LPL DX-1417 Universal Four-Bladed Easel - 14 x 17"

Comments about Omega DX-1417 Universal Four-Bladed Easel - 14 x 17":

Now that my old Saunders can't make a straight line, I splurged and went for this model. I'm not disappointed. Build quality is very good to excellent--all the parts are metal, and it feels sturdy and well made. The blades stay straight and it's easy to set up your printing area with the measurements.

I just wish in came in a 16 x 20 size.

Comments about Omega DX-1417 Universal Four-Bladed Easel - 14 x 17":

This is the Cadillac of enlarging easels. Back in the day, every professional darkroom was equipped with the Omega easel. The four blades move smoothly and stay square during adjustment. The squeeze locks for each blade engage smoothly and hold the blades firmly in place when they are released. The unit is heavy and doesn't slide around on the enlarger baseboard. The yellow color of the easel shows up well under a safelight so positioning your paper and getting the blades adjusted is never a problem.

The advantage of using a four bladed easel is that you can adjust the blades so the borders of the print are of equal width on the top and bottom and a different (but equal) width for the sides. For example, you can have the left and right borders set at one-half inch while the top and bottom borders are one-inch wide. It makes your prints look very professional.

I know this is an expensive piece of equipment but it's worth the price.