Setting up a new Darkroom

[ndwgolf]

Wow what a day. This morning I went to see the Meopta enlarger........... it's in great working order but only comes with a 105 lens. I'm thinking I can use it for contact prints until such time as I can get an 80mm lens for printing 6x6 negs.
I got chatting with Mr Ng and I mentioned to him that eventually I want to get a 4x5 enlarger. He said come and see this. He had a fantastic looking Durst 4x5 enlarger with all the trimmings.......... I say that, Mr Ng said he needs to round Everything up to make sure all is there and if so I can have it for $1100 bucks.
The color Meopta has built in filters but I have no idea really how to use it but I will have fun trying it all out.
Here is a picture of me starting the painting of the old maids bedroom...........
Pictures to follow

 

[MattKing]

Why are you painting it dark? You want it light (beige is good), except possibly right behind the enlarger.

 

[ndwgolf]

Why are you painting it dark? You want it light (beige is good), except possibly right behind the enlarger.

Opps thats a screw up then......I figured I needed the dark room matt black. The one i did my darkroom class in was Black??

Neil

 

[Mick Fagan]

You can use the 105mm lens for 6x6 negatives, you just will not be able to do maximum enlargements of any negative that the enlarger is capable of doing with the correct format lens.

My darkroom is white, it reflects as much safelight as possible. I have a white ceiling, one of the safelights faces the ceiling; this gives my darkroom a nice even light. I have two other safelights, one over the dry area, the other over the wet area. I can switch them on and off individually.

The Meopta could be a very good enlarger, most of the Meopta enlargers I have owned and used, had a colour head with a neutral density wheel, this is extremely handy to have. Very handy if you do a perfect print at a medium enlargement with half of the neutral density dialed in, then wish to either make a larger or smaller print. You measure the filtered light, without a negative at whatever height the enlarger is set at. Then you replace the negative, compose to either a smaller or larger print. Remove the negative, measure the filtered light and change the density wheel until you get the same time reading of your perfect print. Replace the negative, do critical focus, then make another perfect print at the new shorter or longer time.

There is one caveat, it is possible, likely even, that if you do a huge change in enlargement from your perfect print, you will be almost on the money. As you enlarge or reduce there are slight differences, these are normally not an issue, but with great changes, it is possible you may encounter around a 1/12 of a stop difference from a postcard sized print to one that uses the entire base board of your enlarger.

Mick.

 

[Nige]

colour head filtration for B&W.... look up the charts that specify how much Yellow and Magenta to dial in to maintain constant exposure. I don't do that, I just add magenta (or very rarely yellow) and alter the time a little bit (then do a little test print to confirm my choice!)

developing sheets in trays.... you don't need to agitate like a washing machine. In fact if you're doing multiple sheets at once, not sure you do much agitation as such, the act of shuffling the sheets is the agitation. When doing one sheet just rock the tray in different directions (think what happens when you agitate a roll film in a tank. you move the developer about then let it sit for 30secs to a minute!)

LC29 is a pretty active developer. I use to use it more dilute at times. A longer developing time means any error in timing (due to not being able to pick the sheet up, or find the next tray, etc) means less percentage error. However, standing around in the dark for a super long time isn't really fun either, find a happy medium.

If you don't want to poke your fingers in the chemistry, use those nitrile (or whatever is the latest recommendation). Tongs are for mugs or experts (phew, that shouldn't get too many people offended!)

Mick's point about changing prints sizes. I'd add that most times I'll increase paper grade also as the print size increases. I think it's is a visual thing.

I also have a light (a shade of beige!) coloured darkroom with the safelight facing the roof.

Maybe run a print though in the dark as a test for the film. Paper lot cheaper than film

 

[ndwgolf]

Question..
Malaysia is 240v The enlarger comes with a 12v transformer and my gralab timer is 110v
I'm guessing that the enlarger goes straight into the 12 volt transformer. The transformer then goes into the gralab timer and then I need another transformer from 240 to 110v....... is that correct or am I missing something???
Neil

 

[eddie]

......I figured I needed the dark room matt black. The one i did my darkroom class in was Black??[\QUOTE]


It's quite possible your classroom darkroom was black. When there are multiple printing stations, having black surfaces makes sense. It helps reduce the chances of stray light from another enlarger affecting your paper. In an individual darkroom, lighter surfaces make for a more comfortable environment ( though the advice to paint the area behind your enlarger black is a good one).

 

[MattKing]

Tongs are for mugs or experts (phew, that shouldn't get too many people offended!)

If you have running water available to rinse off your nitrile gloves, they are a great choice.
Otherwise, find tongs you like and use them.
Don't fall into the bad habit of using bare fingers. You might be fine, or you might develop sensitivity that can make darkroom work much less fun.

 

[ndwgolf]

A little update. My darkroom is just about complete. Today I picked up my new 8x10...... wow frigging wow. After getting it all set up I took two pictures, one of my wife the second of the same flower arrangement that I took with my 4x5.

Because I'm using TRIX320 I had to mix my first batch of D76.......... that did not go to plan. Because I don't have a gallon container I decided to make a 1/2 gallon concentration instead. I added the bag of chemicals to 3 pints of cold water and 20 minutes later I couldn't understand why the chemicals hadn't devolved. I checked the packaging and noticed that I was meant to have used hot water. So I put that mix in the microwave on 800 for 5 minutes and warmed that puppy up. Twenty minutes later I had 600ml in the freezer waiting for it to get to 20 deg.

After 15 minutes it was ready so into the darkroom I popped and developed my first sheet of 8x10 in trays.......... wonderful

The neg looks amazing with lots of shades of gray....... it's currently drying now and tomorrow morning I'm going to make my first ever contact print......... pictures to follow

I've come up with a neat way to time this process in the dark.

I use the iPhone app massive Dev which gives me the first 6 minutes time along with tick tock tick tock

I set the grabxxx timer to 12 minutes and start both clocks.

I then I remove the film from the holder and pop it in the Dev. The time it takes to get it out of the holder and into the Dev is my 10 to 15% reduced devolving time.

Once the iPhone app bell goes off at 6 minutes I pop the neg in the stop and count that one minute in my head. I then put the neg in the fix and the gradxxx will stop me after the 5 minutes is up.

Later

 

[Ai Print]

You have come a long way since bashing film as an option in the Leica forum a few years back.

Enjoy it, film is a great journey.

 

[ndwgolf]

You have come a long way since bashing film as an option in the Leica forum a few years back.

Enjoy it, film is a great journey.

yes I have....and loving every minute ......well most of them

 

[Ronald Moravec]

The sizes you mention are large prints. Two thing to know. You will need neg carriers that hold film flat. This means at least top side glass or better both and the top needs to be anti newton glass. Second, enlarging lenses are made for size ranges and you will need the ones made for large prints. Unfortunately I have forgotten what they are.

 

[Logan Becker]

The sizes you mention are large prints. Two thing to know. You will need neg carriers that hold film flat. This means at least top side glass or better both and the top needs to be anti newton glass. Second, enlarging lenses are made for size ranges and you will need the ones made for large prints. Unfortunately I have forgotten what they are.

The largest enlarging lens I've worked with is a Wollensak 135mm for 4x5 enlargments. Looks like he has an 8x10 so you'll need something bigger.