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My $20 enlarger


Dorff

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I bid on a Leitz Valoy 2 some time ago, complete with the lens, and later on I found an appropriate looking Leitz easel for it.

During cleaning, what little was left of the painted baryta square on the Valoy 2 base board was lost, so I was wondering what purpose it served?

It wouldn't be for fine focusing since the plane wouldn't register due to he thickness of the photo paper.

 

What was the purpose of the baryta square for? Do I need to paint a replacement on the base board?

 

Thanks!

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Normally the baseboard of the Valoy II is wood. Without anything painted on it.

 

I do wonder what you mean with the word baryta when you say there was a "painted baryta square" . . . as far as I know baryta is used in "baryta paper", meaning a traditional photopaper with a paper base. Also called fiber paper.

Edited by M.Hilo
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I have never seen any Leitz enlarger with a painted white square on the baseboard. V35 excepted - I believe the whole baseboard is white.

 

I do have a Leitz easel that is painted white where the paper goes - why is not clear. Maybe to assist with composition or focusing (but I would focus on a piece of waste paper). It seems to me that at least theoretically it would tend to reduce contrast due to reflected light through the back of the paper. 

 

I also have a nice Saunders 11x14 boarderless easel that is painted yellow, which I suspect the paper is not sensitive to, but is easy for composition purposes. It also has the wonderful property of being exactly the right height to work perfectly with the autofocus system of my 1c.

Edited by Michael Hiles
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I just searched images for Valoy 2 and none of the enlargers pictured had a white baryta square painted in the base board, so I can only assume that my enlarger's base board was painted by a previous owner!

Baryta was also used in the manufacture of paint and Barium Sulfate "Baryta White" was at one time a popular white among oil painters.

Thank you for your help with this, I was really stumped!

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Baryta was also used in the manufacture of paint and Barium Sulfate "Baryta White" was at one time a popular white among oil painters.

 

Thanks ! This I was not aware off.

 

It could be that a previous owner used the square format and printed without easel. If so, he would need something for the orientation when placing the photo paper. Back then a lot of people printed without any white borders. Often this meant not using any easel and simply placing the paper on the base board . . .

 

If you are unfamiliar with the Valoy II: it can have a clear or an anti Newton condenser. The early black version had the clear condenser, the later grey model often came with the AN condenser and the latest light grey Valoy II always came with the AN condenser. Let us know if you need any information . . . you got a perfect enlarger.

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I think I had a white painted one , but not 100% sure.  Purpose was to see negative projection

 

All my LEITZ EASELS ARE WHITE laminate,  16x20  and one that is between 8x10 and 11x14, 4 blades.  Sold when I got my V35.

 

People say light reflects back through the paper.  I can`t see a difference with Saunders yellow.

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