Darkroom Portraits (Part 2)

[Michael Firstlight]

The glow of the timer has not been a problem for me when I print, and I have several along the sink.
That enlarger: I still have my Durst M601 since 1973! I recently saved all of my pennies, nickels and dimes and converted it to a Heiland LED head. If you need spare lamp holder for yours, let me know and I will send it to you for the cost of shipping.
Enjoy your printing sessions!

Bought my first enlarger - a Durst M601, about the same time - wonderful, solid enlarger. I just sold it a few years ago when I upgraded to my LPL 6700MXL and LPL 4550 XLG enlargers - but I am still nostalgic about my old M601 and it was very difficult to give it up.

Mike

 

[pbromaghin]

Here is my mobile darkroom! The enlarger sits on a "cart" that I made from a table that I found for free made from particleboard (don't worry, it isn't real marble ) that perfectly fit my enlarger. I then made a platform of sorts for the table made out of 2x2 foot plywood and a 2x3 frame underneath with casters bolted onto it. That was then attached to the bottom of my table. All in, materials cost me about $25 .

My only concern is the glow in the dark gralab timer, with it being so close, it may fog the paper. Is this an issue other people have found?

My next step is to get one of those paper organizers to be able to stack trays on top of each other.

How are you darkening the room?

 

[mehguy]

How are you darkening the room?

Its in a basement with a few windows but the part where the enlarger is can be "partitioned off" from the rest of the basement by opening a storage door and hanging garbage bags to cover the rest of the opening. That way the rest of the basement with the windows is covered off. Of course this only works during night time when there is very little light going through the windows, but I don't mind waiting till dusk to do some printing.

 

[ParkerSmithPhoto]

Latest darkroom updates. Added 4' of sink, rebuilt the sink base with a wall mounted bracket and added a ton of shelf space to hold the print washers, trays, etc. Also built in some extra bracing to support the sink underneath the print washer. Moved the microwave above the sink as well to avoid spills and drips. Still need to extend the tempered water around the corner.

Here's the new space. Still lots of work to do building a table and probably a new sink, but I did finally get some printing done.

View attachment 89229
View attachment 89230

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

Some darkrooms posted here are pretty darn impressive. Too embarrassed to post mine!!

 

[Renato Tonelli]

ParkerSmithPhoto: nicely laid out.

 

[wyofilm]

Some darkrooms posted here are pretty darn impressive. Too embarrassed to post mine!!

I'm sure not going to post any pics of my darkroom!

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

I'm sure not going to post any pics of my darkroom!

 

[CMoore]

Latest darkroom updates. Added 4' of sink, rebuilt the sink base with a wall mounted bracket and added a ton of shelf space to hold the print washers, trays, etc. Also built in some extra bracing to support the sink underneath the print washer. Moved the microwave above the sink as well to avoid spills and drips. Still need to extend the tempered water around the corner.

View attachment 264781 View attachment 264782 View attachment 264783

Very nice indeed.!

 

[Ron789]

As my space is somewhat limited and one only uses one enlarger at the time, this is the "trick" I did to place 4 enlargers in 1,5 meter

.

 

[Danner]

Here is my current set-up, which is spread on three sides of the room.

 

[Pieter12]

Photo-mount is nasty stuff. Not recommended.

 

[Danner]

Latest darkroom updates. Added 4' of sink, rebuilt the sink base with a wall mounted bracket and added a ton of shelf space to hold the print washers, trays, etc. Also built in some extra bracing to support the sink underneath the print washer. Moved the microwave above the sink as well to avoid spills and drips. Still need to extend the tempered water around the corner.

View attachment 264781 View attachment 264782 View attachment 264783

That's amazing. [beerclink]

 

[Cait]

Hello,
I'm not sure if anyone here is using the Fujimoto CP51 or something similar and could offer some help! I'm just getting set up with my first home ra4 darkroom. I've powered up my CP51 and I'm working on cleaning everything right now(quite the intensive process)! I'm currently having trouble with the replenishment hoses. I've tried pressing the manual replenishment buttons inside of the machine above the control drawer and holding the hoses above the machine but nothing seems to work. Does anyone have any tips on how to solve this issue? Also: lets say the replenishment hoses don't work indefinitely, is there a way to simply pour more chemicals in by timing the rate yourself? How far below the line in the baths can the liquid fall before needing to be replenished? Has anyone used the chemicals from the overflow containers to do this to save chemistry?

Any help would be much appreciated!

thank you!
Caitlin

 

[ic-racer]

Some recent pictures of my darkroom.

 

[ic-racer]

 

[ic-racer]

 

[Renato Tonelli]

ic-racer: that's some serious enlarging equipment you got there. What is the one that's covers up? I recognize the Analyzer/TImer (Phillips?).

 

[ic-racer]

ic-racer: that's some serious enlarging equipment you got there. What is the one that's covers up? I recognize the Analyzer/TImer (Phillips?).

Yes, a Philips PCS150 and two Omega D5500.

 

[ajmiller]

My Beseler Dichro 45s head has bit the dust with the lamp not coming on problem! I’ve researched it here and elsewhere and it looks like the end is nigh! Especially as these are rare in the UK. I’m gutted. Such a fine piece of kit!

 

[Old_Dick]

Tony, sorry to read that. Looks like a wonderful enlarger.

 

[awty]

Why isn't fixable?

 

[mshchem]

My Beseler Dichro 45s head has bit the dust with the lamp not coming on problem! I’ve researched it here and elsewhere and it looks like the end is nigh! Especially as these are rare in the UK. I’m gutted. Such a fine piece of kit!

It's a easy fix. If it's what went bad on the 4 or 5 I repaired. A single little opto-isolator is what goes bad in the over 15 year old Dichroic 45S heads. Send me a message, I will see if I have one of the little things. It took me about 30 minutes the first one I fixed 20 years ago. Problem is at first a slight delay in the lamp, gets worse to being unpredictable, eventually lamp doesn't come on at all. Repair involves removing a circuit board and desoldering and removing a little metal can, then soldering in a replacement. The wires are spaced so it can only go in one way. The part says Vactrol on it. I am pretty sure I have one of the original parts. These are very obsolete, quit making the part in the 80's. I found a fellow at Beseler, they didn't have a source, but he told me what to look for. I found a guy in New York that had obsolete components, he wanted me to buy a bunch. I ended up talking him into selling me 10 for 20 dollars each. Best money I ever spent .
Best Regards, Mike

 

[mshchem]

I found some of my posts from 2017
The part I have that I had 100 % success with.

The place on the circuit board

And the modern board that is in the last color heads


If you have the last modern board, my part won't help

 

[mshchem]

https://www.photrio.com/forum/threads/timer-enlarger-delay-with-activating-light.146151/