Beseler 45V-XL 3 Lens Turret Wobble - Anyone Have Experience Fixing?

[Kerosene Hat]

Hi Everyone,
I'm having a devil of a time getting uniform sharpness w/ my 45V-XL across the print (as measured by a 10x grain magnifier; final prints look good, but maybe not to the grain-of-silver level they could.).

Problem Statement 1
As one can see by the images & videos in this folder (some pics in HEIC format), the 3 Lens Turret has a noticeable "sag" or "wobble" as it rests in the carriage(?) of the lens stage of the 45V-XL. As in, maybe 1/16" or close to an 1/8". This concerns me as I focus at f/5.6, and then touch the lens to stop down to f/11 or f/16 (typical printing apertures). I can see grain sharper at one end of the paper than at the other (w/ the grain magnifier).

Problem Statement 2
The hardward on this rig (which I bought used, and was stored in the prior owner's attic), is corroded, included the 2 front screws in the lens stage alignment area. This means I can't adjust the lens stage the way I think I should.

What I've Tried / Current Working Band-Aid

• - Stopping down
  - Paper "shim" between the lens turret's board and the housing

Obviously, neither of the above are good working solutions, and the correded hardward concerns me (breaking tiny little screws on a pricey and heavy rig can make for a less-useful heavy rig).

Questions
I'd rather not replace the entire unit, and am finally comfortable w/ the 45 Dichro-SL light source & color mixing for different contrast grades.

Is the fix to replace the turret? (This still doesn't solve the negative stage), or does anyone have ideas on how to work with / fix the turret (which appears to be the older version, judging by the lack of external set screws on the board)?

Or is there a way to retro-fit this sucker to take just a plain-old MX single lens board (which would be fine with me, but my lens boards won't fit w/ the turret rigging in place)?

I've searched the heck out of this and haven't found anything resembling an answer, so hoping the LFP community can assist...THANK YOU IN ADVANCE.

Brandon

[Kevin Crisp]

Beseler is in business and they always do everything they can to help the couple times I've called. I'd start there.

[Kerosene Hat]

Beseler is in business and they always do everything they can to help the couple times I've called. I'd start there.

Thanks, Kevin.

[Tin Can]

Remove the turret

It was and is a bad product

[Salmo22]

Nay. My Beseler 3 lens turret works like a champ and is precise when rotating from lens to lens. If Beseler can't answer your questions, try contacting SK Grimes.

It was and is a bad product

[Louis Pacilla]

Nay. My Beseler 3 lens turret works like a champ and is precise when rotating from lens to lens. If Beseler can't answer your questions, try contacting SK Grimes.

Same here!

[Tin Can]

Mine was converted before I bought

The famous one only used it with NIKON EL 240mm. it needed a custom threaded lens board

They both slide right in the standard lens board receptacle

1 by TIN CAN COLLEGE, on Flickr



I follow his lead

[Kerosene Hat]

Thank you, everyone, for good feedback & suggestions so far. Looks like I have an early model turret.

I've contacted Beseler (hooray for a USA company that makes analog gear AND picks up the phone) and started an email dialog with them.

I also have a job started on other things w/ SK Grimes & Adam Dau, so will keep that angle open...

Please keep any suggestions going - shimming the turret is a pretty rough stop gap, haha. .

[Neal Chaves]

Tin Can, Great minds think alike. Talking Rodagons, I found the 240 to be my most-used enlarging lens, but some printers just have to have the 300. The 300 will mount right up to the same flange if it is ever needed. I did not like the Beseler turret and scrapped it.

[Tin Can]

I thought about adding a turret, but had no parts

The cost is too high for me, as it would need rare parts

My XL has a DIY 8X10 conversion made of DIY stacked wood boxes for bigger prints

I got the XL from a famous Detroit artist and writer