Hello from H-town!

synhare · Dec 19, 2023

Hello!
I've been using photrio for all sorts of darkroom related questions for a while now, it is a great resource.
Recently started doing RA4 prints, and decided I might need to ask a question that wasnt answered in a while at some point. So much of darkroom color printing is relegated to the bay and estate sales now. Manuals and parts are harder to find.

Anyway. Cheers!

btaylor · Dec 19, 2023

Hello, and welcome. I’m glad to see you’re going to be trying RA4 printing- I don’t think there are a lot of us left and we need all the support we can get!
I think everything you are going to find for gear with the exception of JOBO is going to be used through the usual sources (eBay, CL, Photrio classifieds).

synhare · Dec 19, 2023

btaylor said:
Hello, and welcome. I’m glad to see you’re going to be trying RA4 printing- I don’t think there are a lot of us left and we need all the support we can get!
I think everything you are going to find for gear with the exception of JOBO is going to be used through the usual sources (eBay, CL, Photrio classifieds).

That makes sense. I've been slowly gathering color stuff on eBay while using the darkroom at the art museum.
Right now my darkroom is set up for basic silver gelatin prints. I have a Beseler 67CS that I've frankensteined together from printmaker 35, leftover of a 23 III and a 67C (I think).

I've purchased a used 67S dichro head that I'm not sure works yet. I'm having trouble finding a color viewing filter set that is in decent condition and not astronomically priced.

I looked into color analyzers, but I've decided against one for now. I don't think I know what I'm doing well enough yet to make good use of one.

koraks · Dec 19, 2023

Welcome aboard! Cool, another RA4 printer - I'm glad you found us!! Looking forward to helping out with any issues you may have. Enjoy printing!

mshchem · Dec 19, 2023

Welcome. Sad to see the astronomical prices on what people have been throwing away for the last 25 years. Viewing filters aren't a miracle for finding the right filtration. Making ring around prints work better.
All you need is a tray to develop RA4.

btaylor · Dec 19, 2023

The viewing filter shortage! I am hoarding my 2 sets. I always used them and my eyes instead of an analyzer. I have several analyzers, but I’ve never used them because you have to make the “perfect print” first. After I make the perfect print I just keep on printing! Small adjustments I find are easy to determine with the viewing filters after that. One of these days I’ll get around to making a ring-around.
A lot of people do tray printing at room temperature, but I don’t like standing in the dark much and I find the developer smell to be intolerable- but I know many are not as sensitive. I liked using drums before I got a roller transport machine.

Valerie · Dec 19, 2023

Hello and welcome, neighbor. You will find this site to be an amazing resource!

mshchem · Dec 19, 2023

Now people ask 50 bucks for tubes that I dug out of trash bins. Still garage sales and Craigslist can be great for finding stuff.

synhare · Dec 19, 2023

btaylor said:
The viewing filter shortage! I am hoarding my 2 sets. I always used them and my eyes instead of an analyzer. I have several analyzers, but I’ve never used them because you have to make the “perfect print” first. After I make the perfect print I just keep on printing! Small adjustments I find are easy to determine with the viewing filters after that. One of these days I’ll get around to making a ring-around.
A lot of people do tray printing at room temperature, but I don’t like standing in the dark much and I find the developer smell to be intolerable- but I know many are not as sensitive. I liked using drums before I got a roller transport machine.

I made a Christmas present to myself and ordered a used JOBO CPE3 which should let me do up to 11x14 in a tube.
That and adding a much needed DIY exhaust system to my small darkroom. Maybe I should post that in the darkroom show-off thread.

mshchem · Dec 20, 2023

synhare said:
I made a Christmas present to myself and ordered a used JOBO CPE3 which should let me do up to 11x14 in a tube.
That and adding a much needed DIY exhaust system to my small darkroom. Maybe I should post that in the darkroom show-off thread.

Definitely post pictures of your setup. I have Jobo equipment, new and old, great product. My exhaust system is overkill. Can't hear myself think.

JulienPictures74 · Dec 29, 2023

Welcome to Photrio!

Sirius Glass · Dec 31, 2023

Welcome to Photrio!

Hello from H-town!

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