Durst L1840 Enlarger 8x10 10x10--Everything you wanted to know...

[gary mulder]

HI Gary,
I am not sure but I think that where you went wrong is that the height of the room is irrelevant as long as my enlarger head will go up to maximum height. And it does, with lots of space above. But when it is at max height, there is really only 70 inches (175 cm) between the neg stage and the floor. If you deduct 24 inches (60 cm)for the table and the easel, then that leaves only 46 inches(115 cm), not the 60inches (150 cm). I like your calculations better, but unfortunately, it doesn't work out, I don't think.
The Durst manual I have is similar to the online version but my wee beastie is even older. NOthing on it is electronic or has push buttons. Pretty basic and just right for me. This is going to work.

The componon-s 240mm will give with a height of 115 cm a projection of 23 inch wide with a 8X10.

[cory stickley]

Then since there seems to be agreement, I will have to start looking for a 240mm lens. Thanks for all the help. This discussion has been very helpful, especially since it has forced me to think about the enlarger and hopefully, get it ready to use soon.

Ic-racer, you mentioned that a track could be made from steel from Home Depot, but I am not sure how my enlarger would travel on it. The enlarger in the manual shows that it could travel on wheels or something similar, but the base of my Durst, seems to be just flat. It has been bolted to some track material-about 4 feet long on each side and I assumed it was for stability.
The other problem with track is that my darkroom floor has in floor radiant heat, so I don't think I could bolt the track down for fear of piercing one of the heating tubes. I know that is tough so it looks like vertical projection is the answer. Many thanks for helping me think this through!

[ic-racer]

Indeed. The 240 will fine.

IC, have you tested the Fujinar yet?
Any thoughts on that lens?

No cheap solution for the 75mm 0.9 pitch mounting ring, so that one is on hold for now.

This is what I have been playing with lately. Total cost $25

The 80mm Componon was $5 with that Durst mounting plate. It will focus just fine on the Tripla.
The silver lens is a 210mm "DURST" Componon. It was $20 because it has 'issues' with the front element.
You will recognize the tripla (Again thank you very much ! )

Both lenses were hazy and pretty much considered 'junk' by the respective sellers. I totally dismantled each lens (except for the glued doublets, of course) and cleaned all the surfaces. 90% of the haze came off, thus making the lenses fully usable. I did test them against a brand-new Componon-S 80mm and a Componon-S 150mm. The differences were minor.

Of, course if I had some need to use the Durst for 6x6cm or 5x7 in enlargements, I'd pay-up for some fine lenses, but I'm just 'testing the waters.'

For example, to see how big I can project a 6x6cm negative on the wall, it is much easier to just pick up a lens for $5 and make the projection, than try to figure it out with math and tables

I used the 210mm in a similar experimental manner. I made a sequence of four 16x10 prints (the largest I can currently process) from a single 8x10 negative. I used the 'scrolling' Negateil negative carrier, to move the 8x10 negative for each print, thus covering the width of the negative on the 4 images.

[ic-racer]

BTW the third thing on the Tripla is the top of a coffee mug. It happens to fit right on there. I found light leaks if any of the 3 holes are empty.

[gary mulder]

HI Gary,
I am not sure but I think that where you went wrong is that the height of the room is irrelevant as long as my enlarger head will go up to maximum height. And it does, with lots of space above. But when it is at max height, there is really only 70 inches (175 cm) between the neg stage and the floor. If you deduct 24 inches (60 cm)for the table and the easel, then that leaves only 46 inches(115 cm), not the 60inches (150 cm). I like your calculations better, but unfortunately, it doesn't work out, I don't think.
The Durst manual I have is similar to the online version but my wee beastie is even older. NOthing on it is electronic or has push buttons. Pretty basic and just right for me. This is going to work.

If you have height to spare why not place the hole thing on a small sturdy platform ?

[Allen in Montreal]

No cheap solution for the 75mm 0.9 pitch mounting ring, so that one is on hold for now..........

You will recognize the tripla (Again thank you very much ! )..........



I used the 210mm in a similar experimental manner. I made a sequence of four 16x10 prints (the largest I can currently process) from a single 8x10 negative. I used the 'scrolling' Negateil negative carrier, to move the 8x10 negative for each print, thus covering the width of the negative on the 4 images.

My pleasure IC, your threads have been very helpful!

The multi print montage sounds pretty cool.
Can you see a final print being exhibition quality out of that any time soon?
The Durst continues to amaze me with just how well it is made, even if they gave all the parts really silly names!
My daughter's laugh every time I say please pass me a "Lapla"

[cory stickley]

If you have height to spare why not place the hole thing on a small sturdy platform ?

Never thought of that, Gary. Thanks I will keep the idea in mind especially if the lens is hard to find.

[cory stickley]

To continue my enlarger story, I have now got a 240 mm Rodenstock rodagon lens to try out with the 8 x 10 Durst for vertical projection. BUT, of course, it does not fit either of the two lensboards. It is just a bit too small for the UNIPLA and there is no fitting ring with the lens.

So, I am not sure what to look for. Does anyone have any suggestions as to how I might proceed with this? Do I find a machine shop to do this for me? Or what I should ask for in the WTB postings? Where do I actually measure to get the diameter of the fitting ring?

Thanks. Any help appreciated.

[ic-racer]

Not sure when you say too small for the Unipla. The Unipla takes the smaller Lapla boards as I recall. Those Lapla boards come up all the time on e-bay. I just got a 42mm Lapla the otherday. If you can measure the theads on your lens that will give you an Idea of which Lapla to look for.

Other solutions would be to get a spare VAPLA with just about any size hole and send that board with the lens to SK Grimes to make a flange and mount the flange to the board. That is exactly what I am going to do with my Fuji 250 and a spare Vapla.

[gary mulder]

AFAIK the rodagon 240mm has a 72 X 1,0 mm thread. The unipla will take lapla's up to 66 mm. Durst made a adapter from 66 male to 72 female but I do not know if the 240 will fit. So the only option is to make it fit a Vapla board. Find a vapla board with the fitting thread, or let a machine shop make a setup ring to the same thread as your 360mm