I also have a Bessler 45MX enlarger. Basic test show just how terribly bad the Bessler Condensors are. Instead of what you did I used the lamp barrel around which I built my diffusion source. I sprayed the inside of it white with high heat paint.
At the bottom for diffusion I used translucent plex (which is what I think you meant by 'white') It is very even. However to compensate for the small degree of light fall off I've been meaning to get a 1/2" thick peice of translucent plex and file down the outside diameter to compensate for light fall off, lens light fall off and the generally desirable slight burn in at the corners of most B&W photos. If you haven't checked yet test the lens, neg and base for aliagnment. If they are as mine was--there is no possible way the enlarger lens stage was ever parallel to the neg and base. Out of two squares of masonite I constructed a sandwich adjustable lens board. The top square fits in the enlarger, the lens fits in the bottom one. A little ring of window insulating foam is in the middle of the sandwich and three screws hold the whole deal together and allow for the correcting adjustments. Will ---William Nettles [EMAIL PROTECTED] Nettles Photo / Imaging Site http://www.wgn.net/~nettles > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Date: Sun, 1 Sep 2002 12:07:16 -0600 > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: Cameramakers digest, Vol 1 #471 - 9 msgs > > Message: 2 > Date: Sat, 31 Aug 2002 17:03:27 -0700 (PDT) > From: Frank Earl <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: [Cameramakers] Making a cold light head. > Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > I was given a Beseler 45m in pieces. After assembly I > was not very happy with the condensor head and thought > I might build a cold light head. The Beseler has a > stove pipe (round) opening where the light head fits > in. Oddly enough it is not a standard pipe size but > is about the same size as a standard paint can. (I > wonder what they used when prototyping:>)) > > I bought some sheet metal and rolled it into the right > size pipe and riveted it. Then I made a cap for it > from another piece of sheet metal. In the cap, I > installed 3 equally spaced standard light sockets. I > glued a thick strip of felt around the outside of the > pipe to keep it in position on the head. > > My enlarger did not have a filter box. I removed the > upper bellows and built a 1 inch thick mixing/filter > box to put in its place. The bottom of the box holds > a 1/4 in sheet of white plastic for diffusion. > > For bulbs, I chose three GE dimmable flourescent > (3200K) bulbs. They cost about $20 each around here. > These are about 29 watts each and with all three I am > generating about 5000 lumens. This is about a stop > more light at the baseboard than the condensor head. > Heat has not been a problem except for the time I > forgot and left it on for 4 hours. The head was fine > but the white plastic had sagged a little in the > mixing box. I have an electronic line dimmer for the > enlarger but have not used it yet. This is in case I > have too much light for the aperture I want. There is > a consistent 6 tenths of a second delay from the time > I press the button on the timer until the light kicks > on. > > Light fall-off is about 1/2 stop from center to edges > - a little better than I was getting with the > condensor head. > > If I were doing it over, I would find a sheet metal > shop to make the light head and the mixing/filter box > as one unit. Although it works very well, it is ugly. > And for an equipped shop this would not be a tough or > time consuming deal. > > I would also use 1/2 inch or thicker white plastic for > the diffuser. The best diffuser I have ever seen was > one of those textured white plastic cutting boards > from a kitchen supply store. > > Altogether I have about 6 hours and $80 into this head > and I am pleased with the performance. I could have > bought an Aristo head for not too much more but I > don't think it puts out as much light. Although I > will never do color, the 3200K bulbs would be fine to > use with a filter pack. > > Another advantage to the cold light head on a Beseler > 45M is that is it much lighter than the condensor head > and the old motor goes up and down a lot better. _______________________________________________ Cameramakers mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://rmp.opusis.com/mailman/listinfo/cameramakers
