why are easel's white ??

[Rock Poper]

I'm a beginner in the darkroom so I apologize for asking something that clearly must have a good answer ...

I just cant figure it out myself (hungover right now too ) >>

Why are most .. well, all easel's that I've seen painted white ?

I would have thought to cut down on reflections (and the resultant loss of contrast in a print) it would be prudent to color everything in a darkroom matte black .... It would be a drab place to be, but maybe at least around the easel/enlarger area ??

 

[Dave Parker]

My bogen easels are mustard yellow! and nope, I don't know why..

Dave

 

[MurrayMinchin]

The bases of mine - a Saunders adjustable four blade and several Zone VI's -are yellow. The blades of the Saunders, and the metal bits that hold the paper flat in the case of the Zone VI's, are flat black.

Murray

 

[Bob F.]

Even with white, the amount of light refected back is not significant in my tests using Ilford MG-IV RC and fibre. Similar thread (with my results FWIW...): (there was a url link here which no longer exists)

Bob.

 

[Flotsam]

I believe that yellow is used because it is light enough to compose on but will reflect any white light that goes through the paper during exposure back in the "safe" spectrum preventing halation. I have had white easles and they don't make sense to me either. I just painted them black.

 

[Rock Poper]

I believe that yellow is used because it is light enough to compose on but will reflect any white light that goes through the paper during exposure back in the "safe" spectrum preventing halation. I have had white easles and they don't make sense to me either. I just painted them black.

I got an LPL easel thrown in along with my enlarger, it had some corrosion which I sanded back, and repainted black - I thought tho, perhaps I had just done something stupid that I would regret further down the line, but it appears not.. the other thread answers it quite comprehensively

I should have searched the forum's for this, then I wouldn't have doubled up on the info.

 

[Flotsam]

It seems to me that the best way is to use Black easle, stick a piece of fixed, washed photo paper into it to compose and focus on and then replace that with and unexposed sheet for the exposure.
But as Bob mentioned. I don't know whether it actually makes a rat's a$$ worth of difference in practice.

 

[Earl Dunbar]

That's what I've always done. You need to focus on an unexposed, processed and thoroughly fixed sheet of paper anyway, especially if you are using DW papers. My theory is that it can't HURT to have a black easel, even if it really isn't necessary. I'd rather err on the side of caution.

Earl

 

[lee]

My bogen easels are mustard yellow! and nope, I don't know why..

Dave

the reason these easels are yellow is that the traditional safe light color is sorta yellow and when the yellow safe light hits the easel yellow easel it looks white and is easier to see.

lee\c

 

[Dave Parker]

My bogen easels are mustard yellow! and nope, I don't know why..

Dave

the reason these easels are yellow is that the traditional safe light color is sorta yellow and when the yellow safe light hits the easel yellow easel it looks white and is easier to see.

lee\c

Thanks Lee,

I did not know that, or just did not pay attention I guess..

Dave

 

[Neil Souch]

Hi,
Interestingly my Beard 2 blade easels are white and my Beard 4 blade easel is black! I use them side by side and can't say I have ever noticed any difference in PQ in both mono and colour work. The white ones are a lot easier to work with.
Cheers,

Neil.

 

[boyooso]

Don't you guys know? I'm confused about this, I thought everyone knew...

They give them to you yellow or white cheaper so that you can paint them black yourself.

Otherwise theywould have to charge full price which would be at least $1500.00

Don't you know you're getting like 60% off!

Stop complaining PLEASE, otherwise they might not sell them to us that cheap!

Corey