Old Fashioned Darkroom Question

btooomayers

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Hi,

I'm am considering setting up some non-photography equipment in a darkroom that is shared with a standard photo-developer station. The room smells strongly of developer (acetic acid?) and I am wondering if I need to worry about steel surfaces rusting with the develper fumes. Is this typically a problem in Darkrooms? I have done some internet searches on corrosion and darkrooms, but the only definite thing I've found is that sink drains can rust.

do metal items that don't come into direct contact with the developer rust?

Thanks!

-BTM
 
stainless steel sink can rust, especially if they are in contact with other metals.

over time, enlarger parts can develop rust as the rooms are very humid.

It is the humidty that creates issues (usually) altho the direct contact with chemicals can create issues


what type of equipment? i would be careful,

the smell is probably from the stopbath and/or the fixer
 
my guess is yes.
I work as a chemist in an analytical lab and i use acid all the time ;).
seriously though, we have to set up acid barriers between our instruments because the fumes from the samples which are acidic can mess up the instruments or the computers. As a side note, i left a screw driving sitting on a table near one of the instruments and with in a month there was a very thick coating of rust on it from the acid fumes generated by the instrument.
i would be careful

that being said, i also use much stronger acids that what are found in a darkroom. still, i would be careful...
I use acids that can make mincemeat out of a penny in about 30 seconds flat....
 
If the answer was yes, then wouldn't any darkroom that had an enlarger in it need to have the enlarger replaced frequently? Having worked in darkrooms for years, with enlargers that were 15-20 years old, I don't think it will be a problem.
 

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