D2 cogged wheels not fully engaging rear column

[Ben Calwell]

Bought a used Omega D2 a while back, and its main issue is that the black geared, or cogged, wheels don’t fully seat into the corresponding cogs on the rear of the main column. This makes it real difficult to raise and lower the head. It’s getting worse, as the more I try to raise and lower the head, the more the teeth in the plastic wheels are wearing down from failure to fully engage the column. Not getting enough purchase. Is there a simple fix for this? I see bolts that I could undo, and maybe this would loosen something up and let me push the wheels in, so that they would fully seat into the cogs on the column. I’m not the handiest guy on the planet, and if I start tinkering I’m likely to cause other problems, like knocking it out of alignment, etc. Any suggestions?

[dsphotog]

Are the rollers that the carriage rides on seated against the column?

[John Layton]

Are the top-mounted counter springs still present (and functioning) ?

[Ben Calwell]

I’m away from my darkroom, but I’ll check what you two have suggested I look for tomorrow. I’ll try to post some photos, too. I maybe didn’t describe the problem too clearly.

[Ben Calwell]

Here, hopefully, are two pictures showing how the gear cogs on the back aren't engaging well with the teeth on the column.
The cogs on the wheel that do contact the teeth are worn away from being forced to turn against the teeth. The other geared wheel's cogs, do not mesh at all with the teeth on the column, although it might look that way in the photo. Sorry for the lousy angles on the photos. My enlarger is on a cabinet base, and there's no room for me to rotate it around in order to get better shots.
The top mounted counter springs are present and in place.

[Ben Calwell]

Sorry for the double picture post on that first image. In the second photo, you can see how the gear teeth on the wheel are chewed up. The other wheel doesn't even contact the column teeth.

[Ulophot]

Ben, this is not an answer to your question but is relevant. I have a D2 also, with the gears even more chewed up. One cause of this, I have learned, can be a mismatch between the pull of the springs and the weight of the head. Ideally, the head should move up and down with finger pressure. Good luck with that; at least, I have never gotten to that point. However, I did not think about it when I started using a coldlight head decades ago. Whether the teeth were already so chewed then, I don't recall; the enlarger came well used and I'm not mechanically minded (understatement). When I started using a light-weight LED head in the past year is when it really required effort to lower the head. In correspondence with the place in Canada that supplies parts for old Omegas, I was told to added weight to get a balance. I got some cheap lead weights off the web that I have tied onto the carriage back, about 6.5 lbs, I think. Major difference.

I'm on a waiting list for a new gear assembly; I should probably check in with the gentleman again, but these items are not made often.

[Tin Can]

I gave away 4 D2 to my Film/Print college instructor 2 decades ago

4 fit in the trunk of his small car

I decided to FOCUS on Beseler as I like them better

[Ben Calwell]

Ben, this is not an answer to your question but is relevant. I have a D2 also, with the gears even more chewed up. One cause of this, I have learned, can be a mismatch between the pull of the springs and the weight of the head. Ideally, the head should move up and down with finger pressure. Good luck with that; at least, I have never gotten to that point. However, I did not think about it when I started using a coldlight head decades ago. Whether the teeth were already so chewed then, I don't recall; the enlarger came well used and I'm not mechanically minded (understatement). When I started using a light-weight LED head in the past year is when it really required effort to lower the head. In correspondence with the place in Canada that supplies parts for old Omegas, I was told to added weight to get a balance. I got some cheap lead weights off the web that I have tied onto the carriage back, about 6.5 lbs, I think. Major difference.

I'm on a waiting list for a new gear assembly; I should probably check in with the gentleman again, but these items are not made often.

Thanks, Philip, I’ll try that. I have an Aristo cold light head on it. I’ve tried grabbing the whole head assembly (the carriage?) and moving it up or down, but it won’t budge. And that’s with the knob loosened that locks it into place on the column. It’s at 8x10 height, which is the size I normally print, so it’s not a crisis. But it would be nice to do an occasional 11x14, or otherwise fine tune the cropping on the easel.

[Ulophot]

If it won't budge, you've got some other problem, and it's no wonder the teeth are getting stripped. Forget the weight until you figure it out. You need a careful examination of the carriage to determine what's up. I can't tell well enough from the photos to diagnose anything.

KHB Photographix is the Canadian supplier for parts, and the D2 manual is available for $10: http://store.khbphotografix.com/Omeg...er-Manual.html. Also you can email them with questions. I can;t find my emails from them from last year, but the gentleman who replied to me knows the machine inside and out. --FOUND IT: Kevin Brown.

My recommendation would be to remove the Aristo and look carefully at the carriage mechanism, or email KBH.