fluorescent material in the darkroom?

Doc W · May 24, 2015

I keep banging into things in the darkroom. It's dark in there! If I put fluorescent tape on the edge of a few counters and baseboards, would that have an effect on unexposed paper and film? While I am at it, what about the fluorescent materials on timers, like Gralab, or other devices? Is it just too miniscule to matter?

Rick A · May 24, 2015

My experience, it fogs film.

cliveh · May 24, 2015

Perhaps you need a brighter safe light? What colour are the walls of your darkroom?

Nathan King · May 24, 2015

Rick A said:
My experience, it fogs film.

This has been my experience as well. Why not add another safelight?

pentaxuser · May 24, 2015

Before we can give DocW even a slightly definitive answer we'd need to know how far away from film and paper his fluorescent material will be and how much of it he will use.

If it is a few "dots" spaced around the room to enable him to find his way back to his film reel and none of the dots are close, say within a 12-18 inches of where he loads the reel I think he might be OK.Once back to where the reel is he needs to try and ensure that he has his back to the fluorescent dots.

The only guaranteed safe advice is to measure out the distance from the light switch and try to load a reel with a sacrificial film until you can do everything comfortably in the total darkness.

Then try it with a film with inconsequential exposures.

The same advice of course applies to loading film with the fluorescent dots

pentaxuser

gone · May 24, 2015

You could always bubble wrap those sharp corners in the darkroom. That's not necessarily satire. I always put everything in exactly the same place every time, and putting down some taped down tactile markers that you can feel in the dark helps a lot. That way I know that if my hand is on one thing, another thing is always going to be right next to it.

Sirius Glass · May 24, 2015

momus said:
You could always bubble wrap those sharp corners in the darkroom. That's not necessarily satire. I always put everything in exactly the same place every time, and putting down some taped down tactile markers that you can feel in the dark helps a lot. That way I know that if my hand is on one thing, another thing is always going to be right next to it.

Plus add a safe light

Doc W · May 24, 2015

Thanks for the replies. The main problem I have is getting back to the main light switch after loading film in complete darkness on the other side of the room. Since I am handling film, I can't use a safe light. I thought that fluorescent tape might work, but if it is risky, I will just install another light switch or even just use a small temporary lamp I can use to get back to the main switch. It isn't as bad as I made it sound.

hoffy · May 25, 2015

Doc W said:
Thanks for the replies. The main problem I have is getting back to the main light switch after loading film in complete darkness on the other side of the room. Since I am handling film, I can't use a safe light. I thought that fluorescent tape might work, but if it is risky, I will just install another light switch or even just use a small temporary lamp I can use to get back to the main switch. It isn't as bad as I made it sound.

Ummmm, how about putting a small LED flash light in your pocket? Once the film is loaded, turn on flash light, find your way...... I always have a small flashlight in my pocket - you know the type, about 10cm long, takes a few AAA batteries.

Cheaper then getting another switch installed.

ozphoto · May 25, 2015

I remember reading somewhere years ago, of a photographer who set up a cord-pull system above his head, that ran horizontal to the roof, so that he could turn on his safelight at any time/anywhere in the darkroom.

No idea how it worked, but it seemed a good idea for a larger darkroom, where having switches all over the place seemed to be overkill (and possibly unsafe in wet areas).

Kilgallb · May 25, 2015

I use the pull chain on the main light. A lamp with a pull chain is a standard fixture in most basements in Canada.

I have one running the length of the darkroom and it is for the main light. It is a chain so I can tell the difference from the safe light on a cotton string.

fiddle · May 25, 2015

They do have remote control light switches. They are cheap, 20ish dollars, swap the switch for one with a sensor, carry the remote in your pocket..

Doc W · May 25, 2015

hoffy said:
Ummmm, how about putting a small LED flash light in your pocket? Once the film is loaded, turn on flash light, find your way...... I always have a small flashlight in my pocket - you know the type, about 10cm long, takes a few AAA batteries.

Cheaper then getting another switch installed.

This is so obvious I feel like a dope for not thinking of it myself! Thanks, hoffy.

summicron1 · May 25, 2015

Doc W said:
Thanks for the replies. The main problem I have is getting back to the main light switch after loading film in complete darkness on the other side of the room. Since I am handling film, I can't use a safe light. I thought that fluorescent tape might work, but if it is risky, I will just install another light switch or even just use a small temporary lamp I can use to get back to the main switch. It isn't as bad as I made it sound.

The amount of light from small amounts of that glowing green stuff is so small, and so far away, that even using an F 1 lens, focused sharp, it would take a lengthy exposure to make an impression on film. The amount hitting it at random from just being that glowing green dot on the other side of the room will not be enough to fog even high speed film (and I load Tri-X rated at 1600) if you keep the exposure minimal.

At least this has been my experience, and I have what most would regard as a pretty poorly designed darkroom, with a poorly sealed door and white (WHITE!) walls that I've never had the energy to paint the proper black. The Gralab, another timer, and bars on an enlarger or two, are all within 10 feet of where I stand to load film onto reels or into holders.

And no fogged film.

Apparently others have different experience, but perhaps they are in different situations with longer exposure. A coupla bits on the edges of tables to keep your shins from being barked should not be a problem at all.

MattKing · May 25, 2015

If you put the fluorescent tape on the floor or the ceiling, it won't fog film unless you put the film close to the floor or ceiling.

Arklatexian · May 25, 2015

Doc W said:
Thanks for the replies. The main problem I have is getting back to the main light switch after loading film in complete darkness on the other side of the room. Since I am handling film, I can't use a safe light. I thought that fluorescent tape might work, but if it is risky, I will just install another light switch or even just use a small temporary lamp I can use to get back to the main switch. It isn't as bad as I made it sound.

When I built my darkroom in the 1980s, I put about a 1/2" (approx. 13mm) piece of fluorescent tape on every sharp corner in the room as well as near every light switch. Since then, I have yet to have any of that tape fog film. But I don't shoot ISO 2000 or 3000 film. Tri-X is the fastest film that I shoot. I have two doors in my darkroom and one has a great big EXIT sign made with that tape with the idea that it acts as an emergency exit. I did tape a piece of tri-x film over the sign, left it for 5 minutes or so then developed it in total darkness. Result? No fogging. Don't take my word for it, try it yourself. The tape I bought was bought at a photo supply store and I believe it said Photographic Fluorescent Tape on the wrapper. After all these years, I still have part of that roll left and last year when I repainted and overhauled my sink, I replaced the old tape with fresh from that roll..........Regards!

Patrick Robert James · May 25, 2015

I bought fluorescent paint for a few things once and was sorely disappointed since it wasn't glow-in-the-dark. That is what you need. If you just paint the light switch you should be fine. I have certain buttons on my timer painted because my timer has a lot of buttons and it is hard to read the little print even under the safelight. If you bump into things under safelight conditions I have found yellow electrical tape to be beneficial. The corners of my enlarger are covered in it and my head thanks me for it.

AgX · May 25, 2015

Doc W said:
If I put fluorescent tape on the edge of a few counters and baseboards,...

You mean phosphorescent tape.

Kevin Caulfield · May 25, 2015

Phosphorescence is a forbidden transition from an excited state to the ground state and as such lasts longer than the allowed transition.

AgX · May 25, 2015

Are we allowed to discuss illegal stuff... ?

Konical · May 25, 2015

Good Morning,

I have a Gralab 300 timer beside the enlarger and have never noticed any degradation with any photo paper. When I load a developing tank or film holders on the enlarger table, I routinely turn the Gralab so that the face is not visible; whether that's necessary, especially with slow and medium speed film, I don't know, but it seems to be a simple, worthwhile precaution.

Konical

Doc W · May 25, 2015

I am really getting a kick out of this. So many of these suggestions are great and also really obvious. Once again, I feel like a complete lunkhead for not thinking of them myself. My only excuse is that I had polished off at least half a bottle of Beaujolais before posting.

And yes, phosphorescent not fluorescent.

Thanks guys.

barzune · May 25, 2015

Doc W said:
I am really getting a kick out of this. So many of these suggestions are great and also really obvious. Once again, I feel like a complete lunkhead for not thinking of them myself. My only excuse is that I had polished off at least half a bottle of Beaujolais before posting.

And yes, phosphorescent not fluorescent.

Thanks guys.

Good Heavens!! Try Pinot Noir !!!

pentaxuser · May 25, 2015

Doc W said:
And yes, phosphorescent not fluorescent.

Thanks guys.

Don't worry I was confused myself. It's simple really. Phosphorescent burns unless kept in water and fluorescent is what they put in toothpaste to preserve your teeth. I am glad I've got it straight now.

pentaxuser

FrancoisM · May 25, 2015

Headlamp does the trick too

fluorescent material in the darkroom?

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