Looks Like I'll Finally Set Up My B&W Darkroom

I had hoped to have my darkroom operational by now, but life got in the way. It looks like late December or early January before I can develop my first B&W film and prints (after a 35 year hiatus).

 

My wife and I bought a nice house with 3 bedrooms at the end of April, so I planned to convert one of them to a darkroom (w/o running water, alas). However, I have bad arthritis in my left knee, so I'm having knee replacement surgery this coming Thursday. Supposedly, I'll be walking a little the day of the operation, and gradually progressing from using a walker, then a cane, then unaided. The doctor estimates that'll be about 4 weeks. So by early November, I hope to have much of my mobility back. I hope to get out a couple of days a week in mid/late November through December shooting B&W film so I'll have a lot to process.

 

Before I can work on my darkroom, though, I have to tear out the carpet in the bedrooms and hall and replace it with vinyl plank flooring (waterproof, unlike the carpet LOL). My wife gets a big dividend check in early December, so we'll wait until then to install the flooring (Mannington Napa Barrel is the design if you're interested) and install some cabinets/counter tops in the darkroom.

 

I'll be shooting Kodak Tri-X and T Max 100 and 400 film. I'll process it in Xtol developer in a Unicolor roller drum w/ motorized base for constant agitation (requires 15% or so LESS developing time).

 

I'll be using a Beseler 23C III XL enlarger with a Dichroic color head so I can print with diffused lighting, not the condenser lighting in a standard Beseler. The paper will be Ilford Ilfospeed RC Deluxe glossy (not multigrade) in grades 2 and 3 to begin with and see which I like best.

 

That's about how I hope it goes. We'll see...

Best of luck with the knee and with the darkroom! I have the plank, in my finished basement - it is attractive, and hard wearing, but liquids will run between, and can't be gotten at to clean . If you have a choice, I would use a sheet product in the darkroom.

Enjoy the darkroom! We're just about to set ours up again after a several year hiatus. This time it's our teenage daughter who's interested in learning B&W film development and printing, and I'm finding that is a good motivator - to do a hobby she wants to do as well. Best of luck with getting yours back online; we just have a small utility room we need to block the light coming in from the second door, and then everything's all ready to go. :)

Best of luck with the knee and with the darkroom! I have the plank, in my finished basement - it is attractive, and hard wearing, but liquids will run between, and can't be gotten at to clean . If you have a choice, I would use a sheet product in the darkroom.

 

Thanks!

 

One of Mannington's selling points is that the planking we selected is waterproof. I have two short sample planks that I clicked together just now and poured a teaspoon of water on the seam. I'll let it sit overnight and check it in the morning.

Thanks!

 

One of Mannington's selling points is that the planking we selected is waterproof. I have two short sample planks that I clicked together just now and poured a teaspoon of water on the seam. I'll let it sit overnight and check it in the morning.

 

Can't recall our brand at the moment. My experience is a result of having several dogs, and the occasional "accident" not darkroom chemicals (yet). Ours came with an impervious underlayment - vapor barrier or to catch fluids - don't know.

When I restarted darkroom work about 8 years ago, it was after about 31 years.

 

One reason for doing it again, is that our house had a darkroom built by the previous owner.

Pretty small, and no running water. (But a bathroom with sink nearby.)

It includes about five safelights. More than I ever had before.

And also that someone was giving away an enlarger on Craigslist.

 

I still had some of my equipment, such as tanks and trays.

 

OK, have fun with your new darkroom!

I checked the Mannington plank flooring and no water leaked between the planks (see my post # 4). I'm satisfied.

Supposedly, I'll be walking a little the day of the operation, and gradually progressing from using a walker, then a cane, then unaided.

 

You probably will. It's amazing how fast they get you up and about these days. Good for you.

 

You may want to consider how you can make worktop height compatible with working while sitting (quite aside from any knee problems).

I had the worktops standing height but also a tall stool - a good compromise. Also rubber fatigue mats.

I had my first darkroom table at normal table height. After bending over for quite some time and developing back pains, I raised the table to elbow height. No more bending over and no more sore back.

Uh oh! I might not be having my darkroom installed after all. Having both the flooring AND cabinets installed will cost more than I'm willing to spend for the amount of use it'll see.

 

I'm almost 69 years old, and my photographic shooting has fallen off as of late. It might be better if I simply mail off my B&W film to get it developed and printed. Another factor in the back of my mind is that I have nerve damage in my legs and feet, which makes me feel off balance when I walk, and particularly when I change directions. I'm not sure how much longer I'll be able to go out for a few hours once or twice a week to shoot pictures.

 

Ah, getting old isn't all it's cracked up to be. Besides, having a lab develop my film means they can also scan my film at the same time, which means I can finally have some pictures posted here on photo.net. Then everyone can tell me I shouldn't be in photography anyhow and wasting all that film LOL.

Mr. Peri, when I moved to my present house I brought my darkroom equipment with me. The pantry had everything I could want, with only one small window to block. Several years later and lots of progress on the house and none on the darkroom. Sadly age caught up with me. Walking with a stick and having an increasing tendency to drop things is not a great recipe for darkroom success. I sat down and thought about what photography I could manage as I am, not as I wished to be. Digital is no problem, I send my files off for cheap prints and photo books, film goes to Ilford in pre-paid envelopes or to a local printer who works from home. Recently I sold fifty cameras, leaving forty and each year from now I will sell more until I am down to six that my wife can let go to a dealer friend. The joy of photography is undiminished. All the very best to you, your ape is one of my favourite human beings, Charles. PS, if anyone in the UK wants an enlarger for 35mm, with all the gear they would need for a darkroom, they are welcome to have this for free. Two stipulations, one they must be able to collect from Hampshire, I will not post, and second they must want to use it themselves. Thank you.

... All the very best to you, your ape is one of my favourite human beings...

 

Thank you!

 

Hmm... I thank you too...

http://bayouline.com/o2.gif

...However, I have bad arthritis in my left knee, so I'm having knee replacement surgery this coming Thursday. Supposedly, I'll be walking a little the day of the operation, and gradually progressing from using a walker, then a cane, then unaided. The doctor estimates that'll be about 4 weeks....

 

IT HURTSES, MY PRECIOUSSSS... I never knew what pain was until I had my operation! OWWWWW...

IT HURTSES, MY PRECIOUSSSS... I never knew what pain was until I had my operation! OWWWWW...

Hopefully the pain will subside and disappear with time! I had a hip replacement a number of years ago and that went well except that I felt like Frankenstein when I started walking with a walker.

My physical therapist came out today and said I was progressing really well with my range of motion in the knee/leg. Very encouraging. The pain is lessened by the painkiller drug I'm taking, and I estimate it is 25% less than on the day after the surgery (Friday).

 

The darkroom plans have been definitely scrapped.