What's your favourite & most used darkroom tool?

Thomas Bertilsson · Jan 19, 2009

My eye glasses...

Other than that it's a close tie between a completely flexible opaque black piece of plastic that I use as a dodging tool, parchment paper, and my metronome. That's for printing, which is the only part of the process that's fun to me.

For developing negatives - definitely the UniRoller base I got, New Old Stock, for $35 along with a Chromega drum. This allows me to develop sheet film by pushing a button. Hooray! That takes almost all the pain out of it, and is very rewarding for that matter. It's still dull as $hit to develop film, but this makes it a bearable exercise.

- Thomas

Chuck_P · Jan 19, 2009

favorite: My Powers Process Controls Brand water temperature gauge---I can attach it directly to my sink faucet and find the correct temp by adjusting the hot and cold knobs, that thing really simplified much of my processing efforts; also those black plactic bags that paper comes in, they're great for storing film holders while in the field.

most used: I love the Combi-plan tank

PhotoJim · Jan 19, 2009

Favourite: the Paterson tank system. I have an assortment of tanks in different sizes, and a bunch of reels. The reels, lids and caps are all interchangeable so I don't have to keep them straight. I can process very flexibly - I can even do eight rolls of 35mm at a time (or about 4-5 120s; I have to check to see how many fit ) if I get way behind or do a ton of shooting on one type of film.

Most used: GraLab timer. These things are in almost every darkroom, I think, but I'd be lost without it. I use it for timing all film development steps, and for timing print development (and fixing, too, if I am doing fibre - I count elephants for RC). I have a separate little LCD timer I use for wash, so I can use the GraLab for the next print or batch of film.

Wish I had: a temperature regulator for the sink. Expensive, but it'd be a godsend.

Most recently got: a magnetic stirrer. It's already helped me as I was discarding some old chemicals (there was precipitate stuck at the bottom of some narrow-mouth glass jars, and the stirrer helped me to dislodge the precipitate - very handy) and it will be very useful for mixing chemicals.

ricksplace · Jan 19, 2009

Gary Holliday said:
The darkroom torch I made after a donation of safelight gels. Perfect for finding my third favourite...the collection of burning-in tools.

The scraps of gels also covers up the bright light from the radio which blasts Planet Rock all afternoon!

This reminded me, I have a single penlight flashlight with a pocket clip that was made by Ilford and is safelight compatible. (It has a red lens). I can't remember where I got it. Could have been Henry's many many years ago.

I use it every session I'm printing b&w.

Slixtiesix · Jan 19, 2009

My favourite darkroom tool is a black clip with two sharp metal teeth, which I named "Vampirella".
It is quite heavy and I use it to hang the developed film for drying.
Don´t know how I could live without. This reminds me that I always played with the thought of taking
a picture of Vampirella. Maybe I will put it in the gallery...

patricia de roeck · Jan 21, 2009

Favourite - my powerful magnifying glass for checking negs for dust once inside the glass neg carrier and most used and second favourite - my sink with hot and cold water - such luxury.
Patricia

panastasia · Jan 21, 2009

jgjbowen said:
Most used = Zone VI compensating Developing Timer
QUOTE]

Same here - with foot switch

waileong · Jan 21, 2009

1. RH Design's ZoneMaster II-- saves a lot paper (and most importantly, time) doing test strips.
2. My easel.

PHOTOTONE · Jan 22, 2009

My most favorite tools vary with the seasons and years. Right now, some of them are as follows: An exacto knife to cut the paper seals on sheet film boxes and paper boxes. My air compressor, to dust off film holders and other things. My 5 gallon gray plastic bucket which I have used for years to mix up 3.5 gallon size chemistry mixes for my deep tanks. My Graylab timers placed around the darkroom where I need them. My small light table to evaluate negatives and transparencies.

But probably most important and favorite tool is the Darkroom itself. Since I have been in business (since 1976) I have never been without a dedicated darkroom, and I consider it a blessing to always have it available and ready, and when I don't need it I can leave it and not worry about it taking up space.

paulie · Jan 22, 2009

a pencil

Keith Tapscott. · Jan 22, 2009

My favourite tool is my enlarger although my film developing tanks are the most used. I find film processing and making contact-sheets the most tedious (but necessary) task and making enlargements the most enjoyable when seeing the image appear on the paper.

Gary Grenell · Jan 22, 2009

Got to be my enlarger. Its a Fujimoto 450M Variable Contrast. It's so beautifully built! Just a pleasure to work with. Had admired it for YEARS at the photo shop, and then when darkroom sales went down they put it drastically on sale so I could then afford it.

BOSS565 · Jan 22, 2009

The lock on the door.

Toffle · Jan 22, 2009

BOSS565 said:
The lock on the door.

Amen!

blokeman · Jan 23, 2009

1. iPod plugged into my set of 2.1's playing whatever fits the mood of the printing at hand.
2. My PETZL headlight for that fast light at the flick of my finger!

tih · Jan 26, 2009

Favorite: RH Designs Analyser Pro.
Most useful: the towel that always hangs over my shoulder, so I can keep my hands dry for handling paper.

Peter Markowski · Jan 27, 2009

Maybe not used as much as the enlarger or stir plate but there is something to be said about the little things to make one happy. These are also inexpensive.

1: Black 1 inch paper tape. For taping masks/acetate to my easel or securing an image on the cover of a empty paper box for a collection of work in progress.

2: A wire coat hanger that I cut to length, covered and heated electrical heat shrink (to prevent rust), then bent to hang on my darkroom sink to hold my tongs from being wet or knocked into a tray.

cooltouch · Jan 28, 2009

I like those little wand thingies with different shaped ends that are used for burning and dodging.

Best,

Michael

Philippe-Georges · Jan 28, 2009

Peter Markowski said:
Maybe not used as much as the enlarger or stir plate but there is something to be said about the little things to make one happy. These are also inexpensive.

1: Black 1 inch paper tape. For taping masks/acetate to my easel or securing an image on the cover of a empty paper box for a collection of work in progress.

2: A wire coat hanger that I cut to length, covered and heated electrical heat shrink (to prevent rust), then bent to hang on my darkroom sink to hold my tongs from being wet or knocked into a tray.

These 'tong hangers' are one of the most genius things I have seen in this thread, If you do not mind, I will copy them!

Philippe

telkwa · Jan 28, 2009

My favourite darkroom tool is my developing tray. Still love the anticipation of my imminent image - especially when I know it's a good one.

My most used tool(s) are my hands.

Peter Markowski · Jan 28, 2009

leicam5 said:
These 'tong hangers' are one of the most genius things I have seen in this thread, If you do not mind, I will copy them!

Philippe

Hi leicam5, be my guest. I've seen in electrical supply shops that you can get primary colours now, other than black..ooooohhh

titrisol · Feb 3, 2009

Ilford EM10

Mark Burley · Feb 6, 2009

This is one question that's easy for me - my stop clock timer from Richard at RH designs. It is so simple to use that if I lost it I would literally be lost without it. It has become a standard thing in my life. It makes it so easy to print that it is a joy to use. How many burn-ins and dodges? - Who cares...

That's another pint you owe me Richard. Having said that - I am now looking forward to using the process timer as well!

Mark

EASmithV · Feb 12, 2009

1: One is easy. Negatives.
2: Other than negatives, my most used tool would probably be that mount board that is white on one side and black on the other... Makes dodging/burning tools, and I've even tripled it up to make lens boards.

jgcull · Feb 12, 2009

When we built my darkroom I had a dimmer switch put in for the safelight. Also, my husband put up black tile with epoxy grout behind the sink, up to the cabinet above. That's been good for putting wet prints on to drain, or if there's no more room to hang them for a bit.

What's your favourite & most used darkroom tool?

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