I've been looking for an alternative to the 11x14 adjustable easel (which I got for free, so can't complain too loudly) I've been using -- it hangs off the baseboard of my enlarger and as a result is prone to move between exposures of split-filter printing -- which makes a print that looks about like you'd expect.
What I really wanted was a Speed-EZL, those one-size, quick-load devices that have a footprint barely bigger than their target paper. Those, however, are a bit over $20 each, new, plus shipping.
I've also wanted to be able to contact print 8x10, so I could proof my film the old fashioned way instead of spending hours scanning a whole roll of negatives -- one darkroom session can yield half a dozen contact sheets, each of which can still be scanned if necessary, but more immediately examined with a loupe.
Today, I solved both problems -- for three bucks.
The local Goodwill store supplied three lightweight 8x10 picture frames with real glass (two sheets cleaned up well, one has a scratch), ninety-nine cents each. The openings are precisely 7 1/2 x 9 1/2 inches, leaving a quarter inch border allowance for 8x10. The glass is almost an inch oversize, so it will hold down the edges of a negative file for contact printing under the enlarger, and the whole sandwich can be reassembled for sun-powered contact printing (cyanotypes, van Dyke, etc.). I'll need to cut some poster board to make a border for the printing paper to ensure it stays centered, and may also want/need some corrugated cardboard to replace the thickness of the glass for printing; they'll be a good bit slower than a Speed-EZL, but they're also more than $20 cheaper, each...
Next time I'm over there, I'll have to look for 4x5 or 4x5 and 5x7 size...
