20x24 enlarger easel options

[John Brady]

I am searching for a high quality 20 x24 easel. It looks like the two best options are the Saunders or the Beseler. B&H sells the Beseler new for about $950. It doesn’t appear the Saunders is still in production, or if it is, I don’t see it available anywhere.

How does the Beseler compare to the Saunders? Should I hold out to find a good quality Saunders in the used market or go with the new Beseler?
Am I overlooking any other options? Any advice on this would be appreciated.

John
www.timeandlight.com

[Pieter]

Make sure you get the newer style Beseler easel that has both ends of the blades running to the edge guides. I have an earlier version where one side is free and it can get out of square. I don't know if the blades can be adjusted like the Saunders. I end up manually squaring it up and tape the blades together. Luckily, I make most of my prints to two basic sizes.

[Tin Can]

I sold my LN condition 20X24 Saunders for what I paid for it

I didn't like how the cropping leaves were not always square, if adjusted

YMMV

I use single format now

odd sizes, magnet strips

[Drew Wiley]

Saunders blades are easy re-square. Right now I'm assembling the masking blade system for my new 24X30 easel, or more accurately, taking a lunch break from doing that. I wanted to have on hand something mid-sized between my Saunders 20X24 easels and my monster cast-iron 30X40 one which is dedicated to one specific 8x10 enlarger.

[Ray Van Nes]

I made my own out of plywood heavy but functional. First there are two pieces laminated together, the upper one is the size of your paper and bottom one is 4 in bigger in both dimensions. A 2" hinged frame fits around the upper piece. I use piano hinges. Inset in this frame is T track you should be able to get from various hardware suppliers such as Rockler etc. It is inset in the center of the frame. For the blades you can get them cut at a sheet metal shop. Satin steel is best as it will take paint well. I used laminate on the top which I then inscribed dimensions working from the center out. This will cost a lot less than the above mentioned items and will work just as well.

[ic-racer]

I disassembled, cleaned, lubricated and re-painted a used Saunders 20x24. These really are built better than the smaller Saunders easels.

[MrFujicaman]

There's a Saunders for sale in the For sale thread..

[John Brady]

Saunders blades are easy re-square. Right now I'm assembling the masking blade system for my new 24X30 easel, or more accurately, taking a lunch break from doing that. I wanted to have on hand something mid-sized between my Saunders 20X24 easels and my monster cast-iron 30X40 one which is dedicated to one specific 8x10 enlarger.

A dedicated 30x40 enlarger would be nice! The naked photographer has a video online about sharing the 20x24Saunders.

[John Brady]

There's a Saunders for sale in the For sale thread..

Thanks for the heads up, it looks like a 16x20 and an 11x14, I’m looking for the 20x24

[John Layton]

Have loads of easels accumulated over the years (gotta have that yard sale!)...but the one's I actually use now are my two Saunders (11x14, 16x20), and larger (30x40 and 40x60) ones which I DIY out of melamine boards and mat-black painted wood strips for hold downs. Don't care too much about squareness of these big ones because when I print big I include a margin beyond the film's edge...knowing that I will square up and trim this prior to matting.

Question: Years ago I had a Leitz easel which was black...and I'd arrange and focus the image on a fixed/washed sheet of photo paper prior to replacing it with a fresh unexposed piece for actual printing. Fast forward...my current easels are either "focal yellow" (Saunders) or my white melamine homemade ones. I've never noticed any real differences in results between any of these (black, white, yellow-based) easels, despite what I've heard about potential halation caused by bounce-back of light from a white easel. Anyone?