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

 

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.

 

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

 

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.

 

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.

 

Cheers Alan,

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

FireBall

 

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.

 

--
darkroommike

----------

 

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.

 

Thanks to everyone who has posted. I was successful in getting the enlarger
for the grand price of £13.25. When I got it home and worked out how to
access the inners it was immediatley obvious that the two condenser lenses
were well out of line as the previous owner had not secured then with the
"right angled brackety thing" - to give it its technical term sans manual. I
am now of to buy some paper etc to reprint some of my old negatives.

(its a long stiry but when I left Glasgow University in '92 and received my
first pay packet I went out and bought a Nikon 801S and a Jessops darkroom
kit which served me well for a number of years. After getting married this
was passed to a friends brother who passed it to one of his friends, won a
Nikon F5 with one of his prints and then sold my darkroom. This all came to
light when I tried to get it back after moving to a new house with an attic
which was crying out for a darkroom. This (and a 16 month old child) is why
I am looking to set up another darkroom on the cheap.

Thanks again

FireBall

B&W film and colour digi on ShutterCity at:

http://www.shuttercity.com/ShowGallery.cfm?AcctID=6341

 

If it's got the B&W condensor head on it then it has a mirror in it. With
the B&W head it should also have two condensors, and if you want to do 35mm,
a third one. Alternatively, it may have the 35mm combo and you'd need the
other one for MF.

So, is it a B&W model? If so, remove the neg carrier and examine. Check the
action of moving the red tabs to slide the masks around. Unscrew the lens
and look threw it. Next, remove the filter drawer (red thing at the front
of the head), open the top up by rotating the tab at the back of the top
plate, lift the lid and turn it over... There's your mirror, angled at 45
degree to bounce the light from the globe down the condensors. With the
power cord unplugged, remove the globe, undo the locking clamp screw, remove
the clamp and lift out the condensors. Examine them to make sure their in
good condition and see if they have some writing on the sides of the metal
frames. They may be labeled Sivocon 80 or Sivocon 50. You use 2 80's for
MF and one 80 and one 50 for 35mm. The '50 has a lot more curvature, so if
you have two the same, they almost certainly be two '80s. (do a search of
the photo.net B&W Printing forum for discussion about what happens using 2
80's and a 50mm lens for 35mm). With the lens, neg carrier, condensors and
mirror out, you should be able to see any defect causing black lines.

So along the lines of what Nicholas said, without determining exactly what's
causing it, don't buy it.

Cheers, Nige

 

Congratulations on picking up a fine enlarger at a great price (I have two
'601's). Great machines and the good news--inserts, AN glass, and
lensboards interchange with newer models--just don't break a condenser!

 

Cheers Nige,

Got the enlarger with 2 x 80s looking for a 50 on ebay.

FireBall

 

congrats! Did someone actually bid against you?

Nige.

 

Nope. Sole bidder and I did it by prior entry so wasn't even there!! Was
prepared to bid to £35 so really got it for a song.

FireBall