Time to ACT

I have GAS bad and constantly look at buying new cameras, despite really not needing a new one. Sure there's always some niche that is waiting to be filled by a new camera but by and large, 90% of my camera needs have been filled.

What I truly need to do is get off my bum and BUILD a dark room. I have been sitting on this for almost a full year and am still dead in the water, primarily for two reasons. One, I managed to buy a house that does not have a room that can be made 100% dark. This is the #1 reason why I have done nothing. I have space in my basement to use as a dark room, but it has windows in it that I do not know how to cover. They are up in near the ceiling and are not easily accessed with all the plumbing as well as flooring that is near them. Covering up these windows is not easy and I have 3 of them to cover. I should post a picture of these so people have an idea what I'm up against and will do so as a follow up to this post. If I can get these windows covered, the room will be 95% or more light tight with the remaining 5% related to the door.

The second reason I've not done anything is my total lack of knowledge about what enlarger to buy, and then how to even buy it! I scan craigslist all the time looking for enlargers but rarely find anything that looks suitable. Old, crusty, beat up machines seem to be the only thing available.

I need an enlarger that can print up to 6 x 9 negatives, (4, x 5 would be nice), and make print sizes up to 16 x 20. That's my long term goal.

I'm hoping that the collective wisdom of this forum can get me out if this rut and help me construct a dark room before I fail again and end up buying yet more camera gear.

This will not be an easy challenge!

Beseler 45-vxl or saunders 4550 would be good choices, or anything even bigger and better by durst, kaiser, etc., if you have the space and inclination. I like the 45vxl since it is adjustable, well built, many head choices, and parts are not hard to find. Just go with a 4x5 enlarger from the get-go, IMNSHO. Good luck!

Have a think about making your three windows light tight from the outside.

Willyekerslike said:

Have a think about making your three windows light tight from the outside.

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I thought about that, but how would you do it? These are block type windows.

Go to the hardware store and buy a big roll of thick, black plastic tarp. A few layers of that over each window and some creative taping and you will be light tight. Back before I built my darkroom, I did this and never had a problem. My windows weren't finished so I just used a putty knife to tuck the plastic between the frames and the block wall.

As for enlargers, the LPL 4x5 series are Mercedes, just superlative. But you will more likely find a Beseler 45 or 23C. Either of those is a good choice. Lens boards and parts are easy to find. I'd try to find a clean 45. People are practically giving them away these days.

Re the windows, If you can wedge some pieces of thick insulation foam sheet to block the bulk of it up then attack the smaller leaks with light blocking fabric, tape etc. The foam can be cut easily to fit around pipes etc. It doesn't sound like it needs to be a tidy elegant solution.

GregW said:

Re the windows, If you can wedge some pieces of thick insulation foam sheet to block the bulk of it up then attack the smaller leaks with light blocking fabric, tape etc. The foam can be cut easily to fit around pipes etc. It doesn't sound like it needs to be a tidy elegant solution.

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Thank you, I will investigate this. No it doesnt need to be tidy, but being removable would not be bad either, so that the wife can have some light at various times. I'll look into this the next time I'm at the hardware store.

ParkerSmithPhoto said:

Go to the hardware store and buy a big roll of thick, black plastic tarp. A few layers of that over each window and some creative taping and you will be light tight. Back before I built my darkroom, I did this and never had a problem. My windows weren't finished so I just used a putty knife to tuck the plastic between the frames and the block wall.

As for enlargers, the LPL 4x5 series are Mercedes, just superlative. But you will more likely find a Beseler 45 or 23C. Either of those is a good choice. Lens boards and parts are easy to find. I'd try to find a clean 45. People are practically giving them away these days.

Click to expand...

Interesting idea, but I'm not sure taping will be sufficient to last any length of time. I have a rough brick surface on the outside and I dont imagine that's good for taping.

Still, I'll look into this because the cost of tarps is pretty minimal.

Thank you.

Well, there is an old saying I have found to be too true:

You build your first darkroom for your worst enemy,
Your second for your friend,
and your third for yourself.

It takes a while to determine just what you need...

Question: How many enlarging lenses will I need to print 35mm, 6 x 4.5 and 6 x 7 negatives?

You need to think about, budget, space, how large of prints do you want to make, B&W or B&W and Color? What is your water source, do you have a drain, how many electrical outlets, is there a utility sink or do you need to install a sink? Does your basement flood? It is it heated? Do you have access to hot water.

In terms of covering the windows you can use black out cloth, use strips of base board fastened to the wall to frame the windows and hold the cloth in place, just use mason screws. For the door, use a length of blackout cloth as a curtain. If you plan on using FB paper do you have room for a set of print drying screens? How about a mounting press?

Thinking about an enlarger how much headroom do you have? How large is the door what can you fit though it without having to take equipment apart. If you have carpentry skills you can build a sink and enlarger bench. You need to follow code to install a sink and might need to hire a Plummer.

If you think you may move to 4X5 then Bessler, Omega, LPL are all good. For 6X9 a Bessler 23C will work fine with a 50mm, 80, and 90 to 105mm les. If you plan on doing color then you want a newer model with a color head that can be repaired, bulbs are still available as are replacement filter bands. I can do color, but rather than a color head I use color correction filters.

So first is budget, then start pricing out what you need, don't forget the small stuff like trays, bottles, tongs.

Beseler 23C does 6x9, is easy to find and negative carriers are pretty easy to find too. The standard 23C will enlarge 6x9 on the baseboard using a 105mm lens about 13x19in, if you are set on 16x20 the taller XL version is needed. One of the issues with used enlargers from places like ebay is getting it shipped without damage, to avoid this problem I chose to purchase a vintage Beseler 23C unit that was NIB, I paid good money for it, however it did arrive in one piece.
There is a Kaiser 6x9 enlarger VP9005 that I have seen listed at Freestyle new for about $800, http://www.freestylephoto.biz/456003-Kaiser-VPM9005-Black-and-White-Multigrade-Enlarger-Kit they also make a version with integral VC filters VPM9005 for more money. The distance from column to center of the lens is given as 8.7in so this will do a little bit more than 16x20 with the appropriate lens.

Lens for 35mm = 50mm
6x6 = 75 or 80mm also used for 6x4.5
6x7 = 90mm
6x9 = 105mm

most modern lenses have a universal 39mm thread.
Four element lenses are cheaper, but six element lenses are better for high quality work, they are keepers.

Paul Howell said:

You need to think about, budget, space, how large of prints do you want to make, B&W or B&W and Color? What is your water source, do you have a drain, how many electrical outlets, is there a utility sink or do you need to install a sink? Does your basement flood? It is it heated? Do you have access to hot water.

In terms of covering the windows you can use black out cloth, use strips of base board fastened to the wall to frame the windows and hold the cloth in place, just use mason screws. For the door, use a length of blackout cloth as a curtain. If you plan on using FB paper do you have room for a set of print drying screens? How about a mounting press?

Thinking about an enlarger how much headroom do you have? How large is the door what can you fit though it without having to take equipment apart. If you have carpentry skills you can build a sink and enlarger bench. You need to follow code to install a sink and might need to hire a Plummer.

If you think you may move to 4X5 then Bessler, Omega, LPL are all good. For 6X9 a Bessler 23C will work fine with a 50mm, 80, and 90 to 105mm les. If you plan on doing color then you want a newer model with a color head that can be repaired, bulbs are still available as are replacement filter bands. I can do color, but rather than a color head I use color correction filters.

So first is budget, then start pricing out what you need, don't forget the small stuff like trays, bottles, tongs.

Click to expand...

My budget is really not an issue. I dont want to overspend on anything but will spend whatever it takes to get this set up right. I have probably $8000 worth of camera gear and $0 worth of dark room equpiment. I need to spend more on the dark room side.

My basement is pretty functional. I have heat, water & sink, and space. I need to buy a work table or two, along with all the photographic equipment. I dont know exactly how much head space I have, but I'll get somewhere between 6.5 and 7 feet. The door is large enough to fit a furnace, washer, and dryer through it.

I dont know anything about FB paper or drying screens.

I dont know if I will attempt color. My gut feeling is that no, I'll just stick with monochrome.

Thanks for your reply.

tedr1 said:

Beseler 23C does 6x9, is easy to find and negative carriers are pretty easy to find too. The standard 23C will enlarge 6x9 on the baseboard using a 105mm lens about 13x19in, if you are set on 16x20 the taller XL version is needed. One of the issues with used enlargers from places like ebay is getting it shipped without damage, to avoid this problem I chose to purchase a vintage Beseler 23C unit that was NIB, I paid good money for it, however it did arrive in one piece.
There is a Kaiser 6x9 enlarger VP9005 that I have seen listed at Freestyle new for about $800, http://www.freestylephoto.biz/456003-Kaiser-VPM9005-Black-and-White-Multigrade-Enlarger-Kit they also make a version with integral VC filters VPM9005 for more money. The distance from column to center of the lens is given as 8.7in so this will do a little bit more than 16x20 with the appropriate lens.

Lens for 35mm = 50mm
6x6 = 75 or 80mm also used for 6x4.5
6x7 = 90mm
6x9 = 105mm

most modern lenses have a universal 39mm thread.
Four element lenses are cheaper, but six element lenses are better for high quality work, they are keepers.

Click to expand...

Thank you for this link. The price listed there is $1149, but i like the idea of buying a new enlarger rather than one off craigslist which may be of questionable quality. We'll see.

Yes, the link was for the version with VC filters built in, sorry for the confusion, here's the "straight" model http://www.freestylephoto.biz/454001-Kaiser-VP9005-Black-and-White-Condenser-Enlarger

with this model the chosen VC filter (the Ilford set) is placed in the sliding drawer above the negative. This is the same method used on the Beseler 23C.

You might try some black foam core and gaffers tape.

A roll of black plastic sheet from a lawn & garden store is inexpensive and efficient, and will last a lifetime. As Greg says, wedging two or three layers of it into the window frame with foamcore or foam sheet insulation is quick and removable. A little black duct tape can patch any light leaks.
As for enlargers, a 4x5 is versatile lifetime investment. However, don't pass up anything that is cheap and available for a starter. Most are durable, so age is less important than their condition. My main enlarger is a 60-year-old 4x5 DeJur.
Consider a source of water and a drain, and electrical outlets. For years I had walking, not running, water in a darkroom. I walked in with jugs or buckets of water, and walked out with buckets of drain water. Storing several milk jugs of water in the darkroom provided water at room temperature. Extension cords served as many of the outlets. It's really no great inconvenience when one gets accustomed to it. Good ventilation may be necessary. I've often done without that. Basements can be dusty. Partitioning off just the area you need with some of that black plastic sheet may facilitate dust control. More of it used as a curtain at the door can provide good access and block light there.

RattyMouse said:

Interesting idea, but I'm not sure taping will be sufficient to last any length of time. I have a rough brick surface on the outside and I dont imagine that's good for taping.

Still, I'll look into this because the cost of tarps is pretty minimal.

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It's been a few years since I built my own darkroom. I had forgotten that at one point I was just using large sheets of black foam core over the windows. At night, if my neighbors (about 20 feet away from my windows) had their lights off, I could pop the foam core in the windows and start printing. Even though they weren't perfectly light tight, there was so little light it didn't matter. I also used the black tarp and just hung it down from the floor joists above.

RattyMouse said:

My budget is really not an issue. I dont want to overspend on anything but will spend whatever it takes to get this set up right. I have probably $8000 worth of camera gear and $0 worth of dark room equpiment. I need to spend more on the dark room side.

My basement is pretty functional. I have heat, water & sink, and space. I need to buy a work table or two, along with all the photographic equipment. I dont know exactly how much head space I have, but I'll get somewhere between 6.5 and 7 feet. The door is large enough to fit a furnace, washer, and dryer through it.

I dont know anything about FB paper or drying screens.

I dont know if I will attempt color. My gut feeling is that no, I'll just stick with monochrome.

Thanks for your reply.

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If you have an ample budget and hot water I would look into a purpose built darkroom sink, large enough for at least 4 11X14 trays, and a print washer, trays for developer, stop bath, first fix and second fix. A darkroom sink allows you keep tray in a bath of warm water to keep the chemistry at 68 degrees, in your neck of the woods cold winters. I recommend that you to look into the difference between fiber based and resin coated papers, a significant difference in wash time and drying between the 2. Resin coated paper can be dried with an infrared dryer or even a hair dryer, fiber based paper needs to air dried on screens, in blotter books, or using a print dryer. Washing is much longer, can be done in trays, old style water driven mechanical rotary washer or slot type archival dryer. Some folks really like the final look of FB prints, while others think the days of FB are behind us and RC is as good as FB.

In terms of used vs new enlarger. Professional grade enlargers were built to last, my Omega D3 is 50 or so years old, I bought it used 40 years ago. Bessler 23c are rugged, if you can find a used newer model I would give it consideration. Color heads can be used to print VC papers, replacing the standard Iflord or Foma printing filters. Another good thing about the 23c, depending on your layout it can be turned horizontal and shoot to the wall for very big enlargements. I usually print 8X10 and 11X14 but I can print up to 16X20 by using a print drum and motor base if needed.

In the end if you have the resources you may to overbuild, 4X5, color capacity so in case you want to expand you have the darkroom already set up.

Ratty, I'm a few hours away from you; north of Grand Rapids. I have a couple of extra Beseler 23CII enlargers that I would be willing to part with. I may be looking at a couple of 23CII with color heads this weekend cheap. If they look good, I could pick one up for you. I may have a couple lenses to get you started as well.

RattyMouse said:

Question: How many enlarging lenses will I need to print 35mm, 6 x 4.5 and 6 x 7 negatives?

Click to expand...

Tim Stapp said:

Ratty, I'm a few hours away from you; north of Grand Rapids. I have a couple of extra Beseler 23CII enlargers that I would be willing to part with. I may be looking at a couple of 23CII with color heads this weekend cheap. If they look good, I could pick one up for you. I may have a couple lenses to get you started as well.

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Tim, please PM me the details of what you are proposing. Thanks!

Thanks for the input folks. This weekend I'm going to work on covering up those windows. I'll let you know how well I did (or didnt do) next week.

When I built my darkroom, I just walked into the studio side and grabbed a 5' roll of black seamless and a roll of black gaffer tape. It's held up for years with the occasional tape patch.

I think friction fitting foam insulation board is a better idea, you can whittle away at it, it's cheap, and you can finish up with gaffer tape. I wouldn't mess with exterior solutions. I grew up with those high-bay basement windows in Michigan, and the hardest part should be vacuuming all the dead flies and dust out.

Dear RattyMouse,

I find Dead Link Removed to be quite handy. My setup is in an attached garage. The material covers a small window and the window in a door to the outside. I used cardboard painted black on the small windows in the garage door.

Good luck,

Neal Wydra