Getting basement darkroom up quickly

<p>Years ago I did some darkroom work, and now my 18 year old daughter has expressed interest. It won't be long before she's off to college, so I'm hoping to get up and running quickly. I'd also like to do this relatively cheaply, and would love some advice.<br>

When we built our house we roughed in a bathroom in a large basement utility room. The only framing is to handle the plumbing rough in. I'm thinking of installing a basic utility sink (maybe 22"x25") and some basic work surfaces in the space (which measures about 10.5' x 4.5'). A utility sink would be useful for other purposes, but I'm wondering if I'll wish I had installed a larger sink (perhaps a double utility sink). Sink thoughts?<br>

I'd prefer to not go through the time and expense of hanging drywall, and figure that it would work to create some sort of "tent" using black out fabric, or other material. Thoughts on this? Should I just drywall it and be done?<br>

What about ventilation? Cut holes in fabric to handle it? I presume I'll want to vent to the outside, and not just the utility room. What are some inexpensive, basic ventilation fan options?<br>

Once I figure this out I can move on to identifying an enlarger, and other stuff we'll need. Thanks!</p>

 

<p>consider that you can "cheat" just a bit for a B&W<br>

darkroom. I am not saying "simply very dim" but with no<br>

easily seen light leaks. a black plastic curtain for a door.<br>

Of course it is not safe enough for color work or for loading film.<br>

You have to be careful if someone upstairs " turning on the cellar light"<br>

and a small glimmer of light leaks in while you are working.<br>

I used to use a closed or dark bathroom and told every one ask before you open the door.<br>

later you can lightproof the area.<br>

remember that plastic bags and other BLACK plastic will not really block<br>

all light. </p>

Two layers of black Visqueen will be plenty dark enough and keep dust down. You can build a wooden sink to suit. And

venting a modest amount of fumes into the basement won't hurt anyone.

<p>do not let non photo or non technical family people get all jittery.<br>

the normal cleaning supplies are usually MUCH worse<br>

that most B&W chemicals.<br>

there are a very few photo chemicals that could cause problems.</p>

<p>If you want fast, go with Frank's suggestion for the light-tightness. I'd wait on the sink for now. A utility sink is really not great for a darkroom...way too deep and tough to use. Leave room for at least 6 feet of sink. I have 8 and it seems a bit too short! For now, just have the trays on a piece of countertop or sheet of plywood and have a tub full of water to dump the prints before they can be washed properly elsewhere. I did this for years. Ventilation is important. I use a large panasonic bathroom fan mounted outside the darkroom blowing in through a furnace filter. You need a lot of CFM to get decent ventilation. My outlet goes to the outside through a dryer vent to the outside. </p>

<p>I actually like having the single wash tub sink. I have a 3x5 table with a few bottles of mixed chemicals, 3 11x14 trays and that butts right up to the side of the sink where I put the tray and small hose for rinsing, or I do my 120/220 film in cans in the sink and it's great, no spills and just rinse everything as I go along, plus if I need, I can put a square bucket container and emersion heater (George Ulanet 492-2) to keep a bath up to temp if needed.</p>

<p>I actually like having the single wash tub sink. I have a 3x5 table with a few bottles of mixed chemicals, 3 11x14 trays and that butts right up to the side of the sink where I put the tray and small hose for rinsing, or I do my 120/220 film in cans in the sink and it's great, no spills and just rinse everything as I go along, plus if I need, I can put a square bucket container and emersion heater (George Ulanet 492-2) to keep a bath up to temp if needed.</p>

Haha I used to do these Visqueen darkrooms in rental apartment basements without plumbing, I'd carry 5-

gallon buckets of water, whatever it took.

 

Lots of photojournalists used to process hotel bathrooms, do a search, there were even suitcase-sized

enlarger kits. True, you weren't going to get Zone System consistency working in conditions like this, but

it was serviceable... people processed film and made prints just off WW2 battlefields for goodness sake.

<p>I have a closet darkroom. No running water. Just a dry side and a wet side. Prints sit in a tray of water and are washed elsewhere when I'm ready. </p>

<p>A quick water proof table top for your wet side is easy to do. I made mine with a 3/4 MDF, spray painted it black and covered it with polyurethane. <br>

Since you are operating in an unfinished basement, you should use GFCI outlets for power to be safe, especially anything close to water.<br>

Avoid using fluorescent lights, they continue to glow on after being turned off. Incandescent lights go right out. </p>

<p>Agreed on all counts. I don't print in a darkroom, but I do often tray-develop 4x5 sheets in a "darkroom", and that's pretty much the same amount of mess, provided you wash your prints elsewhere.</p>

<p>Clay makes a really good point on the safer outlets.</p>

<p><em>I'd prefer to not go through the time and expense of hanging drywall, and figure that it would work to create some sort of "tent" using black out fabric, or other material. Thoughts on this?</em></p>

<p>For years I used a basement darkroom made dark by overlapping single sheets of black Visqueen. I only used it for printing--certainly for 35mm and medium format a changing back and daylight tanks are fine--and only printed at night. But it worked great. The sink need not be in the darkroom area; you just need space for the enlarger and the developer, stop bath, and fixer trays. Think about ventilation, maybe using flexible back ducting and a fan.</p>

 

<p>Thanks again for all the replies.<br>

Suggestions on an inexpensive fan setup? Guessing I'll want to bring clean air in, send the fumes out.<br>

How about an enlarger? I see this: http://charlottesville.craigslist.org/art/3510831561.html<br>

located near me. Beseler 23CII XL. Asking $150. I'd have no idea how to evaluate the enlarger, or the price. Any suggestions? </p>

 

While we're at it, how about ideas on a film camera off eBay? Not sure where my old Konica is. Feel free to link to

something interesting. 50mm lens should be ample to start with. Biased towards Nikon...what my grandfather and dad

shot.

<p>Michael, I'm a big fan of the 'two birds one stone' idea. Since you say you're doing this for your daughter who is going off the school, it's possible that you may not use the darkroom much after a while. If you're comfortable hanging drywall in the first place, it may not be a bad idea to come up with a plan to refinish the basement that includes a darkroom area. I'm not saying that you should actually refinish the basement right now, but I would draw out a few ideas, and let them simmer for a week or so.</p>

<p>You might find that some of the same work that would make for a really nice darkroom will overlap with what would make a nice finished basement. If you set up your darkroom with that in mind, it may be much easier to reclaim the space, in the event that it isn't being used after a time.</p>

<p>As far as cameras, I really like the Nikon FMs. But considering how prices have dropped recently, I would probably buy a Yashicamat instead. I think you'll find that almost all 'non-collectible' roll film cameras have dropped in value like stones in the last year, as colleges are now teaching their basic photo classes with digital cameras. Film is becoming an option for advanced students, rather than the regular teaching tool.</p>

<p>You'll also find that the value of many old lenses - particularly name-brand manual focus lenses - is actually going up, as people are buying them for mirrorless cameras. Because of that, I wouldn't be at all surprised if a decent Nikon in good nick, with a 'real' 50mm lens (not E-series) set you back about the same as an inexpensive medium format camera.</p>

<p>If you're developing your film yourself, the only price difference is that the medium format camera will take fewer photos per roll, and require something like 150% as much developer. Depending on the developer you use, that means it ought to cost you something like 25 cents per picture shooting 35mm, or 40 cents shooting 120.</p>

<p>And as far as the different enlargers go ... I can only speak for my own market, but up here unless it's colour, or 4x5, or especially both, you can buy pretty much any used enlarger that goes up for sale for $150.</p>

A 4x5 enlarger set-up can often be found for $150 or less, just depends on luck and patience. The larger enlarger will be

better built, more stable, better all around even if you never do 4x5 film.

<p>The Beseler 23C-series (including the II-XL) are fine enlargers, and (with the appropriate accessories!) will handle anything from 35mm to 6x9 cm film (plus several oddball sizes). If you have the space and/or think you might one day want to print large format (4x5-inch) film, their big brothers, the Beseler 45M-series, are widely available at very reasonable prices (although they are a lot to ship--better to try to find one locally).</p>

<p>As for film cameras and eBay, you might just try KEH.com first. Don't be afraid of their "bargain" condition, much of which others would call "very good" or "excellent". You can probably get a semi-modern Nikon 35mm SLR and 50mm f/1.8 for not too much or even next to nothing. Examples only: even a nice auto-focus F100 would only set you back $199, and they have an N70 for $29. They have a lot of manual-focus bodies and lenses too.</p>

 

<p>About half the wall in my basement darkroom is closed in with plywood, because that's what was handy at the time and it was easy to nail up. the rest is covered with a double layer of black plastic sheeting, the kind you buy to put on the ground under gravel to keep weeds from growing, or use to wrap things up outside. The double layer is opaque and I have 100 percert darkness even in daytime.<br>

I have a six-foot plastic darkroom sink mounted on top of a wooden workbench. I don't have any special ventiliation. I agree that ventilation is good to have but I've worked in many darkrooms without it. Unless you're going to be down there for hours at a time on a regular basis, I think it's optional.</p>