Help setting up my alt process darkroom

[Jeff Bannow]

Okay, so I have managed to secure a Nu-Arc 26-1k plate burner. I understand I will need a dedicated 15 amp circuit to run the unit. What I am concerned about is getting all the other bits together. I have set aside some space in my basement, but don't have a conventional darkroom currently set up. The area I currently will be using is not an enclosed room however.

I plan on blocking out the sunlight as much as possible. What type of lighting would you all recommend? I plan on working with multiple different processes, including platinum. Would flourescent be okay, or does it emit too much UV light?

Also, what type of protection do you use? I will be ordering some UV blocking goggles to protect my eyes. Is there any safe easy way to block the extra light coming from the unit itself? The last thing I want to do is get a printers tan and blind the cats.

 

[scootermm]

just shield any sun from windows. use some low wattage bulbs and cover the NuArc with a black cloth (will help with printing speeds as well).
make a drying rack that is curtained as well, to keep them in the dark while drying.
I dont bother with UV goggles as Im not ever looking into the lightbox directly and if you curtain the NuArc you shouldnt need to worry about it either.

and you are set.

 

[smieglitz]

Check with a welding supply store to obtain a welders' curtain. They are effective in blocking most indirect UV. IOW, don't stare at the UV source through the curtain and you should be OK. Check the transmission chart for these. I have one around a Nu-Arc 26-1K to form sort of a chimney that still allows air to circulate around the unit. These plateburners can get hot if any curtain material encloses them too tightly.

Joe

 

[RobertP]

Get you a pair of tinted safety glasses and wear long sleeves. You'll be fine. I use a 26 1K. I welded with TIG, MIG and Stick welders for many years. A welder would laugh at the amount of UV that is put out from a NuArc. If you've ever suffered from welder's flash you'd know what I mean. But as my father use to say, " do as I say and not as I do" Use every safety precaution that is at your disposal. But over exposure to a hot midsummer sun is probably more dangerous.

 

[Vaughn]

...snip...
I plan on blocking out the sunlight as much as possible. What type of lighting would you all recommend? I plan on working with multiple different processes, including platinum. Would flourescent be okay, or does it emit too much UV light?

Nix on the florescents -- they push out some UV. I use the yellow 60W bug lamps (incadescents), but low wattage incedescents will be fine also.

I coat all the pt/pd sheets I will be printing on for one session, hang them up with a fan and air dry them -- I turn off all the lights and find something else to do (like hunt down the negs I want to print, etc) for the 2 hours I wait for the paper to dry (I live in a cool/humid area.) Once dry, I stash them in a box.

I use the same light (bug light) for carbon printing and all the other alt processes I do.

Vaughn

 

[Jeff Bannow]

I just wanted to thank everyone for their advice. I got my first successful cyanotype from the setup, and it looks like it is going to work out great.

 

[Joe Lipka]

Sixty watt yellow "bug bulb" for your safelight. The best part about alt processes is the need for reduced illumination, not a complete absence of light.

 

[Dana Sullivan]

Our darkrooom has 2 80-watt fluorescents on the ceiling and we see no fogging when printing platinum/palladium, vandyke, cyanotype and other 'iron' processes. We use a safelight when using POP, Salted paper, gum bichromate and Carbon Transfer because they are much more sensitive.