figure out the workings of it? All 7 of my Deardorffs are old but are complete and in excellent working condition.

When I wanted an 8x10 enlarger, I bought a DeVere 5108 because it was complete and in really good shape. I wanted an enlarger, not a project. Some people like projects, I prefer to print, not have a restoration on my hands. My first 8x10 enlarger shown below, did not have a light source. At least an Omega F is easy to fit, and at the time, Aristo was in business making light sources. I had to make a wooden holder for the 1212 light, which wasn't horrible, but I did not want to repeat the experience. The alternative at the time was to buy a Dichroic head which was not cheap but more plentiful than condenser F heads. Now if you want to spend some bucks, today you can get a VC LED head from Germany.

But back to the project. From the photos posted, it looks like it has a negative stage, but no holder. DeVere holders are easy to fabricate just a larger version of the one you posted. What did SHD have to say? Were they of any help?



Most 108's I've seen for sale, bring up this beast!



If you can post detailed photos of your enlarger once you get it working, it would be great for the rest of us to see and possibly help someone else in the future.

[TimberwolfII]

Hi Luis, no didn't get chance to ring SHD, flat out at work, but I will.

V good suggestion about pics when it's working; or maybe a build thread?

Mechanically it does what the second of you two pics does (as maybe all enlargers do....) light source, neg holder, lens and somewhere to present the paper. It just does it in a slightly less sophisticated way.

So, as yet, no one with insight into this vintage De Vere 108? My need still stands - how does the lamp house, neg carrier, bellows, lens all sit together?