I scanned the users manual and the service manual for the Durst Laborator 138S enlarger in case anyone else needs them. I haven’t seen the service manual posted online before, and the instructions are a different version from what is posted at Durst Pro. Hope these help someone.
Durst 138S Service Instructions
edit: Here’s one more version of the instructions
About a year ago I bought a Durst Laborator 138S enlarger to handle 5×7 negatives. The enlarger I bought showed signs of heavy use, and seems to have come from a university darkroom. I would have sent it back, but the freight shipping cost as much as the enlarger. So I set about replacing some parts that turned out to be missing, and a few that were very worn such as the stage for the negative carrier and bellows. It took about 4 months but eventually I had a nicely working 5×7 enlarger.
So why did I just buy another one? I don’t know. I found one on ebay within a day’s drive for a decent price. It’s a complete package in excellent condition. The condensers are pristine, the negative carrier is in nicer condition than the one I picked up for the other 138S, and it’s of the newer style that can take a lens turret or a large lens plate. It also has a couple of original Durst bulbs in various sizes.
I picked it up last weekend and now the my office is filled with Durst parts as I decide how I’m going to fit it into the darkroom. I haven’t decided if I’m keeping the old one too and retire the Omega D5 enlargers, or if I’ll replace the older Durst with the new one and keep the Omegas going for color and to use the Ilford 500 head. Maybe I need to build a larger darkroom 😉
The seller of the Durst was winding down his darkroom usage so I also picked up a few other items including a Micromega grain focuser, Harrison changing tent and forced air print drying unit that he was selling.