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Ventilation for closet darkroom

A paper safe is definitely the best kind of container but if you don't have a spare one to use this way, it strikes me that the Ilford boxes in which paper is contained should make a pretty good light safe container.

The lids cover the bottom half of the box by quite a lot and light has difficulty bending round 2 x 90 degree corners to get into the exposed paper

Caveat. I have never tried this so cannot verify it definitely works

pentaxuser
 

I use Ilford boxes as paper safes. I keep the paper inside the original black plastic bag inside the box, and light cannot enter both box and bag.
I keep a few sheets in a 25-sheet box, and refill from my 100-sheet box as needed, so the 100 sheets experience less handling and risk.
 
If you are constantly moving exposed prints from room to room, the convenience and efficiency of a paper safe will make the procedure much quicker and enjoyable.
You can get the same quality of results from the combination of a light proof inner bag and the outer paper box, but not the same convenience and efficiency.
 
MattKing said:
If you are constantly moving exposed prints from room to room, the convenience and efficiency of a paper safe will make the procedure much quicker and enjoyable.
Click to expand...

I didn't think of that.
BTW, an ammo box would probably work. Mine is nearly 11" long, so an 8x10 bent into a U-shape would easily fit. They have watertight seals around the top, so I doubt light will enter them.
 
What I was hoping someone would say is that with a box only, you have the convenience of a paper safe as the black bag for the quick trip to the processing room can be dispensed with

I am now tempted to expose a sheet, place it into an empty Ilford paper box move it out of the darkroom for a few seconds and the back into the darkroom for processing

Anyone printing in the next day or so as I will not be doing so, willing to give it a try?

Thanks

pentaxuser
 
Some of my paper boxes show a lot more wear and "flex" than others. Particularly the ones for larger (= expensive) sheet sizes.
 
Yeah -- a photo paper box. Put some black electrical tape on the corners and give it a go.

But watch out for those cosmic rays...
 
albada said:
I didn't think of that.
BTW, an ammo box would probably work. Mine is nearly 11" long, so an 8x10 bent into a U-shape would easily fit. They have watertight seals around the top, so I doubt light will enter them.
Click to expand...

That would be cool.
 
I could be wrong, but I bet an ammo box is heavier than a paper safe .
 

I wouldn't give up on ventilation but maybe you can run the duct into the ceiling and went into the attic?
 
You may not have to vent it at all. Citric for stop, no real smell there. The developer isn't too bad, and there are odor less fixers. I'd give it a try w/o a vent fan first. A fan will stir up dust that should be left sitting where it is.

Venting is something I worried about initially, but it hasn't been an issue. Using the kitchen or bedroom works better for me, as there's more room to move around.
 
logan2z said:
You know what else would work really well to keep paper safe? A paper safe
Click to expand...
I have now acquired a paper safe.

Continuing this thread on my seemingly interminable quest to put together my darkroom for black and white only. So I have decided on the two room solution: enlarger in one room and paper development in the bathroom which has an exhaust fan.

Next step - a red safelight. Looking for something that operates on a battery. Anyone have any ideas on that?
 
No promises about how safe any particular light may be - the spectrum is really important - but consider a bicycle light.
 
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