Just for fun ... new use for a darkroom timer

[Farkle-Mpls]

I teach IT courses at the University of Minnesota.  As part of the course requirements at semester end (now!), students needed to do a 4-5 minute presentation on an approved topic.

As we had 35 students to get through in a short amount of time AND we wanted to emphasize to the students the importance of managing the length of their presentation, my co-instructor was asking for ideas on how to give the students some visual feedback on how much time had already elapsed during their presentation.

I had this seldom-used device still in my darkroom/bathroom so brought it to class the two nights of the presentations.  None of my GenZ students knew what it was and I'm not even sure the co-instructor (a Millennial) knew.  Anyway, I turned the buzzer down as low as it would go without being silent and off we went.  I prepped my laptop with each student's presentation, then set the hands on the timer to 4m15s and told them to hit the toggle when they started.  They had 5 mins max.  Worked pretty well and the timer got used for several hours over the course of two weeks.

I joked with the student that since it was for use in a dark room, if we lost power (this was a night class) and the room was plunged into darkness, I expected them to keep going as they could -- very surely! -- still see those glow-in-the-dark hands on the timer.  Not sure they really "got it" but I laughed.  I think they got hung up on the fact that the projector would shut off.

It occurred to me that the timer was older than everyone in that classroom, except me.

Enjoy your day.

Edited December 16, 2023 by Farkle-Mpls
Clean up

[Tony Parsons]

Along similar lines, one of my kids didn't like total darkness at night, but any kind of 'normal' light was too bright for her. Dug out my old Paterson safelight, popped it in corner of room with some card beside it, to give a warm friendly glow on the wall, and she was perfectly happy.  Adaptable lot, us togs.

[Gerald Cafferty]

We've been using my Darkroom Timer in the kitchen for a lot longer than it was ever used in a darkroom, by at least 40years.

[Niels - NHSN]

Coffee enthusiasts often use enlarger timers to single dose old industrial coffee grinders.
Those grinders are very cheap and very good. By removing the pre-ground chamber and adding a timer, you can use the timer to grind the exact amount of coffee needed to fill an espresso porta filter.  For example: 8,5 sec grinding time gives 18g output. 

[SCL]

You gave me a great idea for mine, which has sat for dormant years...my old spring wound kitchen timer started to crumble last week! Thanks guys! 

[robert_bowring]

You won't see many darkrooms without at least one of these timers. I have 2 of them in my darkroom. Just make sure the buzzer is turned off. It is loud enough to wake the dead. 

[Farkle-Mpls]

14 hours ago, Niels - NHSN said:

Coffee enthusiasts often use enlarger timers to single dose old industrial coffee grinders.
Those grinders are very cheap and very good. By removing the pre-ground chamber and adding a timer, you can use the timer to grind the exact amount of coffee needed to fill an espresso porta filter.  For example: 8,5 sec grinding time gives 18g output. 

I love it -- I can use this for timing my pour-overs (which I keep telling myself I'm going to take time to learn how to do correctly).  Thanks!

[Farkle-Mpls]

15 hours ago, Tony Parsons said:

Along similar lines, one of my kids didn't like total darkness at night, but any kind of 'normal' light was too bright for her. Dug out my old Paterson safelight, popped it in corner of room with some card beside it, to give a warm friendly glow on the wall, and she was perfectly happy.  Adaptable lot, us togs.

After years of not seeing one around for many years, I saw a used safelight in a box today at a camera store.  Looked to be in perfect condition (its original box too) ... might have to buy it for this same purpose.  Thanks!