Restem/Soligor/Paterson auto feed paper safe

[Tom Kershaw]

Any clues on how to use the Reslem auto paper dispenser? - The model I have here is 11x14" but I can't exactly figure out how to load it correctly, or at least without damaging the unit. From looking at the mechanism it appears one has to use 11x14" RC paper with the dispenser, not a smaller size.


Tom

[Rick A]

I vaguely remember them, I believe they were size specific. You may be able to find instructions on the net if you look hard enough, I'll see what I can find out.

BTW, its Restem, just found out.

[Tom Kershaw]

BTW, its Restem, just found out.

Thanks for the name correction.

Tom

[Rick A]

Wow, I can only find a couple of sale item units, no instruction manuals though. Does the unit come apart from the bottom, like a set of nested boxes, or LF film boxes? I never owned paper safes, especially never wanted a dispenser unit. My arthritis tells me I ought to pick one of these up though, getting a bit worse on the ability to feel things properly, and end up with two sheets more often than not.

[Tom Kershaw]

Rick,

The unit is a single piece of black plastic, so no ability to unscrew and re-set etc.

Tom

[David A. Goldfarb]

They were marketed under various brands. Mine are "Soligor," and I think some were Paterson branded, and they're my favorite paper safes. I've got three sets for 8x10" and one for 11x14".

Unfortunately I don't have one with an empty drawer to open in the light, so I could photograph and explain it while typing on the computer, but from memory, you open the front door and there's a drawer inside that you pull out to load, emulsion side down, then push the drawer with the whole stack of paper back in and close the door.

Before you do that, though, see if there are little metal pieces rattling around in there. Those are weights that fit into the pusher arms that hang down from the top of each drawer and push the top sheet of paper out when you open the door, and they often come loose during shipping. If you see them put them back into the arms where they belong.

Maybe later when it's dark out (my darkroom isn't 100% dark at the moment for the purpose of printing and paper handling during daylight hours), I'll check under safelight to make sure I haven't left something out.

[David A. Goldfarb]

I've updated the thread title, perhaps to attract other users of these paper safes who might have a more precise answer.

[Tom Kershaw]

I've updated the thread title, perhaps to attract other users of these paper safes who might have a more precise answer.

Thanks David. I tried loading some 11x14" ILFORD MGIV FB GLOSS paper but the unit seems to be designed for resin coated paper, which I don't currently have in-stock in 11x14".

Tom

[David A. Goldfarb]

RC paper works more smoothly, but all of my drawers are filled with FB paper. Paper that is more curled doesn't feed as smoothly.

[srs5694]

FWIW, I had one that sounds like this. It might have been a Soligor, but I'm not positive of that. It had a slide-out tray much like David describes. I didn't much like mine, and it eventually died on me. IIRC, a spring came loose and the whole thing stopped working. I ended up trashing it, and now I've got an ancient metal paper safe that, although a bit unsmooth in the opening of its front door, is very reliable.