Fading Memories of Tools from Yesteryear?

gus. · Jul 2, 2016

Often I wish I had more close friends with similar photographic interests to share trade tips in person or learn of old tricks from the more experienced. I recently scored a darkroom lot from an estate sale and marveled at a few of the tools within, unable to reverse engineer their purpose. (Dodging doo-dads and what not.)

I wondered if any tools of the trade no longer made came to mind that you guys could share or perhaps general darkroom tips that in the past one would usually pick up from peers in photo?

Sirius Glass · Jul 2, 2016

Which Orange County? Which state?

Kawaiithulhu · Jul 2, 2016

You can certainly post a picture of items you can't figure out and get some good answers on what and how. Tricks are to overcome problems, until you have a problem then tricks are pretty useless

Other than that the only real advice I can offer is: "Do not darkroom when angry." Trust me on this one.

chip j · Jul 2, 2016

To get rid of Newton's Rings, blow a minute amount of corn starch onto the base of the negative. It won't show as spots in the prints.

MattKing · Jul 3, 2016

Some of the tools and tricks aren't going to do you much good now. I'm thinking of things like choosing between dozens of different paper surfaces so as to match the surface to the subject.
I worked with a few old time newspaper photographers. They used all sorts of tricks to wrestle a print into submission, on deadline. Most of those prints will not have survived the test of time though - archival just wasn't one of the goals.
They also could have given advice about mixing photography, heavy smoking and hard drinking - sometimes while in the darkroom and on the job. I'm not sure you want to learn those tricks.

gone · Jul 3, 2016

Only one Orange county comes to my mind. Possibly the most politically conservative county in California. My time in San Diego was very different than the time spent in the Bay Area!

Can't think of a thing in a darkroom that is mysterious to me. Old woodworking tools are though. Some of them are beautiful works of craftsmanship, and have specialized uses that are just amazing.

I know what you mean about missing a group of people that share your interest. We're a dying breed, face it, which is no big deal. Just how it is, time marches on. We don't.

scheimfluger_77 · Jul 3, 2016

chip j said:
To get rid of Newton's Rings, blow a minute amount of corn starch onto the base of the negative. It won't show as spots in the prints.

Now that's one I haven't heard of before. Makes sense.

gus. · Jul 4, 2016

Sirius Glass said:
Which Orange County? Which state?

Southern California.

momus said:
I know what you mean about missing a group of people that share your interest. We're a dying breed, face it, which is no big deal. Just how it is, time marches on. We don't.

So it goes, eh?

Here's an example:

"The Tamron Fotovix is a devise that allows you to transfer your film negatives, positives, slides, and projected images to your dvd recorder, television and even to your computer."

Seems like a cool gadget to have for quick negative viewing had the price of a steak dinner.

I had no idea those existed! Stuff like that. Gizmos that, while old news to some, may enthuse others?

Sirius Glass · Jul 4, 2016

momus said:
Only one Orange county comes to my mind. Possibly the most politically conservative county in California. My time in San Diego was very different than the time spent in the Bay Area!

Can't think of a thing in a darkroom that is mysterious to me. Old woodworking tools are though. Some of them are beautiful works of craftsmanship, and have specialized uses that are just amazing.

I know what you mean about missing a group of people that share your interest. We're a dying breed, face it, which is no big deal. Just how it is, time marches on. We don't.

Orange County California is not as conservative as it used to be. They will even tolerate people with long hair and or beards now a days.

There are a number of APUG people in the Los Angeles and Orange counties who can help you. I am located in Westwood.

John51 · Jul 4, 2016

Most of the tips and tricks I came across in the 70s were to do with saving money. Equipment could be so expensive.

Process timer = £80 = almost 2 weeks wages. Cheapo answer was to record the process on a cassette tape and play it back when printing. Prints in developer 3-2-1 NOW...Prints in stopbath 3-2-1 NOW etc. Can be done on a smartphone now.

Put an unexposed but developed 35mm colour negative in a slide mount. The shot where you forgot to take the lens cap off is perfect, There's your B&W viewing filter.

Theo Sulphate · Jul 4, 2016

Sirius Glass said:
Orange County California is not as conservative as it used to be. ...

I lived in Santa Ana for a while in the mid-1960's - essentially the heart of Orange County at the time. Being Conservative meant you drove your VW with shoes on.

chip j said:
To get rid of Newton's Rings, blow a minute amount of corn starch onto the base of the negative. It won't show as spots in the prints.

I've studied this and know the theory behind it, but have never tried it. But how is it that the fine dust doesn't affect the image in some way?

gone · Jul 4, 2016

So I guess I can go back for a visit to San Diego sometime w/ my beard? I liked O.B. and Dog Beach, but would rather go back to Hawaii actually.

It's all relative it seems. When I went to San Diego it was jar heads and sort of plastic people, and not exactly Haight St or even North Beach back in the 80's. Just a different vibe. Actually, no one would even talk to me! I thought it may have been my Southern accent, but others told me the same story. They moved to San Diego, no one would talk to you unless they knew you, so they left. Pretty there, but not friendly.

You're either a Bay Area person or a Southern Californian. I totally, like, for sure, like far out, felt right at home in 'frisco (not now though) in the early 80's. In the 60's, I was still a long haired hippie in high school in Mississippi. It didn't go over all that well :{

mike c · Jul 4, 2016

Where about in Orange County are you gus ? I'm in Norwalk next to La Mirada north Orange Co. line.

Mike

chip j · Jul 5, 2016

Theo Sulphate said:
I lived in Santa Ana for a while in the mid-1960's - essentially the heart of Orange County at the time. Being Conservative meant you drove your VW with shoes on.

I've studied this and know the theory behind it, but have never tried it. But how is it that the fine dust doesn't affect the image in some way?

I've tried it numerous times w/the single-surface glass in my Durst Micromat--the bottom condenser sits on top of the neg just like a Leitz condenser does. Worked every time. I got the info from an OLD Focal Encyclopaedia of Photography!

Andre Noble · Jul 5, 2016

momus said:
Only one Orange county comes to my mind. Possibly the most politically conservative county in California.

OC has that reputation politically , but I have met TONS of cool people in coastal OC.

Fading Memories of Tools from Yesteryear?

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