Focomat V35 Alignment

Hi,

 

I recently purchased a V35 enlarger and the front-back tilt alignment on the

head is waaaayy off in relation to the baseboard. After poking around the past

posts, it sounds like it is not terribly complex to make the adjustment oneself

(but there is no detailed description as to how to do this). I have taken the

plastic panel off the enlarger arm but it was not intuitive which bolt will

allow me to adjust the head tilt. Does anyone have any experience?

 

BTW - I know I can use shims but want to use shims as a last resort.

 

Thanks

Jack

never heard of this problem with a V35, Jack. don't hesitate to contact leica directly.

I've owned a V35, which I bought new, and neither in the instructions nor anywhere else have I ever come across the suggestion that the tilt of the head is adjustable.

 

In fact, the rigidity of the head is both a plus and a minus, since it tends not to get out of alignment (the plus) but makes perspective correction problematic (the minus).

 

For your sake, I hope I'm wrong, but it sounds to me as if something is bent out of shape, literally.

 

As David suggested, I'd contact Leica directly before trying any tinkering on my own.

 

Good luck getting it squared away. It's really a great enlarger once you get it set up right.

Jack,

 

After reading your post, I went back to my V35 and the original instruction manual. There is

nothing in there to suggest that you can alter the front-back tilt. From looking at the

mecahnics of the swing arm, I wonder if the cams have been knocked causing it all to be out

of line. Like the others have said, call Leica or call the vendor and return the enlarger if

possible.

 

Charlie

It is not meant to be adjustable. Make sure the column base is seated flat with no wabble.

Hi Jack.

I believe you.

 

Two weeks ago I had exactly the same problem. I found no help in the owner's manual, nor "The Focomat Handbook", nor any forum.

 

But you are wrong, it is not an easy task to align the V35.

You will need a 4mm hex wrench, an 8mm socket wrench and a your deluxe assortment of damnations.

 

As you have already taken away the arm's plastic cover, now look at the head end of the arm. You will see a big threaded hole where the locking knob goes. Around that hole you will see three little holes (unthreaded). You must move the head (the enlarger's, of course) up and down until you see three bolts beneath aligning with the holes. You must loosen, just loosen, those bolts with the hex wrench and then you will be able to align the head.

 

The bad news is that you cannot loosen those bolts until you loosen the nuts on the other side, inside the head. That's the difficult part!

 

To loosen those nuts you will need the socket wrench. The first two, the lower, as far as I remember, are easy. But the upper one is deep inside the head and was impossible for me without disassembling the whole focusing mechanism (not really complex). If you go this way, you will need another tool, a spring hook (don't know its technical name, but is a long, slim, rod of steel with a little hook on the end) to dismount the big spring that retains the lens carriage.

 

If you have better tools and/or skills, maybe you don't need to disassemble this much.

 

Once the nuts are loose, loosen the bolts on the other side, align the head, tighten the bolts, tighten the nuts and you are ready. Remember to tighten the nuts, otherwise you will be repeating this procedure the next month.

 

To work with those #$&%$ nuts, I chose to work from the under side, as you do in a car. Wear safety goggles if you choose the same.

 

Of course, you will need some means to test the alignment of the head/board, but that's a standard task.

 

Hope this helps.

 

MP

Send it back if it ain't too late. Otherwise, call Leica service. Unlike the "old days" they will actually try to be helpful.

Jack, whatever you choose to do, please keep us posted.

 

p.s. a friend of mine is selling his V35,in case you can return this one.

Hi All,

 

Thanks to all for their response. So curiosity didn't kill the cat (or destroy my focomat in this case). I took off the cover to the arm and started loosening and tightening all the bolt sets. Apparently the two large bolts (on the linkage where the vertical column connects the arm) controls a bit of front/back play with the head. It was not apparent at first because the spring keeps everything tight even though the bolts are loose. But after removing the spring, I was able to rotate the head back a couple of degrees, tighten down the bolts and now everything is aligned!

 

Hopefully my explanation is clear for anyone who has a similar problem.

 

Good luck and please reply if you discover anything else.

 

Thanks

Jack

thanks Jack. i am going to save this information, hoping i never have to use it !

Actually I didn't see Marcelo's post. Hmm... I wonder if the bolts on either side of the arm can be used. Just working out the physics of how the arm moves, I think you won't need to take off the big arm spring if you use Marcelo's idea.