Darkroom Build

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Andy,

Glad to hear that the 90/4 is in good hands and getting use. It wasn't getting any use, as I have a fat tele-elmarit as well. I let go of my CLE too about two months ago. Just wasn''t getting any use, as it was my kodachrome body. It was further down the pecking order than my M2 and M6TTL.

Best wishes,

Charlie

[aesop]

Brilliant - nothing like doing it properly

 

...+1. Also, great input from Tobey Bilek - I am still not clear as to where/how drying will occur. Super stuff, Andy, look forward to further updates.

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[MPerson]

When it is finished I will then move the gear in.

[bull40]

Wonderful and congratulations!

 

I'm glad I found this thread, I'm in the process of designing and preparing to build one, as well, so it's nice to see someone else's progress. I'm taking the opportunity of an expansion and remodeling of our master bed and bath suite to add on a permanent darkroom. Once finished, I suspect neither myself nor the Mrs will venture out often! ;-)

[pico]

I may have mentioned this elsewhere: In my experience, the wet side should be a minimum distance from the enlarger. I prefer to have the sink right behind me, as close as as .76 metres (or one metre), or even closer depending upon your build. That was the setup I had for many years, as well as the setup my custom printer had. My current arrangement has the sink farther away, but only until new plumbing and heating can be installed (probably never).

 

A three-leg stool is also helpful. For the floor I have bare concrete and I wear comfortable shoes. I also made a very handy, heavy duty three-point leveling platform that goes over the standard easel for the Omega LF enlarger which otherwise is a real pain to align properly. (I use a 'hall of mirrors' aligning tool.)

 

Wonderful setup you are making. Enjoy!

Edited July 19, 2012 by pico

[andybarton]

Not 0.755m?

[pico]

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Not 0.755m?

 

0.762, or is my calculator broken? (Always round before truncating )

[mikeleng]

Andy

Don't give up on the Digilux 2 thread, now you have found another interest. we need your support

regards

Mike

[MPerson]

Well film will always come first, even over the D2. More worrying is that my iPhone 4S, with the 645 Pro camera app, is being used more than the D2 lately! But that's another story/thread.

[MPerson]

Not much happened this week - visitors down. Next week I hope to get a mist coat on the new plaster and then start painting in earnest.

[Stealth3kpl]

That was a real bargain you got!!

Pete

[MPerson]

I know Pete. Someone smiled on me that day. I know you are supposed to prime it, programme it, switch on and walk away but I find it strangely mesmerising!

[SiMPLiFY]

What a nice luxury! It's going to be so beautiful! I have to use a half bathroom and stack my trays. suggestion: We have slate tile on our bathroom floor and it's beautiful and durable. You could always put a pretty rug where your sofa will go. A mini bar. Stereo. haha! dreaming ...

[MPerson]

Well I am nearing the time when it will at last be finished. Since the last post I have given the walls and ceiling a mist coat of 50% water/50% emulsion as it is all new plaster. The final emulsion has gone on, I didn't want a brilliant white so went with Dulux White Cotton matt emulsion. As the main window faces east over the beach the glare in the mornings is more subdued and less intrusive.

 

First two pics show most of the shelving now going up and the general desk area for the computers, printers and scanners.

 

 

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The next four images are the processing corner. You can see the auto-processor and the two bins for fresh water and waste. One enlarger in at the moment and I have still to place black blackout material on the wall behind the enlarger area.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The next three images shows my drying cabinet which is in fact an Ikea PAX single wardrobe! There is a gap a few millimetres around the door and I added some ventilation holes at the rear. The drip tray is from an old hamster cage. It works really well and a batch 10 films earlier this week dried in around two hours. I use cut up wire coat hangers to hang the film clips from.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have ordered some cream total blackout material for the windows and rear door. This will be fixed via velcro to wooden battens that surround the window. That way I can roll it up out of the way when not required.

 

I will do one last post when it is properly finished and I have moved in along with some tips and hints I have learnt along the way.

[SiMPLiFY]

I am impressed by your ingenuity in repurposing items. Very good ideas here! Thanks!

[pico]

No sink? No edge on flat surfaces?

 

I have ordered some cream total blackout material for the windows and rear door. This will be fixed via velcro to wooden battens that surround the window. That way I can roll it up out of the way when not required.

 

I hope you don't make the mistake I once made. We had double-paned, two-panel windows (MinneSnowta) and silly me, I placed heavy black plastic over the windows. The setup turned into a solar device and the plastic heated up, sagged, and failed - in the dead of winter! Placing a reflective material on the window side fixed it.

Edited August 7, 2012 by pico

[MPerson]

Well it's finished at last. That is definately the last darkroom I will have to build - definately!

[bull40]

Awesome! Congratulations, that will be a pleasure to use for many years. I'm planning on starting construction of mine in just a few months. Thanking you for sharing your journey with us, it is a definite inspiration for me.

Cheers!

[Bateleur]

Congratulations, looks like a comfortable and inspiring place, now for the real work!

 

Regards

Charles

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[SiMPLiFY]

A batch of 34 films! WOW! I wish I could do that once to catch up on the backlog! I have 2 reels and have to wait for them to dry before I can process 2 more rolls.

 

That is a really nice room with a really nice view! ENJOY!