DIY Drying Cabinet

Radost · Feb 6, 2023

Any recommendations. I want to attach to the top panel?

MattKing · Feb 6, 2023

I use a cord or a slim bar.

Roger Thoms · Feb 6, 2023

You might mount a section of wire closet shelving just below the top panel, this would give you plenty of locations to hang your film.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/ClosetMaid-4-ft-x-12-in-White-Wire-Shelf/1090937

Roger

snusmumriken · Feb 7, 2023

Not an answer to your question, but bear in mind that you will need to hang the film somewhere by one end while you cut it into strips - probably outside the cabinet and clear of other stuff. I have hooks screwed into the joists for this. I used flat hooks, but the Paterson clips are liable to slip off if I hold the film at an angle while cutting - so I would recommend round hooks for that purpose.

Radost · Feb 9, 2023

Anybody know what filter material this is?

koraks · Feb 9, 2023

Radost said:
Anybody know what filter material this is?

It's the generic kind of mesh that you find in vacuum cleaner filters etc. Nothing particularly special. I'm sure you could find something more effective, in fact.

Radost · Feb 9, 2023

koraks said:
It's the generic kind of mesh that you find in vacuum cleaner filters etc. Nothing particularly special. I'm sure you could find something more effective, in fact.

Any ideas?

snusmumriken · Feb 9, 2023

You can buy squares of that material to match fans of various dimensions, from electronics companies. I use rs-online.com in the uk: search for “fans” and “fan accessories”.

The fans themselves and their filter holder attachments are well suited to being built into things. I built two into my darkroom walls, a filtered one for intake, and unfiltered one for outflow.

Don_ih · Feb 9, 2023

Radost said:
Any ideas?

A replacement filter for a small room air purifier. Or a replacement cabin air filter for a car. If you fit the filter into the top side or back of the cabinet, you can put a fan in the bottom side that exhausts air from the cabinet. One of those filters would last forever in that application.

Roger Thoms · Feb 9, 2023

Radost said:
Anybody know what filter material this is?
View attachment 329209

McMaster-Carr has a good selection. They also sell it in rolls, either way it’s easy to cut to size.

Filter Material, White

McMaster-Carr

McMaster-Carr is the complete source for your plant with over 595,000 products. 98% of products ordered ship from stock and deliver same or next day.

www.mcmaster.com

Roger

ic-racer · Feb 9, 2023

Radost · Feb 11, 2023

Radost · Feb 11, 2023

Not pretty. But it works.
Just missing weather sealing for the door.
I ordered some vents but could not wait for them to be delivered.

Radost · Feb 11, 2023

Will use this later

koraks · Feb 12, 2023

Looks fine, will surely work!

Looks like you figured out that a finer filter mesh will work if you allow for a larger surface area.

Radost · Feb 12, 2023

koraks said:
Looks fine, will surely work!

Looks like you figured out that a finer filter mesh will work if you allow for a larger surface area.

Thanks.
If it works for hvac it should work for this.
Just need to weather strip where the door touches the cabinet so it does not suck air from there as well

Omid_K · Feb 13, 2023

Radost said:
Will use this laterView attachment 329461

This is precisely what I used on a generic ikea cabinet. Almost 1 for 1 with what you made. I put in a port at the bottom rear with another filter to allow for a flow path.

Instead of the hooks I put in 4 rods.

Additionally, I put in cleats along the bottom half and built racks to use as a print drying cabinet when printing.

Radost · Feb 14, 2023

Omid_K said:
This is precisely what I used on a generic ikea cabinet. Almost 1 for 1 with what you made. I put in a port at the bottom rear with another filter to allow for a flow path.

Instead of the hooks I put in 4 rods.

Additionally, I put in cleats along the bottom half and built racks to use as a print drying cabinet when printing.

Did you put weather stripping on the door?

Omid_K · Feb 14, 2023

No, it didn’t seem like it needed it. It’s not sealed but with the fan there’s a positive pressure within the cabinet so any gaps are just exhaust ports by default.

Omid_K · Feb 14, 2023

In re-reading one of your earlier posts I think I missed that you oriented your fan as an exhaust fan (pulling air out of the cabinet) as opposed to an intake fan (forcing air in). If that’s the case then I can see where the weather stripping would be important.

Radost · Feb 14, 2023

Omid_K said:
In re-reading one of your earlier posts I think I missed that you oriented your fan as an exhaust fan (pulling air out of the cabinet) as opposed to an intake fan (forcing air in). If that’s the case then I can see where the weather stripping would be important.

Yee cabs. The fan on the bottom is pulling air out of the cabinet. The top is just a HEPA filter. Doors have 2 strips of thin weather stripping. One on the door and one on the cabinet.
Total cost $90 I cut out of my existing hepa hvac filters

Radost · Feb 20, 2023

Ever since I started using this cabinet my film curls. Kodak and Ilford.
ANy idea why?
Less air goes in?
Too hot?
The built in cabinet next to it does not do that. My film while dusty was always flat there. That one had a giant opening on the bottom.

Don_ih · Feb 20, 2023

Try it without turning on the fan. Maybe it's drying too fast.

Radost · Feb 20, 2023

Without the fan it does it as well.
I was thinking it creates vacuum situation because that HVAC filter does not allow enough air to come in.

Radost · Feb 20, 2023

Don Heisz said:
Try it without turning on the fan. Maybe it's drying too fast.

You sir I think are right. I removed my humidifier. Nevada desert is dry. Will try this weekend with humidifier

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