Square One.

The 1st time I went to get one of my 35mm films developed at the local shop, I made enquiries about B&W film and developing costs. It turns out that now colour is the more prevelant format used, B&W developing is more expensive.(Plus as I live in a small town,the roll would have to be sent away for developement)
I have got round this so far by shooting on C41 film, but it lacks the definition and tone that I want, and depending on where you get the shots developed, can have a coloured hue to the results.
I'll be sending off my B&W films in the future to an online service to get them developed, but this is an imperfect solution.
As I am on a very limited budget, I think it would be more cost effective in the long run to set up a basic B&W darkroom at home, but am clueless about where to start!
Please can anyone suggest an online site that explains everything an idiot (er....that would be me!) ~would need to know?? The equipment required....and the process itself!
Basically everything!

Thank You!
Richard

Try this http://www.photogs.com/bwworld/bwfilmdev.html

BTW it's really easy. Esp. if you have a 'daylight' developer tank like a Patterson(Sp?). And it's cost effective too. Look around for 2nd hand gear, normally works fine. good luck.

You'll still need to print -- though secondhand scanners are cheap and plentiful these days too. As are enlargers.

try this one too Richard - http://www.ilford.com/html/us_english/pdf/Film Hobbyist.PDF

I was developing films in my kitchen using a changing bag and a patterson tank for several weeks before getting my darkroom up and running. It is a very easy thing to do. I then scanned my negs into my computer. Of course, now i have a darkroom i wouldn't dream of performing any sordid digital acts on my celluloid these days

Thanks for the links guys!
Guess what I'll be buying on ebay soon?
I've also been on the hunt for a neg scanner for ages, but like I said before, I'm on a tight budget so I need to be a little lucky too! I'll keep an eye out for an enlarger too now!
Your help and advice is much appeciated, thanks!

Develop your film at home and then take your film to a photolab for prints - It is very easy and inexpensive to do this.

Ebay is a great place to pick up inexpensive darkroom equipment. I have acquired a complete darkroom set up that way. People are going digital and the stuff can be picked up for a song. I picked up a dry mount press that sells for $800 new for $150 and the shipping was only about $35. My enlarger was sent from California to New York and arrived in perfect condition. Don't worry about shipping. The best deals can be had by buying complete set ups. I decided to pick and choose what I wanted and payed a little more. Still much less than buying from a retail store, even used.

Beware of dust

I think you should try and use a bathroom for the developing.
mainly to reduce the dust as its a problem.
The other ways are to have a clean set of darkroom clothing that should be made of cotton or nondusty/hairy matter.
The purchase of an ioniser can be helpful.
as too cleaning the room the day b4 and in morning moping the floor to reduce the dust.
The access to hot and cold water is useful as is drainage.
drying the film in the shower will assist in reduction of dust but a film drying cabnet is a extra that can be useful.

Water purity can be an issue filtration can help this as alternatly
purchasing mineral water.

Also the papers are expensive so a scanner is a better budget choice.though archival options are lesser.

Measuring jugs can be bought secondhand really cheaply as too the
funnel and storage bottles.
marbles can be added to some bottles to reduce the air degradation.
Squeezy ones are the best but they cost sooo much.

also needed

thermoter ...get a good one dont scrimp
scissors
film extractor
daylight tank
changebag or thick cotton blankets
Film hanging wieghts or paper clamps
Funnel for keeping the chemicals
storage bottles for chemicals (store in a fridge under lock and key)
((ad marbles to normal opage ones to reduce the oxidization))
jugs at least 3 of 2 litre jugs with 100 mls increments on them.
smaller jug with smaller mls increments
a timer with coundown function.it needs to measure seconds and at least two minutes.
A Toothbrush for cleaning the spools.
Stirrer if you buy the powdered chems.
The chemicals Id choose the powdered variety.
or maybe liquid rodinal developer.
larger storage vessels for mixing the bulk powder.

Cheap books are readly available second hand
for as little as $5. second hand. the info may be old but its usually a good starting point.

I have always processed my roll film out side of a darkroom. Day light tanks are great. I avoid patterson because of the three I have owned all leaked chemistry. Yankee is not as leaky. If you process you not only save money but have control. As for budget I would say setting up a darkroom-if you have room- would be the best way to go. paper is not super expensive unless you do not exercise control in the darkroom. This is where controling your negative will be vry beneficial. A good well exposed and properly developed negative will print on much less paper than one that is too thin or too dense.

Good luck. If you have room for a darkroom, I am envious.

Mark is right about the Patterson tanks. Mine leaks most of the time ( less than 60 rolls old!) and I have 3 friends and 2 former classmates who aslo complained about leakage. There are several brands to choose from. Patterson while tending to be messy, are usually the cheapest.

Thank you for all your help.

I WILL probably get a B&W developing kit...and learn step by step, like I am with taking the pictures!
As for space for a darkroom, I'll try to fix up a window screen for the bathroom, and use there as a base of operations! LOL
As for ebay, I get all my photography equipment from there!! All! LOL (The one camera and 4 lenses and a x3 teleconverter!!...and my latest buy ~ A tripod!)
Film is the only thing that I buy in the shops, and the developing of course! (for the moment at least!)
I hope that changes soon in the future.
Thanks once more.

Richard

Richard I have a set of Ilford multigrade filters (slightly tatty but fuctional) and an Ilford book with detailed instructions on multigrade printing. They're yours if you want them, i'll pay the postage if you put a couple of quid in the next childrens charity box you see. If you want them PM me with your address.