How to setup durst laborator 138 Enlarger

[Dean Wilmot]

Hi, just adjust the baseboard, perhaps your girl will show off her curves in the corner of your living room to your enlargers' annoyance.

Haha I couldn’t agree more I’m constantly encouraging abit of strutting

[Dean Wilmot]

Post a picture of it, would be good to see just what you have as there were several versions of the L-138 depending on age.

A pic of the old girl when I picked it up, no great light I’m afraid. Any clue as to age would be greatly appreciated

[Dean Wilmot]

A pic of the old girl when I picked it up, no great light I’m afraid. Any clue as to age would be greatly appreciated

Pic attached

[ic-racer]

Start/stop dates of manufacture. 1948 to 1994.

When doing research, knowing the 'code' name for the enlarger base (minus the head) can be helpful. For example yours is "LATIS" and my L1840 is "LARA."

I might have an old price list, if so I'll try to post it.

[ic-racer]

Also, from the Durst literature:

The Durst S45 shares many of the same features as the 138S. Designed for 35mm to 4x5, it is identical to the 138S except for lens and condenser supplied.

[ic-racer]

June 22, 1987 Price list.

Looks like that year they only sold the 'LATIS' as an entire ready-to-go package.

So it is listed as 'LATISCOLOR' 100 AM/L 138S with a price of $11,950 ($26,590.43 if purchased today).

Included colorhead (CLS 301??), baseboard, negative carrier and glasses, 5x7 mixing box, voltage stabilizer.

I don't see that they offered the 138 condenser head in the USA price list at that time. So, that might date your enlarger as Pre-1987.

[ic-racer]

Just an FYI

Condenser LF enlargers are great in that they are efficient and inexpensive compared to color/diffusion heads.

But, it can be problematic holding LF negatives flat without glass. The combination of glass (6 surfaces for dust) and a condenser head was probably better suited to technical or reportage photography and less to fine art, due to the dust. Of course the skilled darkroom worker (many here on this forum!) can get great results with any equipment, but many seem to favor the combination of diffuse light and glass sandwich with AN glass on top.

[ic-racer]

I believe the 3-lens turret is not removable on the 138S. A few years ago it was still possible to get good examples of the Componon and Componon-S lenses with the correct mount to fit that turret. Here I have filled my turret with Componon 150, 210 and 240-S lenses. The 240 was a little problematic as I had to buy a second lens just to get the Durst mount.

I almost never use those lenses, but I'm glad I bought all kinds of original Durst accessories for my enlarger in the "darkroom junk" age a few years ago as I think this stuff is getting harder to find these days.

[Daniel Casper Lohenstein]

Pic attached

Hi,

now I understand your wife. You have built an altar ;-)

If you want to use your camera carrier as an enlarger then you will have to test whether the light bulb is still working. Be aware of light bulbs with too much watt (>200W). For a 300W light bulb you need the LAFAN 138 blower because 300W will get hot.

I found a 8W (75W) LED globe that I will try - here in Switzerland it is some kind of this: http://www.noserlight.ch/shop/de/dop...t-nr-dp100-08d - But I don't know if it will work. So I ask the others if they have experiences with such lights. At the moment I am enlarging only up to 40x50cm, so there will be no need for 300W in horizontal projections.

The turret is not so important, IMHO, because to use the 80mm you will have to use a recessed mounting plate that inhibits the turret to turn. So be careful not to choose the wrong plates. To use a 105 Componon to enlarge 6x7 you could buy a lightly extended lens plate. The lens board for the 150mm Componon is larger, more extended. They all have different holes. So look careful for the right opening.

Multigrade: I don't think you want to adapt an expensive Multigrade 500 system. There is a vertical filter slot on the right side of the head. You can use the standard 89mm filters made by Ilford, BUT: they are a little bit too small. So you could cut out masks of cardboard to insert the filters. Or buy larger filters, but they cost two times the price of the smaller filters and they don't deliver the double side length.

If you use conventional bulbs, it will get hot in the head, but there is a protection glass between the filters and the bulb. Be aware not to touch the protection glass with the bulb when adjusting the bulb. This will cause ugly heat marks on the protection glass. I am sure they will be visible in the final print.

Does it makes sense to paint the interior of the mirror box white? This will cause some diffusion. When making reproductions, this is annoying. When doing enlargements, it will be desirable. Perhaps you will not see so much scratches in your prints anymore. I read this, but never tried it. It's one of my next projects.

Perhaps you can replace your condensers by a DIY lightbox with styrofoam in it, as seen on the Web. Then you don't have to buy different kind of condensers ...

There are very good used electro-mechanical timers available, they come from the german factory "Baeuerle", e.g. BS 722. They are solid and useful. They fit well.

Of course you can use the foot operated switch. Does it work?

Regards

[ic-racer]

Foot pedal releases the baseboard lock for up/down movement.