B/W darkroom in my VW camper...need ideas

Chuck (CA) said:

Is there a WASHING AGENT that does not require constant running water....guess I'll have to check into Motel 6 once a week to do laundry, film developing/contact printing, computer work...

Thanks
Chuck

Click to expand...

I've read somewhere that Hydroginperoxide eliminates fixer chemically.

G.

Developing while on the road can have its advantages. Judging the negative while on location is obvious.

One thought is the varying quality of water in various locations. Variables like iron, sulfur, water hardness will greatly affect your development times. Water hardness will shorten your times. I would think you would need to have a consistent supply from a known source just for your film development. Maybe try bottled water from one company just for film. Better yet, distilled water is readily available in markets. Do some tests and see how that works. Then you can buy as you travel.

The other steps will not matter where the water is from. A hypo clearing agent is a must. It will greatly shorten your wash times. You can wash partially and then give a full wash when you get home.

Try rigging some sort of pump and filter system for drawing water from a lake or stream.

If shooting 4x5, use HP Combi tanks instead of trays.

If all you are doing is processing 35mm and 120 film and you have chemicals, tanks, reels and a changing bag--you're set. Rinse the film with a couple of tanks of bottled water after fixing, use a hypo clearing agent and do the film soak thing instead of using running water. Everything else would be your standard procedure.

I would suggest two things. Buy a residual hypo test kit and run a home test on your film processed this way to be sure the water soak procedure is working. Also, if your changing bag doesn't have an internal frame, get one.

Although this is more hassle than I would want while traveling, it shouldn't be too hard to accomplish if you're willing to take the time and effort. Good luck.

To eliminate water concerns you can get a small deionizer filter.
Probably 4 inch diameter and 2 feet tall.

Or buy a few gallons of distilled water @wally world every other town

Chuck,
Sounds like fun, but remember! It is an offence to process films whilst driving Regards. BLIGHTY.

Bumpy roads make for continuous agitation :LOL:

Blighty said:

Chuck,
Sounds like fun, but remember! It is an offence to process films whilst driving Regards. BLIGHTY.

Click to expand...