Paper safes

[Carol]

Could someone please post the brand names of a couple of paper safes to make it easier for me to locate info about them. Also if there is anything in the way of bad design I should avoid. Many thanks.

 

[clogz]

I have got a Restem paper safe. Good design.

 

[Carol]

Many thanks. That will narrow my search field.

 

[Carol]

Lol. Would you believe Shakespeare's "Othello" contains restem+paper+safe.

 

[clogz]

Ha! Rest 'em papers in a safe?

 

[Carol]

Ah! You speak Shakespeare. Thanks for the chuckle as well as the info.

 

[jim appleyard]

I think Patterson makes/made them.

Brandess/Kalt, too. I think their site is bka.com

 

[FrankB]

I think Patterson makes/made them.

Brandess/Kalt, too. I think their site is bka.com

Just a quick aside - in Tim Rudman's darkroom book he includes instructions for making (amongst other things) light-tight paper drawer. It doesn't look like rocket science and might be an alternative worth considering...

 

[kwmullet]

Just a quick aside - in Tim Rudman's darkroom book he includes instructions for making (amongst other things) light-tight paper drawer. It doesn't look like rocket science and might be an alternative worth considering...

FrankB,

You beat me to it.

I've decomissioned my previous darkroom and it'll take (probably) a few months to build the next one, so I'm darkroomless right now. The new darkroom will have one or more papersafe drawers. It seems way more practical if you can afford the space.

I found what look like good plans for building one here:
http://www.darkroomsource.net/papersafe.shtml

Somewhere, the now defunct Pure Silver archives, I fear, I ran across a PDF someone made from a hand-drawn plan from John Sexton for much the same thing, but I can't find it just now.

I used your basic top opening papersafe box for the most recent darkroom, and when counter space is at a premium, it can be a bit of a PITA. I'm looking forward to using (a) drawer(s) instead.

-KwM-

 

[rjr]

Frank,

I´m in the process of building two of these with a friend of mine, following the Rudman design. Not that difficult and quite affordable at some 15EUR per safe.

There is another "public domain"-design out there at darkroomagic.com, Ralph Lambrecht´s website. He put a pdf with a sketch made by John Sexton in the download section.

Carol,

somewhere I got a stack of old darkroom magazines, in one of these is a listing of 10 or 20 different designs and brands. I´ll dig them out tomorrow and post that listing.

 

[Donald Qualls]

I have here a Premier front-opening paper safe. I'd prefer it to hinge at the top (less chance of accidental opening when moving the safe), but this one has a sprung hinge at the bottom, tongue and groove light trap on the door, and three shelves inside large enough for 8x10. I will likely add a spring latch of some kind to prevent accidental opening.

I got it used, don't know if they're still made or not.

 

[kwmullet]

[...]
There is another "public domain"-design out there at darkroomagic.com, Ralph Lambrecht´s website. He put a pdf with a sketch made by John Sexton in the download section.
[...]

RJR,

Thanks for the vital clues. Here's a link to the sexton drawing on Lambrecht's website:
Dead Link Removed

-KwM-

 

[geraldatwork]

They show up on ebay all of the time. The simple ones (which I have) can be had for around $15 or so. I have one for 8x10 paper and another for 11x14. I like to store my paper in the original boxes or envelopes. I take out enough sheets for what I anticipate for a session and place it in the safe. Whatever is left over after a session I put back in the box. That way I don't have to worry if it is perfectly safe in full bright light.

 

[glbeas]

I've always liked the Brumberger paper safe with the rollup door. Automatic closure with the help of Mean Mister Gravity. Multiple shelves inside. Heres one I found with a breif Ebay search. Looks rough but its the same size of the one I have.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=629&item=7500656033&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW

 

[hka]

Just a quick aside - in Tim Rudman's darkroom book he includes instructions for making (amongst other things) light-tight paper drawer. It doesn't look like rocket science and might be an alternative worth considering...

I made this one some day's before. It works perfect and the construction is light tight and easy to make. Otherwise ask your carpenter making it for you I think it will be cheaper dan buying one. The cost for a new one are between $ 150 and $300,= depends on model and size.

 

[Nige]

I've got one like Donald. Very easy to use but needs benchspace to sit on. I only put enough paper in it for what I'm doing. Mine has 3 shelves and I tend to put cut up pieces for test strips on one shelf, full 8x10 sheets on the next one and if I have exposed sheets that I haven't developed (eg. when producing postcards or similar prionts I will develop at once) on the 3rd shelf.

I bought it at http://www.newdark.com.au/ when they had them on 'special' but it was still a bit pricey! I've only ever seen a couple of paper safes of various types come up on eBay, they probably get sold on as part of whole darkroom setups.

 

[jim appleyard]

I have here a Premier front-opening paper safe. I'd prefer it to hinge at the top (less chance of accidental opening when moving the safe), but this one has a sprung hinge at the bottom, tongue and groove light trap on the door, and three shelves inside large enough for 8x10. I will likely add a spring latch of some kind to prevent accidental opening.

I got it used, don't know if they're still made or not.

Yes, they're still made. About $50.00

 

[panchromatic]

I bought mine off of ebay, it cost me like 10 bucks... its a simple design, if i where to have more of a workspace (my darkroom is in a temp phase) i would have gotten something better.

 

[Carol]

Thank you so much for all the info. You know if you've never seen something, it's kind of hard to imagine how it works. I shall now go and check out all the suggested sites and go from there. Much appreciated.