Can I use candles as safelight?

DannL · Mar 3, 2008

There are also Kerosene Lanterns
http://www.boxcameras.com/kerolights.html

And you can cover the windows to a room with several layers of red material and do you darkroom work by daylight. Mentioned in a book I was reading recently.

smieglitz · Mar 3, 2008

Murray@uptowngallery said:
I think Smieglitz probably wins a prize...

I'm afraid to ask...

Andy K · Mar 3, 2008

I'm still working on making red screens for my kitchen windows so I can use it in daylight hours without having to put up blackouts. Photographers did this in the early days, no reason it shouldn't be done today.

To the cotdt, there is no reason a candle in a red enclosure shouldn't work. A better way would be to acquire a Davy lamp and put some red gel film (or similar) around the glass.

Anton Lukoszevieze · Mar 3, 2008

Item number: 120226662280
quick! 9 minutes to go...........

Nick Zentena · Mar 3, 2008

Wishy said:
"Does the smell of fix turn you on"

That didn't work in high school I seriously doubt it'll work better now Just one more reason to hate acid fixer

Deckled Edge · Mar 3, 2008

Kodak made safelights for candles in the early 20th C. You see some on e-Bay from time to time. They were a candle holder on a firm base with a square ?metal? hurricane on three sides, and a ruby glass on one side.

Just what you need: a soot-producing, oxygen-sucking, incendiary device in your darkroom. Does sound romantic.

DannL · Mar 3, 2008

Deckled Edge said:
. . . Just what you need: a soot-producing, oxygen-sucking, incendiary device in your darkroom. Does sound romantic.

I suppose the soot floating around the room would act as carbon filtration, absorbing the fumes from darkroom chemicals just prior to inhalation. Wear a dust mask.

Kirk Keyes · Mar 3, 2008

Ole - Andy K just gave the answer for using candles in flammable environments like with wet plates. Use a Davey Lamp, invented by Sir Humphrey Davey, which has a wire mesh around the flame to prevent it from igniting the surrounding atmosphere. A little ether in the air would just make your Davey Lamp burn a little brighter.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Davy_lamp

panastasia · Mar 3, 2008

Deckled Edge said:
Just what you need: a soot-producing, oxygen-sucking, incendiary device in your darkroom. Does sound romantic.

What about clogging up that other filter (nose) with the air-born black crap?

White developing trays should have a nice patina after awhile.

DarkroomExperimente · Mar 3, 2008

scented candles may work best

Jim Jones · Mar 3, 2008

cotdt said:
i have air vents. i want to replace my red safelights with candles because they are more romantic. there will be love songs playing the the background while i print.

Stick with the red safelights. Having your own red light district should be romantic enough.

Can I use candles as safelight?

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