Returning to the Dark Room after a few years.....tips appreciated

[JustinNeal]

Grats to me on my first thread on here....but anyway....

I just got access to a darkroom, that apparently is not going to be used anymore, so it is actually becoming my personal darkroom to some degree (they are switching to all digital). It has been almost 4 years since I developed my last picture, and I am super excited to get back into it, but I need some refreshing.

I am going to skip processing my own negatives (for now at least) and concentrate on the actual enlarging/developing. Everything I need (except negatives) is already there and waiting on me. I mainly shoot black and white and that is all I care to work with right now. I remember the basics of actually enlarging to image to photo paper, followed by washing it in chemicals....it is there things get a bit fuzzy. I know the first stop is in the developer, followed by the stop, the fixer, and finally just a water wash.

The question is the timing on everything. For developer, it seems like I left it in long enough for my picture to clearly be exposed, without turning too dark, soooo watch it/check on it after 15 seconds or so. For the stop, I was thinking it was around 30 seconds, followed by a minute in the fixer....and finally the water wash for several minutes. If any of this is horribly skewed, please let me know. Also, any tips would be greatly appreciated!

My first time working in there will be this weekend, and I will get some scans to share as soon as I get done!

Thanks in advance!

 

[ann]

you need to develop the print to completion, not just when you think it mght be done. FOr most RC papers this is 90s
stop bath, 30 seconds, fixer 60 seconds, wash for for several minutes.

this of course is for RC papers, fiber is much different.

 

[JustinNeal]

Thanks for the info! I will be printing on RC paper.