Durst M601 Enlarger - Worth buying?

I have spotted a Durst M601 enlarger at a local auction house. Are there any
particular things to look out for when buying this model 2nd hand? It seems
to work fine with the Minolta lens stepping down OK. Only thing bothering
me - & I'm sure it can be fixed - I obiously couldn't open it out in the
showroom but when the light projects onto the baseboard it has black lines
across it. I am assuming that one of the interior mirrors is cracked. Has
anyone had any experience of replacing them?

Cheers,

FireBall

On Sun, 18 Apr 2004 12:03:09 +0100, Fire Ball wrote:

I have spotted a Durst M601 enlarger at a local auction house. Are there any
particular things to look out for when buying this model 2nd hand? It seems
to work fine with the Minolta lens stepping down OK. Only thing bothering
me - & I'm sure it can be fixed - I obiously couldn't open it out in the
showroom but when the light projects onto the baseboard it has black lines
across it. I am assuming that one of the interior mirrors is cracked. Has
anyone had any experience of replacing them?

Yes, they are good basic enlargers.I have one.There are no internal
mirrors, just the large condensing lens.A crack in this would make it
unusable.
Where are the 'black lines'?
If they are thick, then it could be the adjustable neg carrier blades that
have not been fully opened.There are 4 red slides around where you insert
the neg.These are adjustable for all sizes up to 6x6.
Alan.

--
To reply by e-mail, change the ' + ' to 'plus'.
http://www.dvatc.co.uk - Off-road cycling in the North Midlands.

Cheers for that. The lines run parallel with the back of the baseboard. They
appear to be quite thick. Sliding the red sliders has no effect.

FireBall

"A.Lee" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 18 Apr 2004 12:03:09 +0100, Fire Ball wrote:

I have spotted a Durst M601 enlarger at a local auction house. Are there
any
particular things to look out for when buying this model 2nd hand? It
seems
to work fine with the Minolta lens stepping down OK. Only thing
bothering
me - & I'm sure it can be fixed - I obiously couldn't open it out in the
showroom but when the light projects onto the baseboard it has black
lines
across it. I am assuming that one of the interior mirrors is cracked.
Has
anyone had any experience of replacing them?

Yes, they are good basic enlargers.I have one.There are no internal
mirrors, just the large condensing lens.A crack in this would make it
unusable.
Where are the 'black lines'?
If they are thick, then it could be the adjustable neg carrier blades that
have not been fully opened.There are 4 red slides around where you insert
the neg.These are adjustable for all sizes up to 6x6.
Alan.

--
To reply by e-mail, change the ' + ' to 'plus'.
http://www.dvatc.co.uk - Off-road cycling in the North Midlands.

If the lans is cracked does anyone know where I can get a replacement?

"A.Lee" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 18 Apr 2004 12:03:09 +0100, Fire Ball wrote:

I have spotted a Durst M601 enlarger at a local auction house. Are there
any
particular things to look out for when buying this model 2nd hand? It
seems
to work fine with the Minolta lens stepping down OK. Only thing
bothering
me - & I'm sure it can be fixed - I obiously couldn't open it out in the
showroom but when the light projects onto the baseboard it has black
lines
across it. I am assuming that one of the interior mirrors is cracked.
Has
anyone had any experience of replacing them?

Yes, they are good basic enlargers.I have one.There are no internal
mirrors, just the large condensing lens.A crack in this would make it
unusable.
Where are the 'black lines'?
If they are thick, then it could be the adjustable neg carrier blades that
have not been fully opened.There are 4 red slides around where you insert
the neg.These are adjustable for all sizes up to 6x6.
Alan.

--
To reply by e-mail, change the ' + ' to 'plus'.
http://www.dvatc.co.uk - Off-road cycling in the North Midlands.

On Sun, 18 Apr 2004 13:27:23 +0100, Fire Ball wrote:

If the lans is cracked does anyone know where I can get a replacement?

Very unlikely to be a cracked lens - it wouldnt be a regular thick line if
it was cracked.Sounds like the neg carrier, or the filter draw are
misaligned.Both are removable in 10 seconds(or less).Once they are
removed, you will be able to see inside, above the enlarger lens, and
below the condensor lens.Turn the bulb on then, and see if the black lines
have gone.
Spares are almost impossible to get.These enlargers are over 20 years old
now, and with so many people getting rid of them, you could pick up
another quite cheaply.(I paid £100 2 years ago, with a set of 20x16
dishes,timer,2 lenses and other odds and sods, and I still think I paid a
little too much for it).Currently on ebay.co.uk there are 2 available with
no bids and a start price of £20.Getting a good one for £50 is pretty
good I think.
Alan.

--
To reply by e-mail, change the ' + ' to 'plus'.
http://www.dvatc.co.uk - Off-road cycling in the North Midlands.

"Fire Ball" wrote

I have spotted a Durst M601 enlarger at a local auction house. ...
I obviously couldn't open it out in the showroom ... but [something is
busted]...

Customer: I am interested in this car.
Salesman: Very well, sir. That will be £4,350.
Customer: Can I drive it first?
Salesman: No.
Customer: Can I look under the hood?
Salesman: No.
Customer: Can I at least sit in it?
Salesman: No.
Customer: How about another glance at it?
Salesman: No.

If you can't take the enlarger apart enough to find out what is
wrong with it [which, as one poster pointed out may be nothing
more than a mis-inserted negative carrier - a defect that should
cause the price to drop £25 when you point out the serious and
mysterious black lines] I would find another enlarger and another
shop.

At present enlargers are as grains of sand on the beach at Totland.
Ask around enough and you will find one that is being given away.

As suggested, look around on eBay for the current state of affairs
and then shop locally.

As for Dursts make sure the enlarger comes with all the lensboards
and negative carriers you will ever need - no ifs, ands, or buts.
Aside from a both chronic and acute shortage of parts and accessories
for the older models they are superb enlargers.

--
Nicholas O. Lindan, Cleveland, Ohio
Consulting Engineer: Electronics; Informatics; Photonics.
psst.. want to buy an f-stop timer? nolindan.com/da/fstop/

Cheers Alan,

Thanks for your help. If I get it in the auction I will let you know.

FireBall

"A.Lee" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 18 Apr 2004 13:27:23 +0100, Fire Ball wrote:

If the lans is cracked does anyone know where I can get a replacement?

Very unlikely to be a cracked lens - it wouldnt be a regular thick line if
it was cracked.Sounds like the neg carrier, or the filter draw are
misaligned.Both are removable in 10 seconds(or less).Once they are
removed, you will be able to see inside, above the enlarger lens, and
below the condensor lens.Turn the bulb on then, and see if the black lines
have gone.
Spares are almost impossible to get.These enlargers are over 20 years old
now, and with so many people getting rid of them, you could pick up
another quite cheaply.(I paid £100 2 years ago, with a set of 20x16
dishes,timer,2 lenses and other odds and sods, and I still think I paid a
little too much for it).Currently on ebay.co.uk there are 2 available with
no bids and a start price of £20.Getting a good one for £50 is pretty
good I think.
Alan.

--
To reply by e-mail, change the ' + ' to 'plus'.
http://www.dvatc.co.uk - Off-road cycling in the North Midlands.

To quote the key point from my original post:

"I have spotted a Durst M601 enlarger at a local auction house" ie not a
shop.



"Nicholas O. Lindan" wrote in message
news
"Fire Ball" wrote

I have spotted a Durst M601 enlarger at a local auction house. ...
I obviously couldn't open it out in the showroom ... but [something is
busted]...

Customer: I am interested in this car.
Salesman: Very well, sir. That will be £4,350.
Customer: Can I drive it first?
Salesman: No.
Customer: Can I look under the hood?
Salesman: No.
Customer: Can I at least sit in it?
Salesman: No.
Customer: How about another glance at it?
Salesman: No.

If you can't take the enlarger apart enough to find out what is
wrong with it [which, as one poster pointed out may be nothing
more than a mis-inserted negative carrier - a defect that should
cause the price to drop £25 when you point out the serious and
mysterious black lines] I would find another enlarger and another
shop.

At present enlargers are as grains of sand on the beach at Totland.
Ask around enough and you will find one that is being given away.

As suggested, look around on eBay for the current state of affairs
and then shop locally.

As for Dursts make sure the enlarger comes with all the lensboards
and negative carriers you will ever need - no ifs, ands, or buts.
Aside from a both chronic and acute shortage of parts and accessories
for the older models they are superb enlargers.

--
Nicholas O. Lindan, Cleveland, Ohio
Consulting Engineer: Electronics; Informatics; Photonics.
psst.. want to buy an f-stop timer? nolindan.com/da/fstop/

--
darkroommike

----------
"A.Lee" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 18 Apr 2004 12:03:09 +0100, Fire Ball wrote:

I have spotted a Durst M601 enlarger at a local auction house. Are there
any
particular things to look out for when buying this model 2nd hand? It
seems
to work fine with the Minolta lens stepping down OK. Only thing
bothering
me - & I'm sure it can be fixed - I obiously couldn't open it out in the
showroom but when the light projects onto the baseboard it has black
lines
across it. I am assuming that one of the interior mirrors is cracked.
Has
anyone had any experience of replacing them?

Yes, they are good basic enlargers.I have one.There are no internal
mirrors, just the large condensing lens.A crack in this would make it
unusable.
Where are the 'black lines'?
If they are thick, then it could be the adjustable neg carrier blades that
have not been fully opened.There are 4 red slides around where you insert
the neg.These are adjustable for all sizes up to 6x6.
Alan.

--
To reply by e-mail, change the ' + ' to 'plus'.
http://www.dvatc.co.uk - Off-road cycling in the North Midlands.

Sorry, for the blank post, late at night here. The 601 uses a reflex mirror
to bend the light 90 degrees down to the lens. The are two condensing lens,
the top one can be swapped out for 50mm lenses or 80mm lenses.

--
darkroommike

----------
"A.Lee" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 18 Apr 2004 12:03:09 +0100, Fire Ball wrote:

I have spotted a Durst M601 enlarger at a local auction house. Are there
any
particular things to look out for when buying this model 2nd hand? It
seems
to work fine with the Minolta lens stepping down OK. Only thing
bothering
me - & I'm sure it can be fixed - I obiously couldn't open it out in the
showroom but when the light projects onto the baseboard it has black
lines
across it. I am assuming that one of the interior mirrors is cracked.
Has
anyone had any experience of replacing them?

Yes, they are good basic enlargers.I have one.There are no internal
mirrors, just the large condensing lens.A crack in this would make it
unusable.
Where are the 'black lines'?
If they are thick, then it could be the adjustable neg carrier blades that
have not been fully opened.There are 4 red slides around where you insert
the neg.These are adjustable for all sizes up to 6x6.
Alan.

--
To reply by e-mail, change the ' + ' to 'plus'.
http://www.dvatc.co.uk - Off-road cycling in the North Midlands.