Rubylith on Darkroom Windows

silvergelatin · Feb 1, 2019

I'm moving my mini-darkroom to another room, and would like something more aesthetically pleasing on the windows than my current acoustic blanket arrangement. I'm afraid blackout curtains are not going to be enough, so I'm planning something to stick to the glass as a secondary measure. I'd prefer the option to allow in red light when not printing rather than using black cling film.

Is Rubylith, even a double layer, enough to lower and redden the levels of whatever may sneak around the edges of a blackout curtain? Thanks.

Pieter12 · Feb 1, 2019

Be aware that over time the Rubylith coating will start to come off the mylar backing, especially if it is exposed to heat. If it is just the edges of the windows you want to cover try to find some litho tape, also deep red and used for masking.

silvergelatin · Feb 1, 2019

Pieter12 said:
Be aware that over time the Rubylith coating will start to come off the mylar backing, especially if it is exposed to heat. If it is just the edges of the windows you want to cover try to find some litho tape, also deep red and used for masking.

Good to know. Thanks. The windows are pretty large, so I'll need to cover the whole area. If I use large sheets that span the width, and secure the edges with gaffers tape, would that keep it together? Or does it flake off and fade with sun exposure? These windows get a lot of direct light.

Pieter12 · Feb 1, 2019

Mostly the red layer is sort of a gel and softens with heat. It might still work for you. Rubylith isn't inexpensive and sounds like you're going to need to buy it by the roll. I don't know if there is a Roscoe gel that is the equivalent, could be less money.

Also, not all blackout curtains are light-tight. I took a small flashlight with me to test them when I went shopping for my darkroom. The ones I found that worked best for me were home theater curtains from Target.

glbeas · Feb 1, 2019

If you really want something that blocks light from heat to uv Ive found that a piece of sheetrock cut to fit inside the window trim tightly then tape the seams with blackout tape of a good quality will be impervious to heat from sunlight, ir leakage, and of course visible light. I found the black plastic poor at blocking and was actually translucent to ir so no good for IR films, blackout curtains took too many layers to block as well as I liked, and aluminum foil too easily pinholed. With a little wood framing and weather seal it can be made removeable if fresh air and light are needed.

Patrick Robert James · Feb 1, 2019

I have a window covered and I used blackout curtain material from JoAnn but I also painted it with black fabric paint. As mentioned above it wasn't light tight as is. I attach it to a frame with velcro around the edge so It doesn't leak through the velcro. The frame is around the outside of the window. Works great, and if I don't want it there, I just take it off. If you spend the little extra time to do that you can have a light tight room and it can be a normal room too. Best of both worlds. It also looks fine too if you want to leave it up since it is taught. Not sloppy looking like blackout plastic would be.

As for your rubylith question you can do that too. I knew a printer who had rubylith covering a window in his darkroom so he could see when clients were at the door. I've experimented with rubylith on a window just to be able to see outside. It makes the darkroom not so cave-ish. In the end though I didn't really care so I abandoned the idea and went totally dark.

Hope that helps you.

silvergelatin · Feb 1, 2019

Pieter12 said:
Mostly the red layer is sort of a gel and softens with heat. It might still work for you. Rubylith isn't inexpensive and sounds like you're going to need to buy it by the roll. I don't know if there is a Roscoe gel that is the equivalent, could be less money.

Also, not all blackout curtains are light-tight. I took a small flashlight with me to test them when I went shopping for my darkroom. The ones I found that worked best for me were home theater curtains from Target.

I looked into plain gels as well, but they are also expensive. I though that maybe the combination of the Ruby and a normal home theater blackout curtain would be dark enough.

silvergelatin · Feb 1, 2019

glbeas said:
If you really want something that blocks light from heat to uv Ive found that a piece of sheetrock cut to fit inside the window trim tightly then tape the seams with blackout tape of a good quality will be impervious to heat from sunlight, ir leakage, and of course visible light. I found the black plastic poor at blocking and was actually translucent to ir so no good for IR films, blackout curtains took too many layers to block as well as I liked, and aluminum foil too easily pinholed. With a little wood framing and weather seal it can be made removeable if fresh air and light are needed.

Sounds a bit too ambitious for me. I'm only printing, so no film or IR materials (I use a dark tent for film loading).

silvergelatin · Feb 1, 2019

Patrick Robert James said:
I have a window covered and I used blackout curtain material from JoAnn but I also painted it with black fabric paint. As mentioned above it wasn't light tight as is. I attach it to a frame with velcro around the edge so It doesn't leak through the velcro. The frame is around the outside of the window. Works great, and if I don't want it there, I just take it off. If you spend the little extra time to do that you can have a light tight room and it can be a normal room too. Best of both worlds. It also looks fine too if you want to leave it up since it is taught. Not sloppy looking like blackout plastic would be.

As for your rubylith question you can do that too. I knew a printer who had rubylith covering a window in his darkroom so he could see when clients were at the door. I've experimented with rubylith on a window just to be able to see outside. It makes the darkroom not so cave-ish. In the end though I didn't really care so I abandoned the idea and went totally dark.

Hope that helps you.

Thanks! Seems like it is viable then to combine Rubylith and a blackout curtain.

Jim Jones · Feb 1, 2019

The rubylith used to keep room light out of the darkroom had faded in a darkroom I once worked in, although it may have been in place a long time.

silvergelatin · Feb 1, 2019

Jim Jones said:
The rubylith used to keep room light out of the darkroom had faded in a darkroom I once worked in, although it may have been in place a long time.

If I can get ~5 years out of it, I'd be happy.

ic-racer · Feb 2, 2019

silvergelatin said:
I looked into plain gels as well, but they are also expensive

??

ic-racer · Feb 2, 2019

I used the #27 in my enlarger to make it safe for B&W material. It came with olive color filters for some level of color material safety.

silvergelatin · Feb 2, 2019

ic-racer said:
??
View attachment 216205 View attachment 216206

I saw that, but 24” is a bit narrow, so I’d have a mess of gaffers tape around the edges. Plus I’d need at least 8 of them. Still an option, though.

silvergelatin · Feb 2, 2019

ic-racer said:
I used the #27 in my enlarger to make it safe for B&W material. It came with olive color filters for some level of color material safety.

View attachment 216207

If they made a wider roll version, it would probably cost the same as Rubylith. I just ordered a roll of the latter for about $100, and will have plenty left over for other purposes, if I find any . Cheap but well rated black 99% "blackout" curtain will go over top. I think this should be enough, but we shall see.

scheimfluger_77 · Feb 2, 2019

ic-racer said:
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View attachment 216205 View attachment 216206

Someone on this or the LFF forum touts #19 “Fire” as perfect in his darkroom. I have some of that and use it as filters (2 sheets) in 5x7 lights. It passes the CD test easily, haven’t checked it with a real safelight test though.

MattKing · Feb 2, 2019

The #19 "Fire" gels are apparently well suited for use with the Thomas Sodium Vapor discharge safelights.
I've not heard that they were suitable for other light sources.

Rubylith on Darkroom Windows

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