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Darkroom Portraits (Part 2)

Martyn L said:
Took 6 years to get mine together.....I have the lpl7452 and a 7700 i use for 6x45 format.
Click to expand...


Hi,

Very nice set up, very organized looking space.

Can I ask a couple of questions about your small water heater. Just wondering if you can get a constant flow at low temperatures? such as 20C for washing films etc. Also it looks like you have it wired into a fused spur. Does it draw a lot of current or do you just run off a standard supply?

Thanks.
 
The water heater is on A fused spur as you said. It runs off the ring main, I must admit it is not the best but with fine adjustment the temp can be kept at a reasonable level. The flow is not great though so I tend to wash film with many water changes from a bank of jugs mixed to 20c.
 
Some shots of my small darkroom, I think I've posted them here before. I have a 10 gal water heater outside the darkroom to supply hot water to the mixing valve during the winter. The cold side is tap as long as it's below 68 F. It is filtered right before the line splits to the heater. In summer, I have a chiller (also just outside the darkroom) that supplies the cold side, and the "cold" tap the warm side (usually over 80 F in summer). Don't use the water heater for temperature control except in winter. The chiller sits on blocks on the floor and is shown with the insulated piping before the walls were finished.

My Current Darkroom

Sh Wetside is a SS 6' Ledall sink with Intellifaucet K-250 & Elkay EWR32 chiller, Zone VI print...

 
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I have a cannister filter system out side feeding the hot and cold sides. I also use the rainwater from the darkroom roof stored in 3 barrels with another filter. The supply is not piped into the darkroom from this. I use this for alternative process mostly.
Our PH at the mains tap is 7.5 with the rainwater at 6.5.
 


Thanks, just thinking of some options for hot water.
 
Guess it is time to piggyback this thread with my build, getting ready to install the wet side, total of 20' feet of sink and wet countertop space, handyman is knocking out some low overhead and then relocating a GFI above backsplash level:

 

Impressed!!!
 


Here are areas of my new space, from Alt exposing unit to darkroom enlargers and sink to Lambda Image setter where I make silver gelatin film and paper.. btw you can see the big troughs
for making Lambda Silver Gelatin, that day I exposed and processed 50 ft of 30 inch black and white paper.
 
My disaster in progress. About 10'x12'
I converted a bedroom that had a closet that shared a wall with a bathroom. The bathroom had 2 sinks and we had already abandoned one of them. I tied into to That supply and drain and bought a sink from..... Freestyle.?
So far i have only developed film. I am just now starting to set up the Beseler and Align/Get it running. I THINK i have everything (other than artistic talent, ability and know-how) needed to be able to print my 35mm. I will know for sure in a few weeks.
http://i.imgur.com/MCJTy6y.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/pEMc6BW.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/eFQHtCT.jpg
 
My darkroom is nearing completion, only taken 3 weekends and a couple of evenings to convert the back third of the garage into a darkroom, plus the tightest budget ever. Much like most of my kit, the majority of it is begged borrowed or stolen

It's pretty small at only 2 x 2.3 meters, pretty minuscule compared to what many have available! But i think the space is enough, going by what seems to be the standard layout i have a wet side with my home made sink and dry side with just about enough room to manoeuvre in the middle.
Drainage and power are all sorted, but need to sort out running water and storage, LOTS of storage!

 
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Looks like a nice darkroom! Yes, space is limited but I think it's sufficient as long as your prints are a modest size; I'd say, up to 30x40cm. As for running water: I connected a 1 meter garden hose with an adjustable nozzle that allows to set it to a straight flow of water or a spray and has an open/close handle with a fixation. I find that very convenient. Good luck finishing this setup and then... have lots of fun printing here!
 
I'm not too fussed about not being able to do really large prints. I could probably squeeze out a bit bigger than 30x40, but even that size is pretty amble for me.
Running water will be from an outside tap just round the corner from the garage entrance, all i have to do is plug the hose pipe in whenever i'm using the darkroom. No great hardship.
I'm looking forward to getting a first use, but the varnish on the sink is taking a lifetime to dry!
 
So finally, the result of three months of intense work and 20 years anticipation...
 
Tatty,
I advise you to put something smooth on the walls around the sink.
Water and chemicals WILL get splashed on the walls.
So make it easier to clean up.
 
Here's my latest conglomeration. I need to get rid of every little thing I don't require in the Darkroom. I should have finished the walls first but I needed to get up and running. When I retire (Which isn't going to be much longer, I'm going to put up some more panels, etc. What a great lifelong hobby! Best Mike
 
I really like the exposed beam in the ceiling.
 


Really, really cool how you mounted the Hifi in the wall !
 
My darkroom is temporary, for as long as we rent this house.
It's squeezed in the laundry pretty nicely. The enlarger sits in a shower space.
Bottom right is the laundry sink that meets all my wet stuff needs, so I skipped on building an extended sink, and just have a 'wet table' for trays as visible on the right.
I couldn't pull the 'dunny' out since it isn't mine, so I just built the wet table around it.
There are more racks for stuff top right out of shot.
Behind is a hot water tank and washing machine, so no more space to extend into.
Would be nice to have somewhere to layout prints/negatives etc. to look at but this is it.
 
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