Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2005/11/08

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Subject: [Leica] Down the Slippery Slope - setting up a darkroom
From: jsmith342 at cox.net (Jeffery Smith)
Date: Tue Nov 8 17:54:40 2005

When I was forced to use a walk-in closet for a darkroom between 1978
and 1984, I did all of my developing of prints in the kitchen using
Unicolor drums. That was during the peak of home color processing.
Although it was a pain, I got much better prints because I developed
them fully in the drum (rather than overexposing them and then yanking
them out of the Dektol too soon, a terrible way to do prints).

If I were in your shoes, I'd probably make a smallish masonite darkroom
in the garage (the walls only have to be thick enough to block out
light) with a table in it for the enlarger and paper safe, and then
develop the prints out in the fresh air of the garage, either in covered
developing trays (do they still make those?) or drums. If you have to
resurrect a darkroom from scratch in the bathroom, you'll probably end
up hating photography.

Jeffery Smith
New Orleans, LA
http://www.400tx.com

Richard wrote:

> Enough talking, I am setting up a darkroom. Not sure how yet, as the
> garage space is not very large and it is not currently light proof. 
> The other option is to utilize the kids' bathroom and just move things

> in and out. Consider I used our apartment's teeny bathroom for that 
> exact purpose when I was in high school, I guess it's just going full 
> circle :-)
>
> I am getting a contact print frame, for experimentation with scan and
> printing out digital negatives. I also have an eye on a Durst M605. 
> Hopefully I can get it for couple hundred bucks. The Focomat seems to 
> go much higher. I am also looking a Focotar 5cm/4.5. I think I will 
> "reserve" wet prints for fiber stuff and may be later on alternative 
> process and continue to use the inkjet for others. We shall see.
>
> Since space is at a premium etc. I don't mind throwing money to solve
> some of the problems, e.g. may be getting a vertical print washer? Any

> recommendations?
>
> Oh yes, if anyone has any dark room stuff for sale, send me a note.
>
> Thanks.
>
> // richard (This email is for mailing lists. To reach me directly,
> please use richard at imagecraft.com)
>
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>

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In reply to: Message from craig at craigschroeder.com (Craig Schroeder) ([Leica] Down the Slippery Slope - setting up a darkroom)