My awsome pink darkroom.

Boys on the block

A
Boys on the block

  • 7
  • 2
  • 222
Sonia..jpg

A
Sonia..jpg

  • 4
  • 1
  • 394
A young woman

A
A young woman

  • 6
  • 4
  • 257
sketch

A
sketch

  • 5
  • 1
  • 237
Foucaultery

D
Foucaultery

  • 1
  • 1
  • 165

Recent Classifieds

Forum statistics

Threads
188,111
Messages
2,622,631
Members
96,923
Latest member
Mojuba
Recent bookmarks
0

Sjixxxy

Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2004
Messages
433
Location
Zenith City,
Format
8x10 Format
Thought I'd take some pics of what I have set up as a dry darkroom. See if anyone has any good feedback for it. I used it last summer to do some small contact prints and didn't have any problemscept that I couldn't print larger then 4x5. It passed every print fogging test I could throw at it in. 8.5 Feet x 10 Feet, with plenty of headroom for the enlarger to go as high as it can. All images are clickable for larger versions.



Here is the entryway. A few big sheets of heavy black material used as a doorway. When inside I seal the bottom with the bricks seen on the floor. Though this may not be entirely necassary now that I'm not working on the floor. (Just moved the dresser in yesterday)




The mighty D-II on a big wooden dresser. I left a large enough gap between it and the wall so that I wasn't bumping into the wall. I should probably hang some more black cloth next to the wall. Seems to be some light spillage from the enlarger head that hits the wall. There are little wheels on the dresser so if I need to relocate it for larger printing, or any other reason, it should pose no real challenge.



Some 1950's era diner tables to serve as a developing stand. I'll probably wrap them in some big plastic sheets and periodically replace them to take care of any spillage.



The safelight. Far enough away from anything important, and reduced in brightness to make it pass the safelight fogging tests that I ran last summer.

Anyone see any major issues with this set-up? Only one I can think of is the dust, as evident by all the "ghosts" in the photos. I figure I can run my humidifier in the room for a while before I start and hopefully knock most of it out of the air. Any suggestion? I wish that it was at least sheetrocked in that corner, but I get to work with what I got, so unfinished dusty pink insulation it is.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Jorge

Member
Joined
Sep 6, 2002
Messages
4,515
Format
Large Format
You are good to go bubba, it is far better than my first darkroom. Congratulations! Lets see some prints now.
 

RAP

Member
Joined
Nov 28, 2002
Messages
476
Format
4x5 Format
Just a note on safety. I know I always wore filter masks and gloves when installing insulation so as to not breath in the fiberglass fibers. Maybe you should put up some plastic over the insulation. Or better yet, sheet rock the room and finish it off.
 

rogueish

Member
Joined
Apr 30, 2004
Messages
876
Location
3rd Rock
Format
Multi Format
RAP is correct. If your insulation is NOT covered (plastic sheet) your running risks of future lung problems. Fiberglass insulation is great for homes, bad for you. Lots of people worry about how bad the chem fumes might be, but never think twice about all the other stuff(dust) they might be sucking up.If your not up to the sheetrock task, fine, but do staple up some plastic wrap. You'll might also find it makes a difference with humidity.
Looks like a sweet set up, Here's to some fine printing!
 

Joe Lipka

Member
Joined
Sep 24, 2002
Messages
908
Location
Cary, North
Format
4x5 Format
So far so good. The folks that suggest you finish off the walls because of safety are half right. Really more important than your health is the fact that you will probably go blind trying to spot all the dust marks from the fiberglass insulation that will magically be attracted to your negatives and prints.....:D

You should finish the walls soon.
 

titrisol

Subscriber
Joined
Aug 2, 2004
Messages
1,918
Location
RDU / UIO
Format
Multi Format
Darkroom looks great!
Those banquet tables are awesome for many purposes. Also try getting those plastic drawer carts from Wallyworld, very good for storage.

Fiberglass dust is bad for you and for the pictures. Not so efficient for the house either.
If I build a house/addition I'll try to get the "sprayed" foeam insulation.
 

inthedark

Member
Joined
May 4, 2003
Messages
336
With a similar problem (insulation) in my darkroom and no $$ for sheetrock, I draped with visqueen (sp?) 7mm black plastic. Been working Great! I agree with all prior comments about health and fiber interference during printing. My darkroom is 52' x 30' and 15' high at the apex (no ceiling, just roof line) and it only cost about $200 for enough to cover all walls and all roof insulation.
 
OP
OP
Sjixxxy

Sjixxxy

Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2004
Messages
433
Location
Zenith City,
Format
8x10 Format
Thanks. We have some huge rolls of thick plastic in our garage downtown. I don't think it would be too huge of a task to take a bunch of it and borrow the staple gun to throw a plastic cover over the insulation.
 

Flotsam

Member
Joined
Sep 30, 2002
Messages
3,221
Location
S.E. New Yor
Black plastic is a great idea. Not only will it keep dust and fibers in the wall but if you charge it up by rubbing it with piece of fur or such, it will attract and hold the regular dust floating around the room too. Better there than on your negatives.
 

inthedark

Member
Joined
May 4, 2003
Messages
336
Flotsam, good idea, I didn't think about that. I have used landscape fabric (again cheapest by far than any other black fabric) to drape the gallery/darkroom and it seems to have that same effect. Much less dust than with regular fabrics. Nice unexpected perk.
 
Joined
Aug 24, 2004
Messages
468
Location
Canada
Format
4x5 Format
I would suggest that you think about how you'd want to finish this space and start the process, even if only in the beginning stages.

6ml poly vapour barrier is applied over insulation and strapping. Special boxes are installed over the electrical outlets to make the vapour barrier continuous etc... If you are planning to go this route, it would be smarter to investigate the proper way to do it and do it once. (Like I mentioned, even if it's only in the beginning stages)

By investing in the wrong plastic sheathing only to tear it down later is a waste. Leaving it up, doing it wrong and tearing out the entire wall later because of a problem is an even bigger waste.

Good luck... (My first darkroom was a ping pong table)

joe :smile:
 
OP
OP
Sjixxxy

Sjixxxy

Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2004
Messages
433
Location
Zenith City,
Format
8x10 Format
titrisol said:
Darkroom looks great!
Those banquet tables are awesome for many purposes. Also try getting those plastic drawer carts from Wallyworld, very good for storage.

And, like my lamp fixture for the safelight, are of roughly the same vintage as my enlarger & camera, thus completing the look.

I don't really need plastic wal-mart carts, the dresser has plenty of drawers.

I covered all the insulation with some heavy plastic today, so that problem should be taken care of. Bumping into the wall is much more comfortable now as well.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

inthedark

Member
Joined
May 4, 2003
Messages
336
Rofl, yes, I would imagine those bumps are better.
 

David Brown

Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2004
Messages
3,994
Location
Earth
Format
Multi Format
inthedark said:
My darkroom is 52' x 30' and 15' high at the apex ...


Your darkroom is bigger than my house! And I have a darkroom (6x10). I can't imagine what takes up all that space.
 
Photrio.com contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links.
To read our full affiliate disclosure statement please click Here.

PHOTRIO PARTNERS EQUALLY FUNDING OUR COMMUNITY:



Ilford ADOX Freestyle Photographic Stearman Press Weldon Color Lab Blue Moon Camera & Machine
Top Bottom