Other uses for the darkroom

cliveh · Oct 1, 2013

I have recently decided to paint my bicycle bright yellow (perhaps a reminder of Kodak yellow) and am in the process of spray painting it in my darkroom. Perhaps not a good idea? Although I did keep the windows and door open. Anyone else use their darkroom for strange non-photographic things?

Fixcinater · Oct 1, 2013

I stripped my motorcycle's exhaust down to bare metal with a drill and sanding attachment, also have built up (and torn down) roughly 5 bicycles in there.

Cleanup is always worse than anticipated.

Rick A · Oct 1, 2013

My DR was originally intended as a utility and storage/pantry just off the kitchen. It already shares duty, plus you have to pass through it to get to the half bath. Even though I have running water in there, I still process film in the kitchen.

Jesper · Oct 1, 2013

Made a circuit board in my darkroom two nights ago. UV-lamps for salt printing needed to copy the design and trays and sink for the chemical part. Just some different chemicals.

ndrs · Oct 1, 2013

I'm privileged to have a dedicated darkroom I do not need nor agree to use for anything else. I couldn't sleep for several nights recently when I had to let plumbers in to install new pipes that needed to go through a corner in the darkroom.

I'm paranoid about dust there.

BMbikerider · Oct 1, 2013

Spray painting will always have an overspray that will cover everything with a fine coat of paint dust - not a good idea in a darkroom.

Would you do it in your kitchen? No! Then don't do it in the darkroom.

cliveh · Oct 1, 2013

BMbikerider said:
Spray painting will always have an overspray that will cover everything with a fine coat of paint dust - not a good idea in a darkroom.

Would you do it in your kitchen? No! Then don't do it in the darkroom.

You are probably quite correct and Fixcinater's sanding is also not a good idea. However, if you are not precious about prints (only reproductions from negs) then it's not a big problem and the dust will settle.

jp498 · Oct 1, 2013

I used to keep my epson inkjet printer in there. Since I added a 4x5 enlarger, there became no room for the printer.

Thomas Bertilsson · Oct 1, 2013

Laundry, of course! And cat play corner. Our house is really small, and the only running water in the basement is by the laundry, so that's where I built my 'dark corner'. I hang clothes from the same lines that I hang clothes to dry, by necessity.

removed account4 · Oct 1, 2013

cliveh said:
You are probably quite correct and Fixcinater's sanding is also not a good idea. However, if you are not precious about prints (only reproductions from negs) then it's not a big problem and the dust will settle.

hi clive

i'd hang it from a piece of rope OUTSIDE
and paint it there ...
i wouldn't do that in a darkroom
unless you have made a spray-tent
besides, you'll be huffin' fumes

i don't do anything besides photo stuff in my DR.

miha · Oct 1, 2013

SNIP

cliveh said:
However, if you are not precious about prints (only reproductions from negs) then it's not a big problem and the dust will settle.

Fox Talbot would grant the idea.

gone · Oct 1, 2013

Right, take the bike outside and paint it.

My bathroom is my darkroom, so as far as doing other things in there.........

sly · Oct 1, 2013

My darkroom is just used for photography. My photographic obsession is moving the other way and taking over the house. 8x10 and background in living room, as well as framed photos stacked against the wall; 3 camera bags, camera vest, tripod in kitchen on and around the comfy chair; more framed photos stacked against wall in bedroom; a nameless room houses boxed photos, binders of negatives and slides, various small bits of gear, my UV unit, a matt cutter, and a cluttered desk......
Need a complete re-organization, but who's got the time?

jk0592 · Oct 2, 2013

I was "voluntarily hosting" a marine aquarium in the darkroom for a few years...not anymore though.

Kc2edh · Oct 2, 2013

During the daytime, I push aside the black curtains and use the room to practice clarinet and saxophone. It's basically my library, music studio, and darkroom all in one. I normally keep the door closed, plus with the sounds of my playing the cat pretty much steers clear. Dust hasn't been a problem yet!

Thomas Bertilsson · Oct 2, 2013

Thomas Bertilsson said:
Laundry, of course! And cat play corner. Our house is really small, and the only running water in the basement is by the laundry, so that's where I built my 'dark corner'. I hang clothes from the same lines that I hang clothes to dry, by necessity.

I hang PRINTS from the same lines that I hang clothes to dry...

Mike Wilde · Oct 2, 2013

I the past I have used the darkroom to ferment wine started from commercially presed never frozen or concentrated grape juice , and vodka started from granulated sugar.

Tempering means, air exchange and exhaust facilities, and the big sink to wash and rinse and bottle in were big plusses in those activities.

I also use the shleves for overflow book storage for the times when the main bookshelves get full.
This is trasitory, for over the winter we read a lot of the used books we buy cheap, and in the summer we donate them away to a charity to sell them again.

Jim Taylor · Oct 2, 2013

As Mike, I use my permanent DR to indulge my other passion - home-brewing! Nice big sink, and lots of space to work.
I find that the end result of home-brewing and DR session go hand-in-hand - a glass of good wine, whilst appreciating a good print!

Paul Glover · Oct 2, 2013

My darkroom also does duty as my office (with the computer kind of crammed into a corner of the desk next to the enlarger), and rather less optimally is the only place in the apartment where a cat litter box can reasonably be located.

I definitely have to watch out for dust, though it's not as bad as I'd feared it might be.

Rick A · Oct 2, 2013

I leave a small air filtration unit running continuously in my DR, I dry negatives in there with no worries. My cleaning is at a minimum due to it.

cliveh · Oct 2, 2013

jnanian said:
hi clive

i'd hang it from a piece of rope OUTSIDE
and paint it there ...
i wouldn't do that in a darkroom
unless you have made a spray-tent
besides, you'll be huffin' fumes

i don't do anything besides photo stuff in my DR.

John, very good advice and although I have started spraying it in my darkroom, I will finish it in the open air. Thanks.

jumbosilverette · Oct 2, 2013

I converted my bedroom in a Cambridge apartment to a darkroom. Slept underneath the enlarger table for a year.

SMBooth · Oct 2, 2013

My wife thinks the sink would be great for hacking up bodies. Not sure if I should be worried or excited...

Molli · Oct 3, 2013

SMBooth said:
My wife thinks the sink would be great for hacking up bodies. Not sure if I should be worried or excited...

It depends if she means YOUR body!

By the way, tell her she wants to dissolve the body, not hack. A) She can then just wash the remnants down the drain and, B) less wear and tear on the kitchen cutlery

Tony Egan · Oct 3, 2013

I do the final rinse and clean of paint brushes and rollers in the big sink. Also used to wash our dog in the sink before she had to be put down a few years ago. The memory of her skinny shivering body and big pleading eyes still comes back to me occasionally as I'm counting down the fixer.

Other uses for the darkroom

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