Minimum equipment for fiber based printing at home?

[mshchem]

Wait, what? Is Hypo Clear on the endangered list?

Wel Kodak Hypo Clearing Agent is.

 

[john_s]

Wel Kodak Hypo Clearing Agent is.

AS we all know, some sodium sulfite is all that's needed (for FB paper). A dash of metabisulfite from the home brew shop improves it a bit.

 

[Sanug]

The question was for minimum equipment needed. I am surprised how much stuff has been recommended which may be nice to have, but is not mandatory. Even a slot processor was mentioned, nice equipment indeed, but the question was for the minimum needed.

RC paper is a good idea for a quick start. You will not need Hypo Clearing Agent and 2-tray-fix with that.

For storage of the developer and fix liquids I would NEVER use soda or other soft drink bottles for safety reasons. There is a risk of confusion! In Germany I can buy brown wide neck glass bottles for chemicals in every pharmacy, both local or in pharmacy online shops. I don't know where you can buy them in the USA, if not available at a pharmacy (laboratory equipment shop?). These bottles are much safer. Use adhesive labels for your chemicals stating the content and the date.

Dependent on the room temperature you may need a heater for the room. Under the trays I use a terrarium heating device during winter.

The base of the enlarger should be stable. Otherwise your prints may get blurred.

Check your enlarger for light leaks and fix them. The walls and the ceiling near the enlarger may need some dark coverage.

Tongues for paper handling are mandatory. One for each bath.

A water supply and sink is not needed in the room. I have it near by. I wash my prints in a tray. RC paper needs to be rinsed with water only. No archival washer is needed.

Get 4 stable trays, they should be one size larger than needed. The extra space makes the work much more comfortable. Each one for dev, stop, fix and wash.

Check the darkroom safelight weather it is really safe for your paper. For multigrade paper by Ilford or Kentmere you need orange, for Foma Variant dark red.

 

[koraks]

For multigrade paper by Ilford or Kentmere you need orange

Red will do for those as well, and it is a safe bet for a B&W darkroom if you only get to choose one color.
Some people prefer orange/brown if the paper allows it because the human eye is more sensitive to this than to red, and some people find working under red lights more tiring than other colors. As you aptly remarked, Foma papers do not allow for orange/brown safelights as their spectral sensitivity extends into fairly long wavelengths.

 

[MattKing]

Tongues for paper handling are mandatory. One for each bath.

Tongs, not tongues!
Said in my role as informal safety officer
When you are deciding on stuff, I find it extremely useful to make sure that stuff fits inside easily movable and storable plastic totes, because I'm limited to a temporary darkroom, with the stuff stored in another room and/or another room on another floor.

 

[ntenny]

I found I needed two timers: an enlarger timer for the dry side and a process timer for the wet side. In a differently-laid-out darkroom you might be able to make do with one, if you can read it well from everywhere.

-NT

 

[MattKing]

I use a sweep second analogue clock for timing prints in the various trays - and for tracking the time in general!

 

[MTGseattle]

I'll chime in again with some of the minutia I already have.

I appreciate the folks who have said that I don't have to set up the archival washer. That was going to be the pain in the butt item.
I have a grain sight/focuser on hand. I can't remember the brand name, but it's the standard type (not the sought after peak/omega) it's bright blue.
I scored a Saunders et400l timer and foot switch for free a a couple weeks ago. I also found a Gralab 450 timer in my "darkroom" tote. Backups are good I guess?
It would be both simple (the lines are right above my head) and complicated (cast iron pipes) for me to extend water supplies down to where I need them (it's a long story that involves the rest of my house) So, buckets and jugs will be my water source.
Any heating will be done on my propane camp stove on the floor somewhere behind me. I am 100% kidding.

What I picked up yesterday was some envelopes of concentrate powder, a clean 5gal bucket and 2 of the "small" mixing tubs to use as my wash trays.
I thought about using some clear plastic storage style totes, but I feel like the mixing tubs are a bit stronger.

I ordered the LPL glass 4x5 carrier. I'm not sure why I didn't order one sooner, as it's coming from Japan.

I'm good on lenses I think. I need to double check whether I own a 150mm or only a 135mm as that could impact my 4x5 printing.

Today will be a down and dirty build of a cabinet/enlarger base. I like to place all of my stuff on wheels, but I think that could introduce vibration and/or movement unless I had fully locking casters. So, Felt pads it will be.

I have a Thomas duplex sitting in a box and I've also got one of the basic Kodak silver ones that take the 4" Wratten filters.

I appreciate the note above as I have some brand new Foma papers.

 

[GregY]

If i were tearing down and putting away my darkroom, i'd use one my chemistry once. (I do that anyways). As an example.... to print 8x10s you only need to dilute 100-150ml of (e.g.) Ilford Multgrade developer & fixer. ...so you don't need to store used developer & fixer....in soda bottles.....

 

[snusmumriken]

If i were tearing down and putting away my darkroom, i'd use one my chemistry once. (I do that anyways). As an example.... to print 8x10s you only need to dilute 100-150ml of (e.g.) Ilford Multgrade developer & fixer. ...so you don't need to store used developer & fixer....

Do you mean 100-150 ml of diluted chemical, or 100-150ml of concentrate to make 1litre? It depends on the size of your trays, of course, but FWIW I use only 1 litre of diluted chemical to process 12x16s. Fresh chemical every session.

 

[GregY]

Do you mean 100-150 ml of diluted chemical, or 100-150ml of concentrate to make 1litre? It depends on the size of your trays, of course, but FWIW I use only 1 litre of diluted chemical to process 12x16s. Fresh chemical every session.

Yes 100-150 ml concentrate. If you're buying 5 litre jugs....it's very economical to use once and discard. (If you're typically processing in 8x10 or 11x14" trays)

 

[MTGseattle]

For sake of argument. I'll be printing 11x14.
I shouldn't have to take stuff down after each session, I'm just not building walls, adding plumbing, etc.

 

[pentaxuser]

Tongs, not tongues!

Yes and tongues are also useless on a forum as well

pentaxuser

 

[MattKing]

Today will be a down and dirty build of a cabinet/enlarger base. I like to place all of my stuff on wheels, but I think that could introduce vibration and/or movement unless I had fully locking casters. So, Felt pads it will be.

I have a Thomas duplex sitting in a box and I've also got one of the basic Kodak silver ones that take the 4" Wratten filters.

Two legs (back) with locking casters, and two with pads make it easier to move.
A Thomas is great if you can have the enlarger shaded from it, but if you can't, the fact that it has to be left on can make dodging and burning more difficult - it will tend to make it difficult to see the image on the baseboard.

 

[Pieter12]

The question was for minimum equipment needed.

for fiber paper.

 

[mshchem]

AS we all know, some sodium sulfite is all that's needed (for FB paper). A dash of metabisulfite from the home brew shop improves it a bit.

I've found KHCA cheaper than Sodium Sulfite. Of course that's about to change. Point taken

 

[john_s]

I've found KHCA cheaper than Sodium Sulfite. Of course that's about to change. Point taken

We are in various countries around the world, and chemistry availability and local pricing varies a lot. It's easy to offer advice that would be incorrect for many readers.

My attempts at advice is a function of local availability here nearly at the End of the Earth (only New Zealand is further), and my desire to avoid local temporary shortages. My wife says I have "siege mentality."

 

[mshchem]

We are in various countries around the world, and chemistry availability and local pricing varies a lot. It's easy to offer advice that would be incorrect for many readers.

My attempts at advice is a function of local availability here nearly at the End of the Earth (only New Zealand is further), and my desire to avoid local temporary shortages. My wife says I have "siege mentality."

Good to hear I'm not the only one who's wife thinks he has too much stuff. One thing nice about using sodium sulfite is it's used in most developers as well. Keep the raw chemicals and you're ready for anything

 

[wiltw]

Harkening back to when I was 12 years old and making prints on a very limited budget...

• Exposure: Enlarger, lens, easel to hold print paper during exposure, a means to count seconds consistently
• Processing: 3 trays (+1 more for hypo clearing agent tray, to reduce water waste), assuming reuse of one tray for washing), 2 tongs (developer, stop/fix), thermometer, safelight with appropriate filter, a means to count time in solutions, safety pins and line to hang drying prints.
  ...and work surface large enough for enlarger and to hold trays, and a nearby sink

Nice extras : easy way to turn on/off white light for inspection, focusing magnifier, print washer siphon, collapsible bottles to hold solutions with minimal air above solution (unless mixing only enough solutions for one session), variable constrast filters (to reduce paper stocks)

 

[snusmumriken]

Harkening back to when I was 12 years old and making prints on a very limited budget...

• Exposure: Enlarger, lens, easel to hold print paper during exposure, a means to count seconds consistently
• Processing: 3 trays (+1 more for hypo clearing agent tray, to reduce water waste), assuming reuse of one tray for washing), 2 tongs (developer, stop/fix), thermometer, safelight with appropriate filter, a means to count time in solutions, safety pins and line to hang drying prints.
  ...and work surface large enough for enlarger and to hold trays, and a nearby sink

Nice extras : easy way to turn on/off white light for inspection, focusing magnifier, print washer siphon, collapsible bottles to hold solutions with minimal air above solution (unless mixing only enough solutions for one session), variable constrast filters (to reduce paper stocks)

That’s much more like it! How I started too. Even a nearby sink isn’t essential, but either way you do need a small bucket (~5 litres) to hold water at the right temperature for mixing your chemicals.

Although I now have a dedicated darkroom with benches and cupboards and safelights, I could list many items of equipment that I still manage without.

 

[Arthurwg]

He did work in a darkroom with trays, tongs, a safelight and a sink. Just no enlarger.

I guess he used a camera too.

 

[L Gebhardt]

Today will be a down and dirty build of a cabinet/enlarger base. I like to place all of my stuff on wheels, but I think that could introduce vibration and/or movement unless I had fully locking casters. So, Felt pads it will be.

Consider getting some workbench casters with retractable pads

 

[eli griggs]

And a large waste bin.

Or, silver reclamation trash bag for future recovery session, by one of several methods.

I suggest you get a large, glass, wide mouth clear glass sugar or flour for disposing of used fixer or old fixers, to use for remote removing any silver left on negitive's, n,.,,! . ,n or, processed, including tails and tongues, exposed and unexposed papers.

There are easy to make, old plastic three or six volt, electrolysis power supplie tools of (I've used one for many years, for cleaning old rifle barrels, in ammonia water, but not but a few minutes.

You can use this to recover silver from the 'sludge' that will build up overtime.

Cheers

 

[snusmumriken]

Or, silver reclamation trash bag for future recovery session, by one of several methods.

I suggest you get a large, glass, wide mouth clear glass sugar or flour for disposing of used fixer or old fixers, to use for remote removing any silver left on negitive's, n,.,,! . ,n or, processed, including tails and tongues, exposed and unexposed papers.

There are easy to make, old plastic three or six volt, electrolysis power supplie tools of (I've used one for many years, for cleaning old rifle barrels, in ammonia water, but not but a few minutes.

You can use this to recover silver from the 'sludge' that will build up overtime.

Cheers

That sounds interesting, but I’ve always been dubious about the amount of silver involved. How much silver have you actually recovered in this way?

 

[MTGseattle]

This seems appropriate.