New darkroom to an old hand...

[XjGhost]

First a little about me sense I'm new here. My name is Glenn, I'm 44 and have been messing with photography sense I was 12. I first developed my own film back in grade school, at age 12, for our yearbook. Been hooked ever sense. I continued to do it all through HS and college. Graduated with a Fine Art degree in '92 and was married in '94. Wife had twins in '98 and was not able to keep the photography alive with the expenses and had to take a real job. Needed health insurance for the wife and kids. Last year I moved out and keep my twins during the week and they go with their mom on the weekends. Recently one of the boys, there are two boys age 13 about to be 14, asked about learning about my film camera. SO it began. I pulled the old A2e out and started getting things together. We went on a family vacation last summer and I gave him the camera and said here lets see what you can see. He shot 4 or 5 rolls of us Jeeping in the woods and did decent. I never upgraded or bought into the digital revolution so am behind the ball there. Hoping to get a 5D Mk 2 soon and get back into shooting professionally to support my Film habit. Even considering shooting some B & W film too. Not sure if there is a market for it around here or not though. So I decided I needed a darkroom now instead of a year from now. I have a space set aside in my office for a full darkroom for my 4x5 enlargers and Jobo processors just have not the funds or the time to get it together right now. I got to thinking and looking and decided that my laundry room could work. So I built two tables out of wood I had laying around and set it up. Printed my first contact sheets last night. On to the make shift darkroom pictures.


Table for the enlarger.

Enlarger in position ready for printing:

Table for trays:

Table mounted:

Table up:

Getting ready to print for the first time in 12 years or so:

I have some tweaks that need to be done but all in all it was a success. I have been so excited I had to share!

 

[terri]

Wow! Welcome to TPF, and let me congratulate you on getting your darkroom up and running in such an efficient manner. That folding table is genius - what a space saver! I've been a big proponent for years of using available space for quick set-ups/breakdowns, and you have proved my point beautifully. :thumbup:

Personally, I have been restricted to converting unused bedrooms and cheap folding tables for my equipment (read: no running water) so I am always happy for anyone who can convert a bathroom or laundry room. I've recently moved to a house where the "unused bedroom" has an empty wall that backs up to hall bathroom, so there WILL be a darkroom sink installed here eventually - and it will feel like total luxury.

Looking forward to enjoying your work. I would encourage you to shoot B&W film, too, just because it never goes out of style.

 

[slackercruster]

Welcome!

I gave up all that crap. Went digital. I do miss the look of film sometimes. But would never go back to wet processing.

 

[KenC]

You have a good heavy enlarger - I'd get a more solid table to put it on.

 

[Netskimmer]

Welcome to TPF, I have been toying with the idea of using one of my grandfathers old film cameras and manually processing the film myself so seeing a setup like that gives me ideas. With a little modification you could use those spaces under the fold up table as storage shelves when it is in the up position. you could put your trays or maybe the bottles with your chemicals in them. You would just have to remove them before putting the table down, which you would do anyway since you will need them for the process.

 

[dxqcanada]

Hmm, you should get a large pan to put under all those trays ... you don't want chemistry to spill into the hamper.

 

[terri]

Welcome!

I gave up all that crap. Went digital. I do miss the look of film sometimes. But would never go back to wet processing.

Now, now - it's not "crap" to everyone. Stick to the digital forums here if you don't have anything worthwhile to add. If we all "went digital" photography would become as exciting as backing up files. It is our artistic differences that keep things interesting.

 

[tirediron]

Very nicely done! :thumbup:

 

[Rick58]

Like you, I'm getting back into the darkroom after an extended hiatus and, also like you, I'm going to have to share the space. I do however have one advantage. I'll be able set up along a wall and dedicate the area for "darkroom" use only without having to tear down. My last "darkroom" was a roll-away cabinet in an apartment bathroom closet.
Great job in showing "where there's a will, there's a way" and it doesn't take a dedicated 8x10 room to do great darkroom work. In the end, it's the final print that counts.

I do agree with Ken C regarding your enlarger table. You want that table to be rock solid. A couple supports across the legs might stiffen it up. When using a stand-alone table as yours, I would wait a few seconds without moving to insure all viberations have subsided before beginning your exposure. Great job!

 

[christopher walrath]

You have a good heavy enlarger - I'd get a more solid table to put it on.

At the very least, brace those legs up. Looks wobbly as hell with some weight on it.

Otherwise, awesome. I love the fold-down as well. Very inventive.