Planning & setting up B&W darkroom.

[Kintokoba]

I plan to develop 10 x 8 film at home and would appreciate some advice. I have decided to develop the sheets in flat bottomed trays using marbles in the bottom, that's all well and good.

What I haven't figured out is a method of washing the prints. Drying the film is another area of concern, I'm thinking about one of those pvc mini greenhouse's one uses for seed germination rather than a heated clothes dryer.

My darkroom area will be situated in the old laundry outbuilding, its damp and a bit grotty with no running water. I might in time be able to sort out some plumbing however for the time being I am anticipating a trip to the bathroom with fixed negs.

Any thoughts or tips would be most welcome.

[Joanna Carter]

Not a reply to your question but, from the posting time in the header of your message, your computer clock appears to be around 20 mins fast - unless you have developed a time travel technique

[dave_whatever]

Not a reply to your question but, from the posting time in the header of your message, your computer clock appears to be around 20 mins fast - unless you have developed a time travel technique

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=1399

Ditto.

[Joanna Carter]

Not a reply to your question but, from the posting time in the header of your message, your computer clock appears to be around 20 mins fast - unless you have developed a time travel technique

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=1399

Ditto.

Aha! I'll see if I can find an available gnome to add some pennies to the pendulum of the server clock.

[Kintokoba]

That's unusual, I'm often told i'm living in the past...

[lostlandsuk]

Washing is easy, just use the trays you used for developing and fixing. regular dumps of water of the right temperature and good agitation works really well.
I am curious as to why you would use marbles in flat bottomed trays? Why not just get some Paterson trays or failing that if you can find them, Photax trays (they have a ridge rather than a trough if you know what I mean). As for drying, well hanging by pegs from a line does the trick, but your problem will be dust. I swear by an Ionizer (Astrid make great ones, and they make a huge difference to an enclosed darkroom environment) however the setting of your room is another matter - is there anywhere else in your house that is relatively dust-free? A lot of people use shower cubicles but there is sense in this as the residual moisture in the air will have dampened down the air-born dust.
It just requires a bit of application and thought and you can get around all sorts of problems.
Phil

[lostlandsuk]

Oh and my darkroom (a long narrow understairs 'butler's' cupboard) has no running water either, though it is next to a bathroom, but I've survived this way for a number of years and I've not really had any problems
P

[Kintokoba]

Thanks for the advice! It's good news about the washing times. I think I will use a small corner of the bathroom as you suggest, the room is sterile, dust-free, white and next to the bath for washing. I'm still quite drawn to the idea of the greenhouse tents which would prevent intrusion from toddler son and cat if I left the door open by accident

The marbles (I'm told) are to allow even, gentle circulation of the dev without any over developing surge caused by lifting a corner of the tray. I understand the logic behind it and was told the same thing by two experienced senior lectures at college, so marbles (clean ones mind) it is for me!

[lostlandsuk]

I' ve never had 'surge' as far as I am aware - obviously if you are really sloshing it around you might have problems
I use a sequence of front left corner lift, set down, front middle lift, set down and front right lift and set down - that equals one agitation sequence for me. These are very gentle lifts; I've only had uneven development from a poor combination for film and developer (Fomapan 100 and HC 110) everything else has been fine. In lots and lots of reading, I've never seen marbles mentioned once
Oh and Mirasol wetting agent has an anti-static additive, so that might help you remain dust-free. It really is a pain in the bahookie, taking ages to wash film thoroughly, creeping around until it's dry and then discovering a huge blob of dust attached.

[Kintokoba]

Thanks for the wetting agent reminder, I'd have forgotten and used Fairy Liquid
I'm planning to use older films in the main, Adox 100 is top of my list. I've finally got a 10 x 8 and a classic Kodak 305mm portrait lens and I want to aim for the 1940's and 50's in terms of feel.
I believe that Adox has a real surge potential, I gave some 120 film to students who all reported back with patchy edge darkening all along the length of the film. Caveat emptor it seems..

[lostlandsuk]

Ecover is more environmentally friendly and actually works alright!
Adox CHS 100 is a lovely film, though pretty slow - I get it to EI 50.
As for surge, never had any problems with it using HC 110 (Dilution H), Rodinal 1:50 and Barry Thornton's 2 bath. Of the three, Rodinal and BT gave the best results - yes the grain is big with Rodinal but with 10x8 who cares! HC 110 is good, but not as good.
You may also find with Adox that there is some edge frilling which looks like the emulsion has loosened, but it actually sounds worse than it looks (it's tiny), and is well outside the rebates. Adox roll film I found to be a much curlier beast than anything else.
Oh and I didn't mention but I'm just a 5x4 user - haven't made the expensive step to 10x8 . . . . yet!

[Kintokoba]

I was lucky over Christmas with an auction on ebay, a camera I (and importantly my wife) simply couldn't ignore. I asked my friend/course leader/large format expert to inspect to auction for me. Armed thus with insider information and access to our sons inheritance I bought myself a Deardorff Its got a reducing back so I will be re-learning the ropes on 5 x 4 and getting back into the swing of darkslides.
I wait with bated breath for the postman to bring me news of its release from Coventry customs!

[lostlandsuk]

A Deardorff - beautiful. Good luck - if you ever get fed up with it . . . .
One thing I would say with the Kodak lens (I have a 50's Ektar) is, though sharp (incredibly so) be prepared to compensate for a lack of contrast by developing more.
P