Donating a photo enlarger

I have a fully functional Omega D-3 hot lamp photo enlarger with condensors and film trays for 35mm, medium format, and large format printing and multiple lenses. I would like to donate it if there is any interest in it. How would I go about doing so?

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Photography SIG would be interested in it. Not sure what the process is but we’ll take it. I believe the biggest initial question would be is it on loan or a permanent donation?

@Team_Printmaking @Team_Digital_Media Photography SIG wants this item, but we do not have any dedicated space for darkroom activities or storage. Can anyone house this item?

I think long-term loan would be the best way to put it? I’ve had it for a while and have used it when it was set up, but have not really had anywhere to put it, nor do I see a realistic situation in the immediate future where i have somewhere to set it up. Is that alright?

I have heard that printmaking is planning on having a darkroom where one of the men’s bathrooms is, so maybe there? If that is true ofc

I’ve had multiple people express interest in this. I don’t know if the new studio space and accommodate it. I doubt it honestly.

I don’t think anyone will know for certain until after the big move where we can fit other things.

Other groups have used long term loan tools to build user base to fund future tool purchases throughout the Space. It is certainly allowable. I have heard rumors of a darkroom in printmaking, but I haven’t spoke to anyone on @Team_Printmaking about that possibility.

From the Wiki

Loaning of Tools & Equipment To The Makerspace
Members can generously provide tools or equipment for use in the space, either by donating them outright or by loaning them.

When equipment is loaned, the following conditions apply:

All loaned equipment must be marked or labeled with the owner’s name
The owner must contact the Operations and Facilities Committee so that they can record the following information:
Name of owner
Equipment being loaned
Serial number if available
Terms or conditions of the loan
Equipment is loaned subject to the understanding that it is preferable for DMS to own their equipment, rather than borrow it. DMS may seek to buy equipment in order to replace loaned items, which are then returned.
Loaned items may be returned at any time, by request of the owner or as determined by the Operations and Facilities Committee.
DMS is NOT responsible for maintenance of loaned equipment, but may maintain it as determined by the Operations and Facilities Committee.
DMS is NOT responsible for the damage, theft, or loss of equipment. However, efforts will be made to provide reasonably secure storage.

So yes, long term loan is accepted.

In regards to space. If there were to be space, it would most likely not be a permanent solution but a mobile one that could be wheeled in, setup and stored out in a diff area. Several people have inquired about it but I’ve yet to poll people on how much they’d actually use it (one of the main reasons why the darkroom wasn’t transferred from Ladybird). As you’d need to make sure whatever room is not being used, spend the time to setup, print, clean, tear down. Including setup, mixing, and dialing in your print times, you’d be looking at at least an hour spent to make your first print.

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Operations and Facilities is now Logistics Committee @Team_Logistics

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I did a lot of printing on a D3 back in the 80s, and it was old then. In fact, I had do go back and look, as I’m now not sure if it was in fact a D2, or a D3 that had had the autofocus mechanism partially removed. I do remember that it had a cloth insulated line cord, which is always a bonus around highly conductive solutions. And it had at least one strand of wire that had poked through, and if the unpolarized plug was the wrong side of the 50/50 chance, and you felt too far away from the switch line cord switch to turn it on or off, you got a good tingle.

There is not a darkroom in printmaking. We don’t have a place for a dedicated darkroom. Printmaking will have access to one of the restrooms as a darkened room and will store one piece of their equipment in there so it doesn’t have to be hauled around.

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D3 has the autofocus function

Knowing some of the family, if they got a D3 without the lenses it had cams and linkages for, they would have simply acquired suitable, but not matching lenses and removed the linkages.

It was pretty amazing that we had a dedicated darkroom at the Ladybird site. Maybe after the next expansion…

Though… we will have an internal wet room available soon… I wonder what the foot print would be for all the equipment.

I would certainly be willing to stow this until such time as a home at DMS can be found for it. Please understand that it would not be sitting around collecting dust either :wink:
W.

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@woody has a good plan.

Just wanted to follow up on this. Where does this stand?

Does that mean it will remain a men’s restroom but occasionally be used as a darkroom when the need arises?