when I lived in nyc I bought these screens that had spacers between them. you could dry 4 16x20 prints. breakdown was easy and you could store it anywhere. ayone know where i can get one, or something similar?
Any Big Box hardware (Lowes, Home Depot) will sell precut and framed screens in many sizes. Use what ever spacer you like, 2x4, 1x2, etc. More elaborate; build a wood frame to slide in the screens. Still more elaborate, Calumet sells a box with slide in screens and a two speed hair drier.
I made drying screens out of synthetic screen material stretched over the stretcher frames that painters use. I cut some small wood blocks and glued to the bottoms to space them apart. Worked fine.
Remember too that if one has a press you can just clothespin prints up on a line and press them afterward. I've done it with 100s of prints without any issues. Even fully tacoed prints will succumb to the press and stay flat on their own.
Maybe Calumet no longer sells the huge wooden box with two speed hair drier. 5-6 years ago I bought a whole used darkroom at about 30 cents on the dollar. It had one of these and the screens. I bought an extra set of screens because I read that if you put a wet print between two screens there will be less curl when the print dries. I have since found that the brand of paper also makes a difference. For example Kentmere Fineprint dries flatter than Ilford Multigrade.
I notice that Calumet suggests their rack for washing the screens. Alternate method, once a year I take a stack of screens to the coin operated car wash in the back of my SUV on a drop cloth. I line the screens up against the bay wall and wash with soap, then rinse. That seems to work. Thanks for the reminder. It has been about a year.
Alternate method, once a year I take a stack of screens to the coin operated car wash in the back of my SUV on a drop cloth. I line the screens up against the bay wall and wash with soap, then rinse. That seems to work. Thanks for the reminder. It has been about a year.
John, I can perfectly visualize you doing this, and not noticing the stares at all. But then, any man of your age, er, I mean seniority who can push a baby carriage around without getting detained for questioning should be able to pull this off with no problem!
John, I can perfectly visualize you doing this, and not noticing the stares at all. But then, any man of your age, er, I mean seniority who can push a baby carriage around without getting detained for questioning should be able to pull this off with no problem!
Aah, memory, memory. Arent you the Henderson that retired a year or so ago and as a senior traipse all over the country with a young chick on the back of his motorcycle? Pot calling the kettle something. When I get the looks is not when spraying the screens, but when I also spray wash the two muddy yellow Labradors after a hike. Trying to combine taking the dogs and washing the print screens is, I discovered, not good. It is a hair thing.
Wish I could afford a week at the Birchwood. I seem to remember being able to do things like that before retirement beat up the budget. Just ordered a $1000 worth of ulf film instead, which is half of what I shot the year before. Oh well.
Say Hi to the gang at Birchwood. Come on down for one of our NE OH Gatherings. We are having a bunch of fun.
PVC pipe, make a cube. Don't glue the joints. On the four vertical struts, slide cut pieces of foam pipe insulation to hold the racks. Screens can come from building material recycle place. I hate Home Depot.
Sets up in less than 60s. Stores in closet, or under bed (if it's clean down there).
Aah, memory, memory. Arent you the Henderson that retired a year or so ago and as a senior traipse all over the country with a young chick on the back of his motorcycle?
Say Hi to the gang at Birchwood. Come on down for one of our NE OH Gatherings. We are having a bunch of fun.