Enlarger question

[Krazy]

Ok so here's the deal... I have been developing my own B&W negatives for a few months now. I found a person selling an enlarger (Simon omega D2), cause he recivied it from a friend and it is sitting in his basement collecting dust for the last year and a half. He says it still powers on, comes with three lenses and all the parts are there minus the bottom board you put the paper on( sorry for my lack of technical terms)The price is unbelievable, he is only asking $55.
I have been looking up the D2's online and noticed it is not a unit hard to find parts for(a good thing).

So my questions are:
1) is it worth getting it
2) what should I look at when I go see it
3) how hard is it to make a new plate, or just buy one4) what size pictures can you go up to on this unit (he says it comes with a f 4.5 63/8 in focus, f45 90 mm, and f4.5 50mm)

Any help would be great!

 

[groan]

Ok so here's the deal... I have been developing my own B&W negatives for a few months now. I found a person selling an enlarger (Simon omega D2), cause he recivied it from a friend and it is sitting in his basement collecting dust for the last year and a half. He says it still powers on, comes with three lenses and all the parts are there minus the bottom board you put the paper on( sorry for my lack of technical terms)The price is unbelievable, he is only asking $55.
I have been looking up the D2's online and noticed it is not a unit hard to find parts for(a good thing).

So my questions are:
1) is it worth getting it
2) what should I look at when I go see it
3) how hard is it to make a new plate, or just buy one4) what size pictures can you go up to on this unit (he says it comes with a f 4.5 63/8 in focus, f45 90 mm, and f4.5 50mm)

Any help would be great!

This looks like a great deal.
The Simon Omega sounds familiar to me. I may have used one in school.
The obvious things to look for are any scratches on the lenses. Make sure they are in good shape. Make sure the enlarger head moves easily up and down and ensure the focusing mechanism is intact. You should be able to stand it up on a floor (with help) and focus an image. Bring a negative or slide with you.

Good luck and post some pics if you get it.
As for the base, chances are you will be able to make oen. Usually they are just a wood base and the enlarger is attached via the support to the base with nuts/bolts.

 

[ann]

Depending on the condensor situration it should print up to 4x5, h owever the lenses coming with it will not cover that size negative,

I don't quite understand the fstop numbers on those lens. f45 is seriously stopped down, what is it wide open (not that you would print wide open, but it is easier to see the negative wide open. F 4.5/63/8. does this mean a 63mm lens with 4.5-8 range in fstops? Lenses are not hard to find and you are correct parts are easy as well as this is an old work horse.

A base is easy, 3/4 inch plywood with the enlarger bolted to the top.

$55 dollars is certainly not bad, but frankly people are putting better options on the street these days.

You are still going to need to buy filters, easels , trays, timers, etc. so just take that into account for your budget,

 

[KenC]

^^^ Yeah, all that, and also check the negative carrier and the place where it fits into the enlarger head for damage - make sure it closes tightly on the carrier. If it has bellows check that they are intact - if not, you might be able to replace them but if you need to you should try to pay less. I don't remember if I've used this particular model, but if it's the typical Omega with a long rail (at least two feet), then with a 50 mm lens you should be able to make close to a 16x20 with no problem (I can't figure out what the first lens you mention is - if it's a wide angle you could make even bigger prints). If the design allows you to move the head around to the other side so you can project on the floor you can make a lot bigger print than that.

 

[Krazy]

^^^ If the design allows you to move the head around to the other side so you can project on the floor you can make a lot bigger print than that.

In talking with him a bit ago over the phone. He said his friend worked for a company, it closed down and he took this home. They used to make pictures for store/shop windows. The 6' tall ones for backdrops. Now the real question is "where do I find the paper for this and how great would it be" Thanks for the what to look for's and everything else to concider everyone!!!

 

[ann]

Enlarging paper is what your looking for; try on line, freestyle, b%h, adorama , calumet . You might also check in your area to see if there is a "real" photo store, with someone who knows about analog darkroom work.

ALso check on Ilford's website for pdf files on how to's as they will be very helpful. they will have a list of supplies, chemical as well as hardware.

I would recommend you start with Ilford RC MC papers, glossy 8x10, as the glossy will show every flaw and the size is easier to learn with.

Darkroom printing is great fun and very magical, but takes practice.

You might check out Larry Bartlett's Black and White Photo workshop" , it can probably be found for a few dollars but it is very helpful. There are others as well that will be helpful to you. google Tim Redman , Harry Horesenstein or find some old Kodak phamplets, they have lots of great tips and how to do things.

 

[XjGhost]

Here you go:

Although based on the older Omega DII and sharing a number of parts with it, the D2 enlarger had quite a few improvements that distinguish it from its predecessor. There was a new casting for the base, and longer, heavier chassis rails. The counter balance springs were mounted at the top of the column instead of on the carriage. But the most significant difference was the rack and pinion elevation mechanism that replaced the "lift and lock" system on the DII. Through its long production run, there were a variety of different heads fitted to the D2, and several variants on the basic model.

Although it was effectively discontinued in 1975 when the D5 was introduced, there was one last production run in 1977. It remains popular on the used equipment market since it was solidly built and most of the major parts for it are still available. Used Advice: The chassis system of the D2 is very robust and fully serviceable, but check for signs of heavy usage which might indicate some parts will need replacement. Examine condenser lamphouses to ensure that all components are present and in good condition.



Found here: The Omega Enlarger Guide: Simmon Omega enlargers, timers, and analyzers