Darkroom Portraits (Part 2)

MurrayMinchin

Membership Council
Subscriber
Joined
Jan 9, 2005
Messages
5,481
Location
North Coast BC Canada
Format
Hybrid
Last edited:

mshchem

Subscriber
Joined
Nov 26, 2007
Messages
14,656
Location
Iowa City, Iowa USA
Format
Medium Format

awty

Subscriber
Joined
Jul 24, 2016
Messages
3,643
Location
Australia
Format
Multi Format
Do you not have to defuse the leds? Or is it completely even? I have a big floodlight UV bulb I use on the rare occasions the sun isn't out.
 

MurrayMinchin

Membership Council
Subscriber
Joined
Jan 9, 2005
Messages
5,481
Location
North Coast BC Canada
Format
Hybrid
awty said:
Do you not have to defuse the leds? Or is it completely even? I have a big floodlight UV bulb I use on the rare occasions the sun isn't out.
Click to expand...

Check the link to Tim Layton’s website in post #556....he didn’t need a diffuser and got exposure times of 4 minutes for his Pt/Pd prints. He’s since doubled up the number of LED light bars and has ridiculously short exposure times.

I’ll be testing for even light distribution for sure.
 

Kino

Subscriber
Joined
Jan 20, 2006
Messages
7,759
Location
Orange, Virginia
Format
Multi Format
Hoisted my rusty, crusty Arkay CD-40 film dryer outside today, threw it on some saw horses and ground all the rust and flaking paint off the body after removing the glass.

I wanted the "antique pewter" finish hammertone paint, but it is out of stock everywhere I went. Grrrr...

Sprayed on a couple coats of Silver Hammer Tone paint to cover it's sins. Not perfect; but at least it's not looking like a plague victim in the Middle Ages anymore.
Oh man, everything I have been storing for this darkroom needs to be refurbished. It's a slog, but I am getting there...

 
Last edited:

awty

Subscriber
Joined
Jul 24, 2016
Messages
3,643
Location
Australia
Format
Multi Format
Nice. What does it comprise of? I was thinking about making my own.
 

Kino

Subscriber
Joined
Jan 20, 2006
Messages
7,759
Location
Orange, Virginia
Format
Multi Format
It's about 1/8 inch mild steel, so it's quite heavy! It has a heater coil with a paper filter and a fan in the top with a timer and temperature adjustment knob. IMHO its drastic overkill and I ran it mostly without the heating elements turned on, as it can over dry the film very quickly. If I had not picked it up over a decade ago for $25, I doubt I would even consider purchasing it today.

Additional parameters of the Arkay Film Drying Cabinet (CD-40) 602558:
Outside Dimensions 15" x 21" x 78"
Interior Dimensions 15" x 19" x 70"
Footprint 2.2 square feet of floor space.
Capacity Forty rolls of 36 exposure 35mm film, or twenty rolls of 120 film.
Power 115V, 60Hz, 13Amps, 5300Btu/hr.
Weight 160Lbs

A similar sized box (or even smaller) made of hardboard tempered panels, a computer muffin fan, a furnace filter, a drip pan and a 60 watt light bulb would do just fine unless you are pumping out over 40 rolls a day..
 

awty

Subscriber
Joined
Jul 24, 2016
Messages
3,643
Location
Australia
Format
Multi Format
Kino said:
A similar sized box (or even smaller) made of hardboard tempered panels, a computer muffin fan, a furnace filter, a drip pan and a 60 watt light bulb would do just fine unless you are pumping out over 40 rolls a day..
Click to expand...

Yes thats what I was thinking. I have a suitable cupboard. Maybe incorporate a dehumidifier to store lenses when not drying film.
 

gordrob

Subscriber
Joined
Jan 29, 2005
Messages
1,008
Location
Western Cana
Format
Multi Format
A local photographer adapted a school locker into a film drying cabinet for under $20
 

Michael Firstlight

Subscriber
Joined
Mar 2, 2017
Messages
460
Location
Western North Carolina
Format
Multi Format
Kino said:
That's a great idea.
Click to expand...

Even easier and less expensive, adapt a zip-up portable wardrobe from a local home store - that's what I did. I mounted a film dryer head inside on top (I picked up a Prinz head off eBay for $15), and used block used thick cushion foam to air and dust seal the bottom along with some duct tape - simple.
 

NB23

Member
Joined
Jul 26, 2009
Messages
4,307
Format
35mm
What’s the problem in leaving the film soaking in the tank with photoflo for a few hours and hang it to dry as you leave the darkoom until the next day?
a film dryer is a luxury, mainly space luxury.

the school locker idea is great though...
 

Jay Schrotenboer

Member
Joined
Nov 19, 2010
Messages
147
Format
Multi Format
NB23 said:
What’s the problem in leaving the film soaking in the tank with photoflo for a few hours and hang it to dry as you leave the darkoom until the next day?
a film dryer is a luxury, mainly space luxury.

the school locker idea is great though...
Click to expand...
I believe the main problem that they solve for us darkroom enthusiasts is minimizing dust, being a closed controlled area. To that effect I have been debating building something as I live in a 100 year old house, not well known for low dust. Then again I do have space to spare right now so that is a consideration, if you lack the space that can change that.
 

Kino

Subscriber
Joined
Jan 20, 2006
Messages
7,759
Location
Orange, Virginia
Format
Multi Format
I'm not against using a film dryer, just am recommending you DON'T put your efforts and money into acquiring one of the big Arkay's unless you intend to do a boatload of film at a time, have a commercial darkroom or find it for a stunning low price (which is what I did).

A small unit, like any of the above is more than sufficient...

Edit: Put another coat of oil based paint on the enlarger and sink lower shelves and installed adjustable leveling feet on my enarger bench. I then had to order another set for the Arkay because they come in sets of 4 and my bench used 6. The feet on the dryer were missing except for one rusty bolt, so I had to cut that out with a grinding wheel in anticipation of putting the feet back in.

My darkroom floor is a basement floor, sloped for drainage, so everything that needs to be level will require these type of feet...
 
Last edited:

MattKing

Moderator
Moderator
Joined
Apr 24, 2005
Messages
52,939
Location
Delta, BC Canada
Format
Medium Format
Kino said:
My darkroom floor is a basement floor, sloped for drainage, so everything that needs to be level will require these type of feet...
Click to expand...
At least you know which way dropped items will roll
 

Pieter12

Member
Joined
Aug 20, 2017
Messages
7,596
Location
Magrathean's computer
Format
Super8
NB23 said:
What’s the problem in leaving the film soaking in the tank with photoflo for a few hours and hang it to dry as you leave the darkoom until the next day?
a film dryer is a luxury, mainly space luxury.

the school locker idea is great though...
Click to expand...
I would never even consider leaving film soaking in Photo-Flo for more than a minute. I don't know what the consequences would be, but I'm not about to try.

My film drying area is shower with a piece of washline strung across it, shower curtains drawn. Works fine for me.
 

NB23

Member
Joined
Jul 26, 2009
Messages
4,307
Format
35mm
Anything less than12 hours is ok.


 

MurrayMinchin

Membership Council
Subscriber
Joined
Jan 9, 2005
Messages
5,481
Location
North Coast BC Canada
Format
Hybrid
5'x3' Solar powered safelight...daytime use only.

For the time being this will be an alt processes dimroom rather than a develop 4x5 sheet film in open trays darkroom. Being our old master bedroom it doesn't have a panic door, so I scrounged up some rubylith sheets & some lithographers tape...now I can scoot out the window if the house is burning down around me. There's a 16'x16' deck right above the window, so direct sunlight isn't a problem.

Have a Thomas Duplex Super Safelight for when the sun goes down.

Painting sink area today.



 
Last edited:

mshchem

Subscriber
Joined
Nov 26, 2007
Messages
14,656
Location
Iowa City, Iowa USA
Format
Medium Format
Beautiful! Looks great
 

Kino

Subscriber
Joined
Jan 20, 2006
Messages
7,759
Location
Orange, Virginia
Format
Multi Format
awty said:
Sparky is done and now I have power
I've finished insulating the walls and doing the plaster board.

Blessed is the air-conditioner......
View attachment 290893
Click to expand...

Great job! My sparky is delayed a bit; got the wrong breakers for the panel!

However, this morning, I did get my whole house filter and pressure regulator installed, my dripping cold water joint sealed and my mixing valve installed WITHOUT LEAKS! Hallelujah! I might actually have a darkroom soon!

 

awty

Subscriber
Joined
Jul 24, 2016
Messages
3,643
Location
Australia
Format
Multi Format

Kino

Subscriber
Joined
Jan 20, 2006
Messages
7,759
Location
Orange, Virginia
Format
Multi Format
awty said:
Nice bit of plumbing, very patriotic.
Click to expand...
Totally unintentional. I followed the convention of red for hot and blue for cold, so the only other color of pex for tempered water was white. Not a fan of vibrant primary colors in a visual working space, especially if I do color printing, so I might cover them with insulation.

Oh and I got my electrical service going tonight. Had to chase down a couple of bad connections but it was fairly simple.

Re-glued my felt seals on the film dryer, installed the glasses, wiped the interior down and plugged it in; works great.

This streak of good luck worries me; something bad is on the horizon...
 

MurrayMinchin

Membership Council
Subscriber
Joined
Jan 9, 2005
Messages
5,481
Location
North Coast BC Canada
Format
Hybrid
Bit of an update.

Some photos of the enlarger and under counter top UV LED areas. Have never used the enlargers light source or the Analyser Pro enlarging timer which were purchased about 15 years ago...Life & health created a bit of a pause on finishing the darkroom, but I'm back in the saddle now. The 6x7 enlarger on left will be used as a copy stand for 4x5 negatives enroute to being digital enlarged negatives.

Also, in keeping with my early retirement + reduced pension = tight darkroom completion funding situation; cheap NOMA GFCI extension cords for the sink areas and a DIY water panel which is waiting for parts to arrive. Chart next to Zone VI Compensating Timer is emergence times, various development factors, and resulting development times for matching prints in different printing sessions. Clip on bullet lamps have small LED safelight bulbs in them, except for one which has a 25 watt incandescent bulb for print viewing.









 
Last edited:

MattKing

Moderator
Moderator
Joined
Apr 24, 2005
Messages
52,939
Location
Delta, BC Canada
Format
Medium Format
Where are the pig trough mats?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Menu
Log in
Register
Cookies are required to use this site. You must accept them to continue using the site. Learn more…