Durst 184 - the Eagle has landed...

[Kimberly Anderson]

I picked up my Durst 184 this morning...had to rent a U-Haul to get it home and use three people and an appliance dolly to get it downstairs. Wow...what a beast. I took off the head and kept the column intact. I thought that the fewer things I took apart the better.

Got it home, reattached the head and plugged everything in. All of the motors work perfectly, the lamp still works and I am looking forward to a long afternoon of playing with all of the parts tomorrow and seeing how it all works.

I have a lot of parts I don't plan on using, I really am only planning to use it for 5x7 and larger printing, but I have the lenses and all kinds of goodies to print all the way down to 35mm.

I have been warned not to think about selling the parts until I have had a chance to try them all out, but I have already decided I'll use my Saunders 4550 for everything smaller than 5x7.

I will inventory everything I have an put up a list in the For Sale section probably this week. I have a lot of stuff that I'm not even sure what it is, so you'll probably see some posts asking to identify some of these parts.

It looks a lot bigger in my basement than it did in the warehouse. Something about scale or perspective....

I am so excited to have this beast in my basement! It was a lot of work but I can see that it will be worth it in the long run.

[ic-racer]

Congratulations!

[resummerfield]

.....I have been warned not to think about selling the parts until I have had a chance to try them all out, but I have already decided I'll use my Saunders 4550 for everything smaller than 5x7......

Congrats! But I would seriously reconsider selling anything until you get used to the L184. At the very least, keep the 4x5 pieces.

[Kimberly Anderson]

Well I have spent the better part of the day getting out all of the parts and seeing what's here. It's pretty amazing actually.

I have loaded the negative carrier, put in the two 380 condensers and put on the 360mm lens. I went to raise the head up with the Lamot 110 and it stopped about 2/3 of the way up. I lowered it back down to see if it was pinching, binding, etc...and the next time to raise it up it didn't go as high as the first time. Now it won't move up OR down.

I think I have stripped a gear in it somewhere? Funny thing is I have raised it and lowered it a dozen or more times already and it has worked flawlessly.

I did notice some threads mentioning that the gear would fail eventually...maybe that's what's happened? I am going to see if I can remove the Lamot unit and find out if something in there has broken.

I'm kind of bummed. I was getting close to actually focusing an image.

[resummerfield]

There is a nylon gear where the handcrank shaft attaches to the column, and it frequently breaks. It is an easy fix.

[Kimberly Anderson]

I've gotten the motor off and it seems that the nylon gear has shattered where the pin goes through the shaft.

It looks like an easy enough fix, but where does one get said gear?

[Graybeard]

I've gotten the motor off and it seems that the nylon gear has shattered where the pin goes through the shaft.

It looks like an easy enough fix, but where does one get said gear?

Try McMaster Carr.

[Kimberly Anderson]

No kidding? I see that the Durst guy in Oregon might have parts, but McMaser Carr would be easier I think...

[Scott Walker]

Congrats on the 184, welcome to the club

[Kimberly Anderson]

Being in 'The Club' certainly requires some dues to be paid. Do you guys have a list of resources or places to get spare parts? In some ways I feel like I am getting into an exotic car club that it will be hard to find parts for...and yes I know the joys of Lucas and British Leyland.

It seems the guy in Hillsboro, Oregon has the best line on parts and information. Is that where everyone is going to? I used to have to have three Land-Rovers so that I would have spares for the one that ran...I'd hate to think I have to do the same thing with this dang enlarger.

I looked at McMaster Carr and the only gears I could find are for a keyed shaft and not for a pin to retain the gear. Do you have a part no. Greybeard? If so that would be wonderful.

Thanks again guys...

Oh I was going through all my stuff yesterday making a video of everything and the battery died. Dang. I did learn that I have two Opal bulbs, several 1000 watt bulbs and several more 500 watt bulbs...including the one in the head that still works. It seems that I have enough bulbs to last a few lifetimes...the one that was put in the head was installed in 1996.