Test strip holder

[Joel_L]

Since recently getting my Stop Clock and Zone Master I'm finding I like the way it works. I printed several pictures with it just using the built in Ilford MGRC IV profile. actually gave fair results. After getting more familiar with it, I decided to calibrate my setup and actual paper I use, Ilford MGRC Deluxe ( NEW, I think aka V ). I was just using two pieces of black sheet to make a slot over the paper as I ran through the filters I have. It worked but was cumbersome. I want to fine tune things more so I 3D printed a strip holder for 5x7 paper. Parts fit was a little tight, so I will open it up more then place it on thingiverse in case anyone could use it.

The results are noticeably better even with just my first pass at exposure calibration.

 

[Joel_L]

Here it is if you want it.

Test strip holder 5x7 paper by heliflier

A simple 5x7 paper holder for making exposure test strips. I used SuperSlicer and 23% infill I printed out of PLA and a .4mm nozzle, use what settings work for you. I decided to make the handles separate from the strip covers. I used CA to glue them on after the fact.

www.thingiverse.com

 

[Kino]

Very nice and nice of you to release it to the general public!

 

[gone]

Great idea. Thanks! 5x7 is good, 4x5 would be gooder, but it's a highly commendable piece of work in any case.

Sometimes a regular single test strip will work, but not always. And trying to position several separate strips around on one trial piece of paper is not fun.

 

[pcyco]

thx a lot.

 

[koraks]

That's neat; it would work quite nicely for color/RA4 printing as well.

 

[Joel_L]

Hi,

I can do a 4x5 one fast enough, question is how many strips? I only did 7 on mine because that is how many full grade filters to do to calibrate the Zone Master.

 

[Nicholas Lindan]

Do you remove one of the strips and make an exposure that is the same over the length of the strip using the same VC filter;
=Or=
Do you make a test strip at each location, sliding the plastic strip with a series of exposures, and each strip is exposed with a different filter?

For those without a 3D (or even 2D) plastic printer Durst made a very neat test strip printer that sometimes shows up on ebay. It does a good job of making grey scales of a paper's response.

Easy way to make single-location test-strips

I made one out of Matt board after reading Ralph's PDF. Different but using similar principle. Not sure if my instructions are very clear... I just read them for the first time in years and not sure... needs more picture I think!

www.photrio.com

How do you do test strips?

I have recently seen several home-made test strip makers in photos of darkrooms and was wondering if anyone is willing to part with a good design for making one? I was thinking of buying 1" piano hinges, attaching a 1" wide slat of wood molding (painted black) to each hinge and then attaching...

www.photrio.com

 

[Joel_L]

What I have recently been doing is exposing each strip one at a time using a different filter for each. But there are many ways this could be useful.

 

[grahamp]

The top surfaces of the masks could be painted white if the test strip needs to be in the same place each time with the whole assembly slide sideways.

 

[pentaxuser]

With skills in 3D printing anyone might find it worthwhile to make the test strip printer that Ralph Lambrecht gives dimensions for in his book Way Beyond Monochrome As I recall it he has made the link available on Photrio as well. It has the facility to allow the same part of the negative to be exposed each time in 1 inch strips as well as 7 different parts of the overall negative on a 5x7 sheet

pentaxuser

 

[Laurent]

I made this one, with a top layer in white PLA (don't remember, as far as I remember the 5 final layers are white), and it's perfect, although a big bigger would not be an issue.

Localised test strip maker for darkroom photography