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Thomas safelight

Rolfe Tessem

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Egremont, MA
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I am in the process of constructing a darkroom primarily geared toward large format B&W.

I acquired a Thomas safelight to be used as the main safelight, but I now understand that using any of the analyzer/exposure calculators with this safelight is impossible due to it not being able to switch off and on quickly.

Is this really true? If so, what solutions have others arrived at to be able to use a Heiland Splitgrade, Zonemaster or one of the other similar meters?

Rolfe
 
If it's the duplex, maybe you can just close the lid and open it up again instead of off/on?
 
This is a great safe light ,but not in HMO for this process as the bulb needs to cool down before it will turn on and then it takes several minutes to come up to full power.

We have used one in our gang darkroom for at least 25 years, and perhaps you could shut the trap door to block out the light as we don,t use ours wide open to begin with, as we turn th light trap up towards the ceiling which has a white panel to reflex and spread the light evenly
 
I think turning off and on those sodium vapor tubes is not good for them. The best approach is to close the flaps.
 
Can you design your darkroom to include a door or blind that will shade the baseboard when you are using the analyzer?
 
MattKing said:
Can you design your darkroom to include a door or blind that will shade the baseboard when you are using the analyzer?
Click to expand...

That is actually a great idea and is totally possible due to the relative locations of the safelight (middle of the room) and the enlarger (toward one end of the dry side).

Just wondering if anybody is using the Thomas duplex with an analyzer/exposure meter of any kind?

Rolfe
 
jcc said:
If it's the duplex, maybe you can just close the lid and open it up again instead of off/on?
Click to expand...

With any lamp that will not switch on/off instantaneously a lid (a DIY solution) may be the outcome.
 

George,

Are you using an analyzer and close the doors for the reading, or are you just using the doors to focus/compose on the easel?

Rolfe
 
Just for focus/compose. I have an Ilford 500 head and find the blue/green light very hard to see with the safelight on. No white light option. If you not using secondary filters in the safelight just block out the vanes and make sure the foam or felt is in good shape. I must admit I also have a set of regular switched light that I use at times when switching negatives often. The Thomas is great when making multiples but can be a bit of a pain getting up and reaching for that chain to open and close them as it's on the other side of the room.
 
George,

Thanks for that clarification! My Thomas duplex is in a box -- I need to get it out and figure out where to hang it to make closing the vanes easy!

Rolfe
 

I never was a fan of the thomas afelight.I learned to work in a much darker environment for added safety.
 
RalphLambrecht said:
I never was a fan of the thomas afelight.I learned to work in a much darker environment for added safety.
Click to expand...

Ralph,

Do you have a recommendation for a conventional or LED safelight? Many of the former manufacturers seem to be defunct...

Thanks,

Rolfe

(I'm a big fan of your book BTW-- amazingly comprehensive!)
 
Rolfe Tessem said:
Ralph,

Do you have a recommendation for a conventional or LED safelight? Many of the former manufacturers seem to be defunct...

Thanks,

Rolfe

(I'm a big fan of your book BTW-- amazingly comprehensive!)
Click to expand...

Many of the red LEDs I've tried were not safe.The best safe light, I've foundfor me are ofthe simple metal boxtype,holdinga single 15W bulb and a glass or plastic filter. Idistributed several of them (6)throughout my darkroom.Each of them is very dim,but together they make for an acceptable and safe working environment.Working in very dark conditions is not an issue for me,actually,I find itsoothingand relaxingwith the added benefit of knowing that I don't have to worry aboutfogging the paper in any way,which is the foundation for gettingperfect tonal values in the print.Many people having had problems with flat dull looking prints made perfect prints in my darkroom on their own paperwith their own lens;darkness is key!
 
For turning off and on your safelight

Jon Shiu said:
Takes several minutes to warm up and will be dim until it does, so you don't want to be turning it off/on. I would go with LED safelights instead.

Jon
Click to expand...

This is the best solution. I use a string of red LED party light in my darkroom and they work great. It has zero warmup time and they're made to be turned off and on ie blink. You can get a stand shipped from China for $10 from Ebay.
 

Ralph,

Are you using them with OC (amber) or red filters? Unless I'm missing something, I don't see any advantage to red for B&W printing...

Thanks,

Rolfe
 
I have a Thomas safelight, but it's just too bright for my current darkroom, and the ceiling is too low to hang it without it becoming a hazard to my forehead, so I've packed it up and put it into storage for the time being and put up two Jobo LED safelights, and these provide plenty of light, targeted to where I need it, with no ramp time.

The Jobo Maxilux Color LED safelights have settings for B/W and color (Kodak and Agfa). I haven't printed color for a while, so I'm not sure which is closer to the ideal setting for Fuji. Someone posted the instruction sheet on photo.net here: http://photo.net/black-and-white-photo-printing-finishing-forum/00EwGR
 

So my question would be, and to the group at large, if you're going with multiple smaller safelights, where would you position them relative to the wet side and dry side?

I would think you'd want a small one over the developing tray in addition to whatever is elsewhere in the room. Would you put a separate white light over the washing area?

Rolfe
 
I have one over the developer tray, one aimed at the enlarging easel for positioning the paper and setting borders, plus a little red LED flashlight in case I need to read something in some dark corner.
 
Hi Rolfe,

You can tame the Thomas by using Rubylith. Just trace and cut, works for me.



Dick

Principle Unix System Engineer Yoyodyne Propulsion Systems
 
I love my Duplex, but in my medium sized darkroom keep it throttled back with the vanes just barely cracked open. There was a great thread here a year or more ago with lots of info about the various filters, and tips for refurbishing them.

Still, that doesn't solve the OP's issue so I understand the appeal of LED's. I have a couple of the Jobo's and found them handy with color, but don't bother with them for black and white.
 
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