cheapest way to make a light-proof plate drying box?

[EASmithV]

I was wondering if anyone had any ideas on how to build a good plate-drying box.
I want to get back into shooting dry plates, but I can't unless I have a good plate drying box. I used to use my schools roll-top metal dryer, and I've tried to use plastic paper safes, but only the metal one ever got them dry and usable within 24 hours. I was wondering if anyone had any ideas on a good way to baffle an old paper box so that I would have a good paper safe with enough air flow to dry the plates.

 

[EASmithV]

nobody?

 

[Jerevan]

If you haven't done so, check out the http://www.thelightfarm.com/ site or repost the question in the Emulsion forum.

 

[studiocarter]

Shoe boxes worked well for me; one or two small plates at a time were placed into each box. The cardboard soaks up the humidity. Two boxes are better as one will warp a little. A black cloth cover may be a good idea. Change the plates to a new box that is very dry halfway through.

 

[removed account4]

how big are the plates ?

you can get a wooden box, and glue dowels or scrim or lathe down the inside
a little wider than your plate ... kind of like a slide storage box
a microscope user would have to store microscopic slides, but taller and wider and longer

you could always build a drying rack like they did back in the day ...
http://books.google.com/books?id=YE...QKJ8rTMCw&ved=0CF8Q6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q&f=false

i have a wooden rack ( the upper one ) and i leave them in the rack and let them dry in the open air
if i am antsy, i use a blow dryer to dry them ..

 

[Hexavalent]

A bag of silica gel does wonders to absorb humidity if you go the closed (shoe) box route.

 

[EASmithV]

I'm looking to coat 4x5 plates. I've used a metal roll-front paper safe before and they dry in that, but in the plastic cheap paper safes I have don't dry the plates... Perhaps silica gel will actually improve this... I'll have to try it. All the shoe boxes I have don't seem very light proof, and every time I open my darkroom door it totally floods light.