building paper safes

Does anyone know how to build a paper safe or where I can obtain information on "How to build your own paper safe?" Or, should I purchase paper safes from B&W/Calumet and place them on a pull-out shelf for support?
Information: Currently printing 11x14, hope to be printing on 16x20 one of these years.

Thank you for all your suggestions.

Trudee

There's a book kicking around called "Build Your Own Home Darkroom" and it tells you just how to make paper-safe drawers in it. Second to that, consider this: a paper safe is a light-proof box sized to hold paper and constructed such that the paper can be easily removed sheet by sheet. It would be a very simple matter to just build one with some plywood or something, and then you could take it with you or move it around and stuff.

Here are the plans for turning a drawer into a paper safe...

http://www.darkroomsource.net/papersafe.shtml

- Randy

Hello Trudy,

What kind of tools do you have? That helps us to make practical suggestions on what kind of paper safe to make. If you have access to the king of shop tools - a table saw - theres no limit to what you can make.

I find 1/8 inch tempered Masonite to be ideal for paper safes. Rip some 1-1/2 inch high sidewalls out of Masonite and glue them to a lid and base, keeping a 1/16 inch gap between the sidewalls. Do the bottom first. After the glue is set, use a few chips of matboard as spacers between the sidewalls when gluing the lid on.

There's no need to use nails, a good woodworking glue is just fine. You don't even need clamps (although they help), just use weights to hold everything together until the glue sets. Leave a 1/4 inch overhang on the lid to make taking it off easier. After it's done, spray paint the sidewalls flat black.

I just did a quick count... I have 21 paper and film safes ranging from 8x10 thru 20x24, and 12x32 (for landscape format prints). When I get some time, I'll add a page to my TechBlog on how to make 'em.

Maybe I ought to make some "Kits" for sale. Hmmm...

Reinhold

www.classicbwphoto.com

For 11 x 14 paper I would get the (Premier?) paper safe that has a spring loaded door and shleves for 3 stacks of paper inside. For 16 x 20 I use the plastic paper safes from Calumet. Unless you are really into woodworking, the time and expense of building one yourself is hard to justify. Also, I try to keep mine completely dust free on the inside which can be difficult to do with materials like wood that you would use if you built your own.

Have a look at Ralph's darkroom magic site: Dead Link Removed

Look in the 'Library' and you will find a link to John Sextons paper safe that will handle paper to 16X20.