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Murphy, Bloody Murphy!!

BobNewYork

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Not sure if this is the right forum section - but I really need to vent. I lost my darkroom to a house fire about 18 months ago and have spent 'til now getting the equipment and putting it back together. On Wednesday I ran a whole bunch of test films, (35, 120 & 4x5) and got into my nice clean darkroom yesterday for the first time in 18 months.

Got five films developed and had a sixth in the wash. I decided to make myself a "cuppa" and when I went back down there was water flowing out of the darkroom door. My first thought was that I really should have hired a plumber but when I got in it was worse. A 5 liter bottle of fixer concentrate had fallen off the shelf and exploded !

So today, instead of finishing processing the test films and calibrating my enlargers analyzer and papers I'm taking everything back out of the darkroom to Clorox it !

Sorry - just needed a whole bunch of shoulders to cry on - and you guys were there

Bob H
 
Bob, I think we all feel for you, but I sense that there is something you are not telling us?

Maybe you should take your "cuppa" and put something a little stronger in it.

Denis K
 
Murphy is always lurking.
Reminds me of the time I went down to check some prints and the print washer was overflowing and flooding the counter, cabinet and floor.

We feel your pain.

BTW, I hope you aren't actually planning on mixing clorox with fixer...
 
I'm sorry to hear about that Bob. It seems that bad luck runs in streaks. Like Denis said maybe your "cuppa" could be a little stronger. Things will get better!

Jeff
 
Well that sucks! Sorry to hear that, Bob.

For what it's worth, I keep my chemicals on a shelf outside the darkroom, so that I don't accidentally knock something over in the dark, especially since I use some amber jars, the gallon kind that make a huge mess.

- Thomas
 
Remember the corollary to that Murphy thing: When something can go wrong, it won't go by itself.
 
Thanks guys! Guess I'll have to switch to Scotch - what an awful tragedy !!!!

No I'm not aiming to mix my fixer with the Clorox. I toweled everything up yesterday and washed it down with water. Waited for it to dry and then vacuumed with a HEPA filter. Now I'll wash the floors and wipe everything over with the Clorox in the hopes of avoiding residual contamination. Most of it done now actually. Juist taking a break and adding a little "something" to my morning cuppa Should be back up and running early this afternoon.

And Whitey's right. I'd used some thoroughly cleaned laundry detergent containers, (the one's with the "faucet"). Seems that 5 litres in those and wire shelving don't mix!! Seemed like a great idea at the time !!

thanks for the shoulders lads

Bob H
 
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Next time you're processing and want a "cuppa" just wait until "suppa".
 
You have really been through it. Now things will get better.


As a general reminder to all, in California we do not place large containers high up because they could topple in an earthquake. It would be a good safety practice to do that anywhere. One can never tell when a bottle of chemicals decides to commit suicide.

Steve
 

I'd pondered just that issue as I was getting restarted recently, especially as I'm mostly mixing up gallons jugs. They are currently on a shelf about 6 inches above the ground, since that's where the dark corner is. I've already decided that when I get the real darkroom enclosed, I'll do the same. Getting a bit old for lifting liquids to high shelves anyway. The dev tanks and spare light bulbs can go up there.

Glad to hear that no one was hurt. If you'd been in the room, that could have been a bad day for eyeballs.
 
I think you are now officially due for a streak of good luck... Universe take note

Ash
 
We had a lot of corrolaries of Edsel Murphy's law at NASA. He was the guy who found out that his bride of 3 months was 6 months pregnant.
 
gainer said:
We had a lot of corrolaries of Edsel Murphy's law at NASA. He was the guy who found out that his bride of 3 months was 6 months pregnant.
Click to expand...

I think they call that a "Grudge Baby" Pat. (Won't go into the whys and wherefores in public - it's an old joke ) Perhaps I'll put in on the Joke thread - it's always good for a few groans - as am I, of course !!!

Bob H
 
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