A blog for a new darkroom

[David Brown]

I am about to start (finally) building my new darkroom. I decided to "blog" the effort. Feel free to stop in from time to time. It will likely progress in fits and starts - both the blog and the actual darkroom.

... and I will apologize in advance for some "d" pictures.

http://newdr.blogspot.com/

 

[SuzanneR]

David... I'm going to add your blog to my blog reader, and watch your progress with interest. I've been blogging about a darkroom that I've had under construction for the past two months or so (in fits and starts) among other blog topics. (shameless plug alert.... blog link in my siggy).

It will be a valuable resource for anyone who undertakes such a project. I hope you'll add a few pictures to the new "darkroom" gallery in the galleries here as you go along. Good luck with it all!!

 

[Dennis S]

It is always helpful when your peers give you input. Especially from some of the "experts" with APUG. By summers end you should have a fully operational dkrm you can call home.

 

[David Brown]

Bump. Still in the early stages, but I did post a (proposed) floor plan.

 

[David Brown]

I hope you'll add a few pictures to the new "darkroom" gallery in the galleries here as you go along.

Well, the blog is a month old. I feel like I've been working on the darkroom for much more than that, so it makes me feel better that it hasn't been that long. In the meantime. I've had a business trip out of town, the usual Spring chores and still working on the tree cleanup from the heavy snow we had in February! (Whole other story ...)

I'll post some pitcures in the apug darkroom thread when it starts to look like a darkroom. I've got some "current" pictures in the blog, but it's just a big, empty room.

 

[Mainecoonmaniac]

Congrats! May you quickly finish you darkroom and have many years of creative fun using it. I see you have a Beseler 45MX. I've had one for over 20 years and they're sold enlargers. I'm check on your blog to see how you're progressing.

 

[David Brown]

I was afraid of this. My employer insists that I go out of town for two weeks and do some work. It's not that this isn't a great time of year to go where I'm going (Washington DC), but it would also be a great time of year to be home and get some work done at the house (and the darkroom).

On a more positive note: I've noticed many threads and posts lately about several other forumites who are also in the middle of building a darkroom. We're discussing paint colors, enlarger placement, ventilation, etc. I know of at least one other local apugger who is doing the same but hasn't really posted about it. I hope that eventually the darkroom portraits thread will have a number of new pictures!

 

[sarahfoto]

Great David!
I have a fantastic studio but darkroom is still kitchen/darkroom... I will defenitely check in and follow your progress!
Sarah

http://blog.sarahfoto.com/
www.sarahfoto.com

 

[David Brown]

Great David!
I have a fantastic studio but darkroom is still kitchen/darkroom... I will defenitely check in and follow your progress!
Sarah

Well, Ms. Sara, I will have a very nice darkroom (eventually), but I don't have a studio and I do matting and framing in the guestroom. We all make the best of our situations.

 

[David Brown]

I've been blogging about a darkroom that I've had under construction ...

It will be a valuable resource for anyone who undertakes such a project.

I hope Suzanne won't mind, but I've added a link to her darkroom blog on my own blog. She appears to be finished!

Also, a new blog has been started by another apugger who is building a darkroom in a travel trailer.

See both links at the blog (link in sig)

 

[garry15]

I like your blog http://newdr.blogspot.com/ and your blog posts Hope I will learn new things from your blog, I am following your blog right now...

 

[David Brown]

I like your blog http://newdr.blogspot.com/ and your blog posts Hope I will learn new things from your blog, I am following your blog right now...

Thank you. And welcome to apug.

Did you find apug from the link on the blog?

 

[David Brown]

Bump.

"Construction phase" is finally finished. At least, I have declared it so. Over the long weekend I started moving in fixtures and equipment. It is starting to look a bit more like a darkroom now. I posted some before/middle/after pix in the darkroom portraits thread, and, of course, all of this is documented in the blog.

 

[David Brown]

Update

Actually hit a lick on the darkroom this morning. Not much, but I started.

In June, I had three consecutive weeks of business travel scheduled and I knew that would put the darkroom project on hold for a bit. However, in the second week, I had some visual symptoms that I recognized from past experience. The following Monday, I visited my ophthalmologist and was promptly sent over to the surgeons. (Didn’t make the third week’s trip.)

I had surgery for a detached retina in my left eye four weeks ago. I am fine, now, but there has been all this time where my vision is effected and my energy level reduced. The vision will clear up and there should be no long term effects.

In the meantime, there has been six weeks total with no progress on the darkroom! Re-starting will be slow (still can’t see as well as I’d like), but at least I’m moving again.

 

[SuzanneR]

Oh man, David... hope your eyes heal up soon, and you are able to get back to finishing things up!

 

[David Brown]

I'm almost there. See the blog (link in sig line) for the latest adventures. :confused:

I'll post more pictures in the darkroom portraits thread later after I get some of the mess cleaned up.

 

[Tom Kershaw]

I'm almost there. See the blog (link in sig line) for the latest adventures. :confused:

I'll post more pictures in the darkroom portraits thread later after I get some of the mess cleaned up.

David,

Is that plastic conduit with copper pipe inside?

Tom

 

[lxdude]

It looks to me like PVC pipe with female adapters and male-thread brass faucets.

 

[photoncatcher]

I wish my dark room was pretty enough to post photos of. It's damp, and dank, but at least I have it. It's the same one I grew up using, and some of the equipment is older than I am.

 

[David Brown]

It looks to me like PVC pipe with female adapters and male-thread brass faucets.

We have a winner!

 

[David Brown]

Yes, friends and neighbors, that's film washing in the new darkroom. Still a few details to work out, but it's "operational"!

Thanks to all who have followed the blog and those who've made a comment or two along the way. The blog will continue for a while, but it's near the end of it's life (a good thing).

By summers end you should have a fully operational dkrm you can call home.

Given the relatively warm weather here in Texas, I'll call early November the end of summer.

 

[Trond]

Congratulations with your new darkroom! Looks like a very nice place to work in.

Tornd