Changing Up My Darkroom and Home Studio

[Nokton48]

If I had the skills and the tools, I would consider installing bubble levels in a drop table.

That is a great idea Matt!


Big Componons for future by Nokton48, on Flickr

I have some classic 60s vintage Big Componons, too.

Ken Ruth suggested I get a full set of Componons, which I have done. Very useful, cheap, and plentiful. Ken suggested taking out the inner elements, and washing the glass in your kitchen sink, with dishwashing detergent. Has worked for me

The 240mm f5.6 and 300mm f5.6 have been in use and are usuable as is on my Plaubel Makiflexes. The mounts are set up for that.

Eventually I will add an 8x10 Enlarger

 

[Luis-F-S]

Not every but most. Always preferred my 180 to the 150.

Luis-F-S,
I do have a new to me Rodagon, I just acquired a nice 150mm f5.6 that matches my 180mm F5.6
The 180mm I have used for printing 4x5 to 16x20

I see you have one of every Rodagon? Wow

 

[Nokton48]

getting there 2 by Nokton48, on Flickr

getting there 1 by Nokton48, on Flickr


Cleaning and organizing. Approaching a stopping point. Time about to start using it again.

 

[Nokton48]

Darkroom Print 1 Makiflex by Nokton48, on Flickr

My first darkroom print in twenty five years.

Plaubel Makiflex, 270mm Tele Arton, 4x5" Efke PL100, ADOX Borax MQ Developer. Entire 9x9cm neg printed full frame.

Ilford Multigrade Print Developer, RC silver gel

 

[MattKing]

Welcome back

 

[Nokton48]

Thanks

Another from today.

Hasselblad 500 C/M, 100mm F3.5 Planar, Ilford FP4+, ADOX Borax MQ Developer.

Darkroom Print 2 Hasselblad by Nokton48, on Flickr

 

[Nokton48]

Darkroom Print 3 Hot Rodded Pentacon Six by Nokton48, on Flickr

Back in the day this was the hottest Pentacon Six to be found anywhere. I sent the body to Dresden and they upgraded it to full Exakta 66 MK2 mode. The body was then covered with "Rollei SL66 Anniversary Diamond Rubber" which I procured from the Rollei factory.

Photograph made in my studio by direct flash. Hasselblad 100mm F3.5 Planar, 70mm Kodak Surveillance Film, processed in ADOX Borax MQ.

Silver gel print on RC paper

 

[Nokton48]

Darkroom Print 4 CCG Makiflex by Nokton48, on Flickr

• Columbus Camera Group Exterior.
  
  4x5" Efke PL100, ADOX Borax MQ Developer.
  180mm Makiflex Xenar hand held.

Darkroom Print 5 Makiflex Focus Test by Nokton48, on Flickr

Lens focus test, the apple tree off my back deck.
Focus right on the nose!

 

[Nokton48]

Darkroom Print 6 by Nokton48, on Flickr

Devil's Bathtub #1.
4x5 Sinar Norma, Tri-X very old Filmpack. ADOX Borax MQ, Ilford Multigrade RC paper


Darkroom Print 7 by Nokton48, on Flickr

Devil's Bathtub #2,.
4x5 Sinar Norma, Tri-X very old filmpack. ADOX Borax MQ, IIlford Multigrade RC paper


Darkroom Print 8 by Nokton48, on Flickr

Dinner twenty years ago.
4x5 Sinar Norma, Tri-X very old filmpack. ADOX Borax MQ, Ilford Multigrade RC paper

Darkroom Print 9 by Nokton48, on Flickr

Old Man's Cave, the piece in front broke off millions of years ago.
4x5 Sinar Norma, Tri-X very old filmpack. ADOX Borax MQ, Ilford Multigrade paper

Darkroom Print 10 by Nokton48, on Flickr

Cypress Swamp.
4x5 Sinar Norma, Tri-X very old filmpack. AOX Borax MQ, Ilford Multigrade paper

 

[Nokton48]

Stocking Darkroom 1 by Nokton48, on Flickr

Restocking Darkroom 2 by Nokton48, on Flickr

Been busy here's the latest. Been printing and really enjoying it. Starting to stock up on paper. Got enough for now

Been working on carriers and enlarging lenses. A good amount of metalworking still to be done. Lots of enlarging lenses to be tested.

Went to OCCS auction and have lined up boku Omega DII chassis and important parts. About to fill up the car.

Buy a LASERALIGN if you want sharp enlarger prints. Great tool

 

[Nokton48]

Darkroom Vent Fume by Nokton48, on Flickr


This will be the Homemade Darkroom Fume Vent. It's actually a driveway rainwater drain, but it's perfect for this use. Later today I'll buy the drain pipe and connectors to rough this thing up. The high speed duct fan will go in the laundry room.

Right now the drain is suspended by thin wires which might not be a bad solution as space in the sink is at a premium. Not a problem even with the 16x20 trays

 

[Nokton48]

Relocated Safelites, Air Evac System roughed in by Nokton48, on Flickr

I now view a ventilation system important for the long term, so now it is really roughed in. The Harbor Freight Dust Collection Fan is like a rocket engine. Maybe too powerful and loud, even in the other room? We will see

Also rerouted a couple of safe lights, and screwed down the power strip up high left.

This will work until I get plumbing and new electrical added. The sink is simply to contain the mess at this point. Prints get washed in the adjoining laundry room.

I have a LOT of negs I haven't seen in 25 years to print.

Also you can see the neg 10 minute film dryer, located behind the door

 

[Nokton48]

The Petersons Photographic Matte Print Dryer I can use this right now for air drying prints, although I'm still looking for the right place for it, it's really big and heavy. Need to build a table that fits it, with storage underneath. The lid and everything about this thing is heavy duty. I'm also glad I selected marine plywood but wow was it expensive $168 for a 4x8 sheet but it's beautiful. I have plenty of cardboard sheets (from the internet) but I will prolly buy more blotters, they are cheap at Freestyle.

No heaters in it yet, I'm debating about that. I did buy a 650w cone heater and they aren't $6 anymore. They are $39 and they make them in whatever wattage you desire. I also need to install those muffin fans you sent me and wire them in. I also bought a "Carbide tip Adjustable Circle Cutter" as well as an 18" metal platform Step Stool while at Harbor Freight.

Planning on a printing session this afternoon. I have some Arista EDU graded #2 and #3 Matte RC paper I want to try.
I also found some outdated sealed 5x7 and 8x10 Agfa Brovira fibre DW various grades that might still be usuable. We will see........... I do like the Ilford Multigrade Developer, although I also have Dektol and I used to mix GAF130 and my own Amidol I'll have to find the receipe.

I also have fifty sheets of 8x10 fibre Ektalure salon R paper, as well as some 11x14 and 16x20 frozen new from when Kodak was dumping it. My favorite fiber paper.

Right now it's all matte RC, which is easy to deal with and scans great

Petersons Photographic Matte Print Dryer by Nokton48, on Flickr

 

[Nokton48]

Harbor Freight Dust Collection Unit by Nokton48, on Flickr

Serious air evacuation on the other side of darkroom wall. Sounds like a rocket engine

 

[Nokton48]

Darkroom Ventilator 1 by Nokton48, on Flickr

Darkroom Ventilator 2 by Nokton48, on Flickr


This will allow fresh air to be pulled into the darkroom area. I need to build this.

 

[Renato Tonelli]

That home-made ventilator looks very promising. Where did you find the info? I could use something like that in my 'vacation darkroom' in Italy.

While you're up-and-printing, my darkroom build is still that: a build-in-process...

 

[AgX]

What is the use of the dust collecting unit ?

The exhaust from a fume hood in photo labs is just expelled to the outside.
The exhaust from a dust hood in a photo lab would contain solids that need better filters than such dust bag.

 

[Nokton48]

That home-made ventilator looks very promising. Where did you find the info? I could use something like that in my 'vacation darkroom' in Italy. While you're up-and-printing, my darkroom build is still that: a build-in-process...

Hi Renato,
It was published in a Petersons Photographic Book back in the 1970s, entitled "Blueprint Series Vol II". I bought the book for a few dollars on Amazon. The book has 38 how-to projects. The film drying cabinet and enlarging drop table projects are also in this one.

 

[Nokton48]

What is the use of the dust collecting unit ? The exhaust from a fume hood in photo labs is just expelled to the outside.

That is the purpose! To pull the air out and expel it outside

 

[mshchem]

Ok pictured is my original setup that Nokton asked me about in another post here . I'm not sure how Nokton is setting his up. Mine goes through at least 14 feet of 4 inch galvanized steel duct to a 6 inch steel vent on the side of the house. I have 2 each, 6 inch cold air returns coming in the darkroom. The furnace sits in my darkroom, but has a powered exhaust.
All I use this for is brief periods of stinky toner and to get the heat and humidity out of my darkroom.

If Nokton is venting into an unfinished basement area and not outside he won't have to deal with negative pressure and make up air..

If you are running gas appliances and don't have adequate fresh makeup air CO is a real possibility. I used a dust collector impeller from Harbor Freight as it was cheap and available, the rest is storm sewer components.

Nokton, unless you are using this as a vacuum cleaner you don't need the cloth bag.

I'm worried, I think justifiably so, of pulling in huge amounts of dust. I may try to filter the incoming air. But most likely I will use only with the darkroom door open to clear out the place. Another option is a restrictor plate or simply tape over some of the grid.

 

[AgX]

That is the purpose! To pull the air out and expel it outside

But what then is the purpose of that bag?

 

[Nokton48]

The bag came with it. I have not yet installed the unit with the venting pipes.
I'm still deciding whether building and installing this will work well for me.
If not then the dust collector will be returned.

 

[mshchem]

The bag came with it. I have not yet installed the unit with the venting pipes.
I'm still deciding whether building and installing this will work well for me.
If not then the dust collector will be returned.

If you can't get to the capacitor start motor switch, to switch it on and off, it's overkill. Mine isn't terrible loud because the long run of duct work acts like a bit of a muffler. I considered a furnace exhaust blower, smaller, has a flat bladed impeller, lots quieter.

 

[mshchem]

This is a furnace "draft induction blower" the housing and impeller are plastic and quite chemical resistant. The duct is a 2 or 3 inch pipe much lower volume.

 

[Nokton48]

Fallingwater 1 by Nokton48, on Flickr

Fallingwater 2 by Nokton48, on Flickr

Fallingwater 3 by Nokton48, on Flickr


(First two)4x5 Sinar Norma, Efke PL100 developed in Pyro PMK+.
(Third) 4x5 Sinar Norma, Ilford Ortho Commercial developed in D76