Any 5-blade Salthill easel users out there?

**Nacio Jan Brown** · 5-Mar-2011, 19:10

I recently got a large 5-blade Salthill easel and can't figure out one thing regarding its use. You tuck the top of the paper into a little slot as you do with most easels. That controls the front-to-back position of the paper. What I can't figure out is how to control the side-to-side position. Most easels have two or three slots, each for a different paper size. With those you just use the correct slot and move the paper to the left against end of the slot. The Salthill has a single slot 20" wide with no mechanism to inhibit the side-to-side motion of the paper. When the blade assembly is lifted you can see guide numbers that start from 0 at the center and increase in both left and right directions. Clearly the assumption is that you will center the paper side-to-side. The problem with this is that in the dark the numbers are very difficult to see. Salthill had a reputation for excellence in design and I can only think that I am missing something. Or maybe the easel is missing some part? Any users out there who can enlighten me? TIA njb

**Keith Pitman** · 5-Mar-2011, 19:45

Innovate, adapt, overcome!

I have a Salthill, a terrific easel. Create your own marker or stop that works with the way you work. Align the paper with the dimension for the paper size you are using. I stick a piece of black tape above the mark so I can see it under the safelight. You could also place your own stop in the groove in line with the dimension mark.

**dap** · 5-Mar-2011, 21:12

For a lateral stop you can either use a thin magnet on the metal base just below the 5th blade or you can jam a thin piece of metal shim stock (brass would work well) in the paper groove of the 5th blade.