How many here have their own darkroom set up?

Joined: 01 Aug 2004 Posts: 15 Location: New Zealand

Hey guys.

Reciently I've just come back to film. About 5 weeks ago I bought my first medium format, and first film camera in a long time (Yashica 635), and ever since then it's just been one big slippery slope. 3 weeks after that I started developing my own film, and last weekend I bought a second hand colour enlarger to set myself up with a simple but functional dry darkroom.

This weekend I'll be beavering away to get my darkroom up and running completly. I won't have a sink, although the laundry is right next door, so the darkroom will just be used for enlarging, and any large format developing I do in the future (it's seriously a drug, huh?!).

I was just wondering how many of you have your own darkrooms that you frequently use. I've noticed this place is pretty heavily digital, but there are still some of us who almost completly shoot film (it'll be near impossible to get me back to digital now!). To me, digital will never compare with seeing your images unfold right before your eyes.

If any of you have any photos of your darkroom layout, they will be very much appreciated too. My space is pretty small (2m x 1.5m), but it'll be big enough for what I'm doing myself now. I was just looking out for any cunning storage solutions any of you have implemented over the years.

All the best,
Chris.

Posted: Thu Nov 04, 2004 10:32 am

Hi Chris, I still use a darkroom ( but not as much as I used too) for my black n white stuff and you are right, it is great to see the images developing before your eyes. One of my first darkrooms i built into an old kitchen unit. It gave storage above where the fridge used to go, the enlarger went into the space where the fridge sat and then it left enough room for storage under where the fridge went. The doors helped to keep dust to a minimum as you could close them when not in use.

Posted: Thu Nov 04, 2004 11:36 am

I built myself a nice b & w darkroom in the basement when I moved to my new house.

I created a "clean room" enviornment in the dark room by postively pressurizing the room with filtered air.

If you use an exhaust fan in the darkroom you are constantly sucking dust into the room.

Instead, I used a 20" box fan to force air into the room. The intake air is filtered through a 3m high filtration furnace filter. This pressurizes the room, so dust cannot enter, even when you open the door. You need to provide exhaust vents for the air to leave the room. I have one near the enlarger and one near the fixer pan.

So much for tips.

I don't get into the dark room as often as I would like.

EDIT: I haven't used it since this post. I think it has more sentimental value than anything else. In any case I can say, "I have a darkroom". That's worth something.
Packard

I also drilled a 2" hole through the wall and installed a vacuum cleaner hose through the wall. That way I can vacuum the room with the machine outside the room. Always turn on the intake fan before you start up the vac.

Posted: Thu Nov 04, 2004 3:04 pm

I also have one in my basement I use on a regular basis.

Joined: 15 Dec 2004 Posts: 122 Location: cobourg, ontario

just made one in my basement find it usefull for shoting a roll and see what the camera setting are doing befor you forget what you tryed to do with the f stop shutter speeds

Joined: 15 Oct 2004 Posts: 40

not yet...hopefully sometime in the next year

Posted: Wed Feb 02, 2005 3:17 am

Welcome back from the "dark side"! Good to see "back to film" in the "gone digital" world!

Aside from that, I use a cellar for film and a bathroom does double duty for prints... its very...uhm... rustic, hehehehe. But it has taught me one thing - the positive pressure idea is time and money WELL spent and number one of my list for the eventual permanent dark room. Probably the thing I found most challangeing in my part time, improvised set up was not (as I thought at first) the light-proofing and the setting up and folding down... but the dust! Not to mention the smells get a bit much after a while... and fans just seem to create a dust storm, no matter how clean the place looks and how clean I thought I got it...

Joined: 04 Aug 2004 Posts: 33 Location: Houston, Texas

I use my darkroom all the time. My only restriction is when I start running low on supplies.

I posted a tour of my darkroom earlier..... here is a link: http://phototakers.com/forum/ftopic11033.html

Joined: 20 Feb 2005 Posts: 2 Location: Lima, Peru

I'm just building my darkroom in the 3rd floor at home, it a bathroom but nobody uses it anymore, so it's perfect for me, the bad thing is... too small!

Joined: 26 Feb 2005 Posts: 5 Location: Southern California

Living in Southern California has a few draw backs, one being that almost all houses are made without a basement.

I'm seriously thinking in turning one of my restrooms into a make-shift dark room. But I'm on a budget. :-\

Joined: 22 Mar 2005 Posts: 44 Location: NH

I am setting up mine today! (which is why I was reading up on this post). I managed to inherit everything I need from a distant relative- I just need to get new chemicals.
We live in a very small house, but luckily there is a small (5x4) storage room in the basement. What else could this be for??? I can't believe it didn't occur to me earlier. There is no running water in there, but the washer is just outiside the door, so I will figure something out.
I'm glad I stumbled across this site- I'm sure I will be bugging everyone in the near future for some advice! The last time I used a darkroom was 3 years ago.....

Joined: 15 Dec 2004 Posts: 122 Location: cobourg, ontario

rodeo618 wrote:

. There is no running water in there, but the washer is just outiside the door, so I will figure something out.
..

For the water i use a deep wash basin that most people use when they go camping can drop 6-8 prints in at a time then do a final rinse later picked it up at a dollar store just a thought for you though good luck and have fun

Joined: 07 Feb 2005 Posts: 9 Location: Sydney, Australia

I 'share' my darkroom with my laundry. Dust is a bit of a headache. I'm doing major renovations soon, so I'm having fun thinking about a better setup.

Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2005 6:49 pm

I am sloooowly going down this road. Step1 is developing my own b/w 35mm and 120 film at home, which I hope to be doing in the next 6 months.
Looks like fun!

Joined: 07 Mar 2005 Posts: 2 Location: Wisconsin

I have one in the basement. It only gets used for developing film these days.