Yes....ventilation. *sigh* I'm not sure how to to deal with that. Our laundry room doesn't have a vent, besides the dryer vent, and from what I have read, it's not a great idea to make it do double duty.Don't forget about ventilation. I'd rather get a good used Durst than any modern enlarger--except maybe a Kaiser from Germany.
I 2nd the recommendation for a Durst enlarger. They are well build and parts are easy to get and the color ones can do B&W and color look for 600 or 800 series.. Get one that can do 6x6;just in case you want to go there one dayDon't forget about venilation. I'd rather get a good used Durst than any modern enlarger--except maybe a Kaiser from Germany.
The laundry room is 7'x 5'11" . It's probably the best spot that can do double duty. We do have a room that's bigger as well as walk-out attic that could be used, but neither of those have water (or water nearby) and the attic fluctuates in temperature too much. I think the ceiling is 8' in the laundry room. I suppose smells don't bother me too much...or at least they didn't used to. My sniffer got somewhat ruined in grad school. It's good to know, though, that I could potentially do it without ventilation.It might help our responses if you were to tell us how long, wide and high your laundry room will be. My darkroom is a converted small bedroom, roughly 8 ft wide x9 feet long x 7.5 feet high. I do have a Nova print processor which cuts down chemical smells as each slot is only just over one inch wide but I have managed for about 13 years without ventilation for spells of say 3 hours. In that time I may need to use the toilet sometimes so that provides a change of air.
If you decide on open trays, set up your three and do a printing session for a couple of hours. If the smells are going to affect you it is likely to occur within a couple of hours. If they are a problem then you have the option of more frequent breaks or installing some ventilation.
pentaxuser
As to the enlarger, it can difficult to reliably buy a used enlarger if you don't know what you're looking for. All to many are missing something essential or have hard-to-find bulbs or negative carriers.
But if you're willing to pay a small premium over the "I found this in my grandfathers basement" enlarger, you can often find one from a working darkroom actually used by the person selling it. Best way is to get connected to whatever local film photography group you can find near you.
i have 2 4x6 foot windows in my darkroom. i used foamcore and wrapped "room darkening" shade material (black!!!) around them and glued on the perimeter of the opposite side. slide them right in the window - perfect!
my darkroom wet side table is 8' long, and 4 foot high - when i'm not printing in the darkroom, they sit in front and hide the storage underneath - sun shines in!
enjoy!
Will the enlarger be a permanent install? If not, you might get a sturdy cart with locking wheels to put it on. I actually have my Beseler 23C iii on wheels. I use it on the ground, which is good enough for me. It allows me to move it quickly in and out of my bathroom. Recently, I built a darkroom out of an old bedroom (not dark enough for film, for which I still use the bathroom, but good enough for paper). I have a Beseler 45MX permanently set up in there.
4x5 enlargers are great, but they're also really large and heavy. If you don't plan on ever doing large format, I'd skip on enlargers that size. I can't even get my 45MX in and out of a room without taking it apart. My Besler 23Ciii is much smaller and does up to 6x9. It's a lot more manageable.
As far as accessories go, you'll probably want a darkroom timer and a grain focuser. I don't know that you'll need a paper safe. I used to have a couple, but got rid of them because I never used them. I just keep paper in their original boxes (with the original plastic bags folded over) and never have any issues. This also helps me to know what paper is in there, and how old it is. You might also want to get a stopwatch or kitchen timer to time your development and/or fixer. You'll also need an easel to keep your paper flat during exposure. You'll probably also need some multigrade filters and a place to hold them, and maybe a red safe light filter for the enlarger (if you plan on dodging and burning). And don't forget a drying rack or clothespins to hang the prints to dry.
Some other things to consider are an air blower, some nitrile gloves, maybe an antistatic brush or blower, old towels, print squeegee and glass plate to squeegee off excess water, and perhaps a print washer. I DIY'ed my own print washer and it saves me a ton of time and hassle. A good thermometer is also handy, but may not be necessary for paper. It would also be a good idea to come up with some way of leveling the enlarger. I made a DIY laser alignment tool, but if you're not too picky, you could use a bubble level or even a long ruler.
Really, the list goes on and on depending on your budget and how involved you want to get with all of this.
The laundry room is 7'x 5'11" . I think the ceiling is 8' in the laundry room. I suppose smells don't bother me too much...or at least they didn't used to. My sniffer got somewhat ruined in grad school. It's good to know, though, that I could potentially do it without ventilation.
What formats do you plan on enlarging? I'll take it for granted you will at least be doing 35mm, but what else, 6x?, 4x5, or what. You will need an enlarger that will handle the largest negatives you shoot, maybe even plan on getting one that is capable of going even larger just in case you decide to step up a notch or two. I would advise one capable of at least 6x9 negatives to start, unless you also shoot 4x5, then either an Omega D-6 or Beseler MX series, both can handle 35mm through 4x5 negs.
I just posted two links in the post above this one. Would you, could you take a look? (Is this the right place to post it?)If you DO see something on Craigslist, just post a link on APUG.
The members can give you a thumbs up or down.....Assuming the seller has 6th grade writing skills, and at least attempted to take pictures and hold the camera phone Kind Of Still while snapping the shutter.
Looks to me like they both only have a 35mm carrier though it's hard to tell from the pics of the B-600 it may have a 6x6 carrier as well. The Omega is IMO way over priced for what it is, the Beseler is a bit high as well. Go ahead and look at them, but offer half the asking price, you never know what they'll take. I have a Beseler 23C for sale with 35mm and 6x6 carriers for $100, but it may be cost prohibitive to ship from Pa.I just posted two links in the post above this one. Would you, could you take a look? (Is this the right place to post it?)
I saw this one as well, but I couldn’t tell what brand it is. Is it worth $200?https://knoxville.craigslist.org/pho/d/darkroom-equipment-for-sale/6687587192.html .if you don't mind a drive.
I think he has 3 enlargers for $250 one of them has a lens too. I'd message them and see a if they are in working .order and if he would sell you just one.I saw this one as well, but I couldn’t tell what brand it is. Is it worth $200?
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