Beseler 45mx II enlarger at my thrift store

**nickademusss** · 13-Jun-2011, 13:44

The local thrift store has a new Beseler 45mx II enlarger, it still has the cardboard and packing bands strapped to it!

It is missing the light housing/ film holder and lens, how much could I expect to pay for these parts and would it be worth getting it? The thrift store price is 100.00, my biggest concern is the light housing and lamp.

**Greg Y** · 13-Jun-2011, 15:38

It's a buyer's market....make them an offer.....all the other parts are available.
Lenses are cheap, neg carriers can be found 2nd hand, so can a cold light or dichroic head. This is the biggest part.....you might pay more than $100 for shipping a chassis.

**William Whitaker** · 13-Jun-2011, 15:43

So it's a new chassis sans head and negative carrier? Assuming it's not been bent or damaged, that seems a darn good price for what's essentially a new one. The good thing about Beselers is that there are parts everywhere for them. Ebay is rife with that stuff. And unless you want the original condenser head, you should be able to find a cold light head without too much searching. Negative carriers and lenses are plentiful on the used market.

And what Greg Y said about shipping... Local is good!

**nickademusss** · 13-Jun-2011, 15:53

I cant find a thing wrong with it other than the missing stuff, even the screws are still in a little fabric draw string bag, I may have to pounce on it, So another brand of light will work? I wonder what one will fit?

What kind of lens should I look for? I would like to run my 4x5 to 8x10 at least....

Thanks for the info guys!

**ac12** · 13-Jun-2011, 16:08

Nick

Try looking eBay for a replacement Besler head. That will give you the least problems trying to fit to the chassis.

The focal length of the lens needed will depend entirely on the film format, from 50mm (for 35mm) to 150mm (for 4x5).

As for brands, probably any of the majors; Schnieder, Rodenstock, Fuji, Nikon. But within brands there are grades; expensive top, middle, inexpensive lower. And that is a whole research topic in itself, I am still wading thru that.

Offer them less, pointing out the missing parts that you will have to find and buy to make it functional.

**Darin Boville** · 13-Jun-2011, 16:29

Go buy it and then ask questions--right now there are lurkers in Utah heading to their local thrift store looking for enlargers!

--Darin

**nickademusss** · 13-Jun-2011, 18:00

Utah, who said I lived in Utah

**Sideshow Bob** · 13-Jun-2011, 18:16

If you buy it, I have two different heads, neg carriers, lens, etc. that I'll sell you. PM me if you are interested.

Gale

**John Koehrer** · 13-Jun-2011, 18:26

Make sure it has the condensers with it if you want to use the standard light housing.
For the cold light or color head they're not needed.

**Sirius Glass** · 13-Jun-2011, 18:38

I would go for a diffuser so that you can use a color head for color, of course, but also use its built in filters for the variable contrast papers. A condenser shows dust more readily and you can get into a situation were the light source element shows up on the paper! Furthermore you will have to get filter holders and filters for a condenser. Diffusers do not show dust as readily. On the other hand the contrast of a condenser is somewhat greater than a condenser. These days you will pay about the same for a condenser or a color diffuser so you might as well get the color diffuser.

I have a color head and I have been very happy with it.

YMMV

Steve