does anyone use a Air compressor at home darkroom?

[jeff_liao1]

hi,

i am planning to get one of this thing..."Air compressor"..to clean

film.

Does anyone has any idea?

where to get it?

 

thanks

[light-zone]

I use one and can not imagine a darkroom without one. The canned air is a waste of money IMO.

 

Check your hardware store or a hobby store. Mine is made by a company called Jun-air, and has, I believe, 8psi. Get a pistol from the hardware store. They are cheaper and to blast film, you don't need a precision instrument.

[art_haykin]

There are compressors where you take the air directly from the unit and have to be turned and off constantly. Then there are those that charge up a tank called a receiver. There is a slight risk of getting oil in the line on faulty ones, and high speed particles can damage film and lenses. The big pro labs use 'scrubbers' on the line, but there are cheaper filters. Check it out carefully.

[steve_hamley]

Jeff,

 

Sears can fix you up.

 

Thanks!

 

Steve

[light-zone]

Hi Art,

 

I have what you called a receiver (never heard that term before). What I do is once a week I empty the holding tank by opening the safety valve. This removes condensed water and other gunk) from the tank and prolongs the life of the compressor.

[ed b.]

<a href=http://porterscamerastore.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=pcs&Product_Code=22-1256>Porter's</a> offers a compressor made specially for darkrooms. It seems a little pricy at $140, but I've probably spent that much on canned air over the past 20 years.

[audidudi]

Although the necessary tank and regulator will cost a bit more, you might be better off using compressed nitrogen instead of air. It should contain considerably less moisture than home-compressed air (even after you filter it) and there is less risk of foreign particles being able to damage your film.

 

FWIW, the lab that processes my film uses compressed nitrogen to dust off film but since they also use it with their E6 line, this may be as much a matter of convenience rather than performance.

[brian_ellis3]

What are the reasons other than saving money in the long run for using a compressor as opposed to one of the dust removal cans? The Anderson Ranch workshop darkroom has compressors and I used them there for two weeks while attending a workshop. I liked them fine, and I assume it makes sense from a cost standpoint for a heavily used darkroom to install them, but I certainly didn't see any difference in the dust removal efficiency as compared with the cans I use at home.

[dave_schneider]

I would recommend using a cylinder of compressed nitrogen or carbon dioxide. A 15 pound cylinder (about 6 inch diameter and 24 inches tall) will last me about two years. Refill cost is about $10. The regulator and gauge was maybe $40. The advantage of this over a compressor is that you have no worry about water or oil. When air is compressed the water condenses. You need to put a filter in to eliminate the water. There may also be oil generated by the compressor which also has to be filtered. A high quality filtering system on a compressor would work, any malfunction in the filter or failure to empty the coalescing filters and you will be spraying oil and water mist on your negs, lenses, etc. The bottled gas is free from these contaminants. The other advantage of the bottled gas is that it is very compact and absolutely quiet.

[wayne_crider4]

The other advantage of the nitrogen is that you can flood your

solution storage bottle's which considerably extends their

working life. I use nitrogen in my other work and adapted the

bottle for my photography. You'll need a 2 stage regulator and a

bottle that you'll buy and then exchange for refilled ones. Air

hoses and spray guns are available at home centers

 

One thing that I've wondered about is flying dust when using

compressed air/nitrogen. Does everyone have a dust filter on?

[marcel_perez_calisto]

Hello. I have been using an airbrush compressor with a water trap in the hose for the past ten years with no problems. If you go to ebay you may find one for under $80 very easily and a water trap should not be more than 10 or 20 dollars (art supply stores all carry this filter).

[mike sisk]

I wouldn't recommend using CO2, especially in a confined airspace like a darkroom. CO2 displaces and is heavier than air so it settles to the bottom of the room and can potentially kill pets (and you). Nitrogen is far better and, at least in the US, is easily (and cheaply) refilled at pretty much any welding supply outlet.

 

A cylinder of Nitrogen will last quite a while (I've been using a 20-lb. cylinder for hobby airbrushing for several years without a refill) and is about $10 to refill. The cylinder cost me about $100 and another $100 or so for a regulator but both of these will likely last a lifetime.

[jorge_gasteazoro4]

yeah, and air compressor and a water trap is all you need. I got mine from a phtoto lab that was closing. I love it, would never go back to the stupid cans. The only thing I carry on the feild is the CO2 cartridges to dust of lenses etc. But to clean holders, lenses at home etc. There is no better thing than an air compressor. And it pays by itself if you figure out how many cans you use a year.

[joe_lipka3]

If you choose to use the compressed nitrogen cylinder, please make sure that you stabilize the cylinder so it won't fall over. Think of the fun you had as a kid blowing up a balloon and letting it fly around aimlessly. Now imagine that heavy metal cylinder as a balloon. Not a pretty site.

[john_kasaian1]

Jeff, NO! NO! NO! I don't use an air compressor in the darkroom and I can't think of any reason for using one there. I have a shop vac, the little one, that I use for cleaning my holders and other gear. Get the micro cleaning attachment. That way you'll be getting rid of(sucking up) the dust, not just moving it around where it will wait patiently before comeing back to haunt you when and where you least expect it! The little shop vac is far less expensive and much more quiet that an air compressor, too.

[ken_hughes2]

why not just get an anti-static brush (non radioactive) and quit blowing dust around....

[emile_de_leon9]

I use one from an airbrush my wife bought. Works great! Buy em at an art supply store. Wouldnt be without one....ever!