danac Posted March 16, 2023 Share Posted March 16, 2023 Has anyone used this tool? https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/4258-REG/Beseler_8511_11x14_Borderless_Enlarging_Easel.html It's far more affordable than some of the alternatives. I am thinking about making 11x14 black and white enlargements. A book's a great place to hide out in - Trevanian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodeo_joe1 Posted March 16, 2023 Share Posted March 16, 2023 If it clamps the paper down flat, then it can't really be 'borderless'. However, 4 thin blobs of BluTak really would be borderless at about 1/100th of the cost. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glen_h Posted March 16, 2023 Share Posted March 16, 2023 I used to know about vacuum easels that suck the paper flat. I never tried one, so I am not sure how they work. Maybe attach to a vacuum cleaner hose. But yes, double-stick tape makes sense, too. -- glen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJG Posted March 16, 2023 Share Posted March 16, 2023 Do you want borderless prints? If not, I would look for a Saunders 4 blade easel which will definitely hold the paper flat and allows for adjustable borders and centering the image on the sheet of paper. Borderless easels aren't bad for RC paper but fiber base paper frequently has a strong curl that a borderless easel won't be able to hold flat. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodeo_joe1 Posted March 16, 2023 Share Posted March 16, 2023 (edited) I've always used a 2 bladed masking frame. 4 blades seems like an excessive amount of adjustment (and bearings to get sloppy). You can just reposition the whole frame on the enlarger baseboard to centre the image. If borderless is wanted, you guillotine off the borders after the print is dried. Also, borders give you some handling area for processing. You've got to have somewhere unimportant for the print tongs to scratch!😲 Anyway. Even allowing for a supposed resurgence in darkroom use, the number of darkrooms abandonded or dismantled, to those being created, must still be hundreds to one. So somewhere out there, there are thousands of unused masking frames. They do tend to get rusty if not looked after though. Edited March 16, 2023 by rodeo_joe1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danac Posted March 17, 2023 Author Share Posted March 17, 2023 The term "borderless" went by me without thinking. I have always made enlargements with borders and can't imagine any reason not to have them. The Saunders easel is more than I want to spend. I'm just an amateur and my print output is rather small. The used market seems the way to go if i really decide to move beyond 8x10s. A book's a great place to hide out in - Trevanian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
randy_boren1 Posted March 17, 2023 Share Posted March 17, 2023 (edited) I have the older version which has only 1 slider. The slider edge and the permanent edge are beveled, they hold the paper flat by simple friction against the curl of the paper (provided the paper has even the slightest edge curl). The easels work very well with fiber paper, RC paper usually does not curl unless it is very old but can still be used in the easel. Borderless enlargements were very popular during the late 70's-80's, both B&W and color. You can always cut your own mask to lay over the paper to give you a border. I have cut several different ones to give me a 1/2" border and 1" border sized to show full frame 35mm on 5x7, 8x10 and 11x14 paper. I have also used double stick tape on very curly paper. Edited March 17, 2023 by randy_boren1 more info Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJG Posted March 17, 2023 Share Posted March 17, 2023 17 hours ago, danac said: The term "borderless" went by me without thinking. I have always made enlargements with borders and can't imagine any reason not to have them. The Saunders easel is more than I want to spend. I'm just an amateur and my print output is rather small. The used market seems the way to go if i really decide to move beyond 8x10s. I would definitely look for a used easel--I have 2 Saunders 4 blade easels; they both had lots of use over 30 years and still look and work like new. One of the things that I like about them is that they are heavy so they don't move around when you are loading paper to make a print. I used to have a two bladed easel that wasn't that precise and got rid of it as soon as I got the Saunders 4 blade. If you're going to dry mount and mat your prints then the precision isn't quite as important, but a good easel should be a lifetime investment. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
conrad_hoffman Posted March 17, 2023 Share Posted March 17, 2023 I have the old Saunders borderless that uses the same system of slightly reverse beveled edges to hold the paper. Works fine, so the above one should too. That said, I remember when borderless prints became a fad, but there are several reasons not to do it. The border area is most prone to damage and even chemical stains over the years. Having a border is conducive to using a matte to hold the print flat for display. Having a border gives you a good eyeball reference for paper white, something I find causes me to make a better print and causing the print (usually) to look better in hand. My old borderless prints are definitely more chewed up than the bordered ones. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodeo_joe1 Posted March 18, 2023 Share Posted March 18, 2023 There are loads of DIY options if low cost is important. A cork note-board laid flat and using thumb-tacks to hold the paper is just one thought that springs to mind. No need to pay through the nose because a product has the epithet "photographic" attached to it. Same as surveyor's tripods costing a fraction of the ludicrous prices asked for photographic tripods. We're just being ripped off guys! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDMvW Posted March 18, 2023 Share Posted March 18, 2023 To get "borderless" cut off the border! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
conrad_hoffman Posted March 18, 2023 Share Posted March 18, 2023 I also remember long ago using a simple board with some sprayed on tacky adhesive. Had to give it a recoat every now and then, but it held the paper OK, though with a bit of edge curl. Depends on the paper. I've had very flat paper and paper you couldn't flatten to save your life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glen_h Posted March 19, 2023 Share Posted March 19, 2023 15 hours ago, JDMvW said: To get "borderless" cut off the border! Sometimes you need full size, though. Unless you have 16x20 paper, then you can cut off the border, down to 11x14. -- glen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodeo_joe1 Posted March 19, 2023 Share Posted March 19, 2023 4 hours ago, glen_h said: Unless you have 16x20 paper, then you can cut off the border, down to 11x14. Except... What camera(s) these days shoot in 11"x14" or 20"x16" proportions? Outside of 6x7 medium format and 5"x4" or 10"x8" large format - precisely none! So you're either going to be cropping the negative or the paper. Either way is simply wasteful. Why is photographic paper not more readily available in A4, or in other more 'modern' aspect ratios? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glen_h Posted March 19, 2023 Share Posted March 19, 2023 1 hour ago, rodeo_joe1 said: Except... What camera(s) these days shoot in 11"x14" or 20"x16" proportions? Outside of 6x7 medium format and 5"x4" or 10"x8" large format - precisely none! So you're either going to be cropping the negative or the paper. Either way is simply wasteful. Why is photographic paper not more readily available in A4, or in other more 'modern' aspect ratios? There used to be some that would print, and some that made frames for, 7x10. Cropping to fit is often good, but sometimes not good. Sometimes something important gets cropped off. -- glen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keith_tapscott Posted June 30, 2023 Share Posted June 30, 2023 (edited) On 3/16/2023 at 12:35 AM, danac said: Has anyone used this tool? https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/4258-REG/Beseler_8511_11x14_Borderless_Enlarging_Easel.html It's far more affordable than some of the alternatives. I am thinking about making 11x14 black and white enlargements. Look for a RR Beard Magitak Easel, They work best with RC papers than FB, as RC papers tend to lie flatter. Photon Beard Magitek Rahmen ohne Zubehör – Foto Köberl – Secondhand (fk-secondhand.com) Edited June 30, 2023 by keith_tapscott I forgot to add link. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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