My crazy, weird night

[Xia_Ke]

So as some of you know, I'm starting to get together my gear for a darkroom. I had been watching Ebay and Craigslist looking for an enlarger when last week, I stumble across an Automega B-7 on Ebay. The guy states in his auction he will deliver within a certain range but, I live an hour and a half from him so I email him to see what's going on. After exchanging a few emails we end up agreeing on a price, ending the auction early, and I'll give $20 for gas. So he ends the auction early. This was last Wednesday. I send him a couple more emails on Thursday and Friday but, I never hear a back from the guy. We had some storms roll through these last few days and I figure no big deal but, am a tiny bit worried he might have backed out. So today, I look at some more enlargers on Ebay and found a couple that caught my eye and were ending at the end of the week. So this morning I email the guy directly this time, not through Ebay, just inquiring where we stood on our deal and if I don't hear back from him by Friday, I will assume it's a no go and am going to bid on one of the other enlargers I found. Fast forward to 8:00 tonight, I'm looking at some enalrgers on Ebay again and tell Carla about what happened with the guy and the email I sent him this morning. Literally the minute I finish telling Carla, there is a knock at the door. IT'S THE GUY! He tells me how he had tried emailing me this past weekend but never heard from me after ending the auction until the direct email I sent him this morning. Worried about emails not going through, he knew my name and the town I lived in so he tries to find my phone number. I have a cell so no listed number, instead he finds my address some how online??? Now, I didn't know he was coming tonight, so I don't have the cash on me but, he has the enlarger and all looks good so I start getting ready to run to the ATM, then thinking better of the situation, I send Carla for me so I can be around with this guy. Anyways, I end up chatting with the guy for a good hour and he's was pretty cool. Some old film guy in his late 50's. We start discussing photography and cameras, etc. Honestly, I not quite sure whether I should be pumped on the whole thing, be weirded the f*ck out, or both...LOL I guess all's well that ends well???

[Lao]

They just announced on NBC that some emails are stuck somewhere in some servers. Better see the 11.00 PM news starting in 20 minutes, maybe they have more details. ;)

Later Edit: It was the Blackberry service that was down. So, if you don't use Blackberry phones, you shouldn't worry. ;)

[Xia_Ke]

The only thing we could think of is that since he ended the auction early, Ebay blocked communication between the 2 of us for the item. Still though, not sure if I should be weirded out or not by the guy just showing up like that

[photophorous]

That is a crazy story, but it sounds like it ended innocently enough. Good thinking sending Carla for the cash. There's no telling about the email thing. He could have been sending it to the wrong address or something.

Congrats on the new enlarger! Have you done any wet printing before? If not, you're in for a treat. When do you expect to have it set up?

Paul

[Xia_Ke]

Hi Paul, I've only ever been in a darkroom once and that was about 12 years ago before I was ever interested in photography. I'll be learning as I go...LOL I'm going to break down the enlarger sometime over the next couple days. It's in mint condition but, could use a cleaning. I have a timer on the way, a Gralab 300. Beyond that I need to pick up another autofocus-track for the enlarger, chemicals, trays, and an easel to get a basic set-up up and running. I already picked up boxes of Ilford Ilfospeed paper, grades 2, 3, and 4. So, 2 or 3 weeks, I should be up and running.

Aaron

[mtbbrian]

Interesting story!
I can't wait to see and hear more about the darkroom.
Brian
:thumbsup:

[photophorous]

Hi Paul, I've only ever been in a darkroom once and that was about 12 years ago before I was ever interested in photography. I'll be learning as I go...LOL I'm going to break down the enlarger sometime over the next couple days. It's in mint condition but, could use a cleaning. I have a timer on the way, a Gralab 300. Beyond that I need to pick up another autofocus-track for the enlarger, chemicals, trays, and an easel to get a basic set-up up and running. I already picked up boxes of Ilford Ilfospeed paper, grades 2, 3, and 4. So, 2 or 3 weeks, I should be up and running.

Aaron

Sounds like you're off to a great start. Watching a print come to life in the developer tray is even better than pulling a roll of film out of the fixer. :thumbsup:

Are you saying your enlarger is autofocus? I've never heard of that.

Paul

[another view]

Still though, not sure if I should be weirded out or not by the guy just showing up like that

Maybe just a little bit. Glad it all turned out alright, but strange the way it did!

[freygr]

Just like my old enlarger, a model D. Money got in short supply and wife sold it. I had two custom focusing cams for it and on manual cam (three lenses) the 4 by 5 inch version. I wish I still had it.

[Xia_Ke]

...Are you saying your enlarger is autofocus? I've never heard of that. ...

Yeah, there are matched track/lens cone/lens combos so whenever you raise or lower the enlarger head it stays in focus. The track I have for it is for a Wollensak 90mm. I also got Schneider Componon 50mm and a Wollensak 75mm with their respective lens cones but, I need to get the tracks for the autofocus feature to work. No biggie as I'll be doing pretty much 6x6 negs for a while.

[Xia_Ke]

Just like my old enlarger, a model D. Money got in short supply and wife sold it. I had two custom focusing cams for it and on manual cam (three lenses) the 4 by 5 inch version. I wish I still had it.

Don't see too many of the Automega D's around. The guy I got this from said he had a full D3 outfit and couldn't justify keeping both so he sold the B7 as he still shoots 4x5 occasionally. You can still find nice D2 set-ups a dime a dozen though :thumbsup: