Your darkroom's features and 'how I should have done it'

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As mentioned in the 'colour of darkroom walls' thread, I'm incorporating a darkroom in our new house. Just to expand on that thread a little, what things do you have in your darkrooms that you think are good/nifty/can't do without. My room is to be laid out as follows

My cupboard is going to include a film drying compartment (long enough to hang a 36exp film). The wet bench is to have a single plastic sink covering it with drain in one end. I'm thinking of getting the rear of the sink made higher than the front to act as a splashback. The tap is going to have a hose attached so that I can wash the far end of the sink easily. I will have my own fridge (wife will be glad to see my 'junk' disappear from her fridge!!) The dry bench is to have 2 shelves under it, the wet bench one, both without doors. The light switches (safelight/white lights) are going to be on seperate panels down the right hand end (in the drawing) I'm not sure about this, because I work left-to-right though the chemical trays to the wash/drain end of the sink, so ideally would sit the enlarger (mounted to wall) at the end nearer the developer stage. I'm thinking the safelight switch should be within arms reach of the enlarger, even though I currently don't turn it off while printing (don't use a exposure meter, but might one day). I have a lightproof extraction fan which will be mounted in the roof above the sink and a lightproof inlet vent that needs to be installed somewhere... I was thinking the door because if I stick it in the wall I'm not sure where it will get it's air from. haven't decided on floor covering either, thoughts?

Over to you :)

-- Nigel Smith (nlandgl@unite.com.au), October 11, 2001

Answers

You have almost described my darkroom, which is 6 feet by 8 feet, except my door is at the other end. You can never have enough shelves. I've added 6 or 8 shelves to my darkroom over the past 15 years, wherever they would fit. My vent is in the door. If I had it to do over, I'd get two exhaust fans and two vents. I recommend a thick rubber mat for the floor--I don't have one, but there was one in a darkroom at a job I had once and I loved it.

-- Ed Buffaloe (edb@unblinkingeye.com), October 11, 2001.

My darkroom originally had linolium over a concrete floor. This proved very harsh after a VERY short time. My solution was to install "anti-fatigue" matting. The type I found comes in 1' perforated squares. I found it at my local "liquidators" outlet for about $3 a square. It is installed in the aisle between the wet and dry sides. I can now work in the darkroom for several hours comfortably. It is recommended highly.

-- Robert Orofino (minotaur1949@iopener.net), October 11, 2001.

I will add a few ideas that I enjoy in my darkroom. The floor mat as Ed suggested is very nice. I leave my safelight on all the time while working, if I do want to shut it off the switch is directly above my developer tray. I sometimes use very diluted developer with development times in the 8 minute range, I do shut off the safelight when using such long times and over the developer tray works great. For my white light which is also my print viewing light, I have this switch on a remote control that fits in my back pocket. It beats searching for the switch or walking across the room when you only need the light on for a few seconds. I found the remote controlled switch at the hardware store for under $20. Just a couple of ideas.

-- Jeff White (jeff@jeffsphotos.com), October 11, 2001.

I strongly second the anti-fatigue matting. I bought mine at Home Depot for next to nothing and it's worth it.

Two other non-photography items you'll need.

1. Go to Radio Shack and get a cheap FM band intercom set-up. I paid $50 for three units, one in the kitchen, one in the bedroom and one in the darkroom. We never use it but my wife likes to have the opportunity to nudge me if the kid is up late and I'm locked in the darkroom.

2. Get a radio and / or CD player. A bit of music goes a long way when it's 3AM and your hunched over a tray full of selenium.

-- David Parmet (david@parmet.net), October 11, 2001.


I'm not much on creature comforts, but after getting a temp control valve I can't imagine life without one. No worries about other water use in the house when washing film. I had a water filter in a previous darkroom and haven't put one in here yet. I'm convinced that it pulls enough junk out of the water to be worth having.

-- Conrad Hoffman (choffman@rpa.net), October 11, 2001.


Not in any particular order, my Thomas Safelight, my eight foot ss sink, two faucets, a good music system, a comfortable chair, locks on the doors that lock from the inside, lots of trays of various sizes and materials (especially the large ones with flat bottoms that help minimize chemical usage), shelves and storage cabinets, a Saunders four-blade easel with knobs for adjustments, air-vac storage bottles, separate graduates for different chemicals, and a sign my daughter made that says "Caution, Don't Let The Dark Out!" An item I don't have that I want/need (is there a difference?)includes a more compact archival washing system for fiber prints.

-- Jim Rock (jameswrock@aol.com), October 11, 2001.

Be sure you have adequate cool air coming in. In summer, my darkroom needs about half again as much cool air input as the same volume of space in other parts of the house. Also, my enlarger and trays are low enough that I can sit for all printing operations. This saves a lot of fatigue over six or eight hours of printing. The enlarger is at the end of the room, with the wet side to my right hand and the dry side to the left.

-- Keith Nichols (knichols1@mindspring.com), October 12, 2001.

Music.

-- Bob Keefer (bob@bkpix.com), October 12, 2001.

One more thought. In building a darkroom of similar size, I had the inspiration to put white-light switches (two-way wiring) on either end of the room. That means I can turn off the light next to the enlarger, walk a print through the trays and turn the light back on at the other end of the sink. A small thing that saves a lot of steps.

Also put in many, many electrical outlets everywhere you might need to plug something in and everywhere else, too. I have one up high on the wall for the CD player, to keep the cord from dangling. Another for the timer, another for the enlarger, another .... well, you get the idea. and a couple spares. Perhaps 10 outlets in all in an 8x8 room.

Finally, don't forget to wire a ground fault interrupter into the circuitry.

-- Bob Keefer (bob@bkpix.com), October 12, 2001.


Also have a telephone outlet.

-- Keith Nichols (knichols1@mindspring.com), October 12, 2001.


Greetings,

Everyone has given you very good advice and I will reinforce a few points. If you have the option, make your darkroom larger than you think you will need. Mine is 8'x13' and I wish is was twice that size. When I built it I only envisioned doing B&W, but now I'm doing everything. Make sure you install a very good ventilation system and heed everyones adive about comfortable mats to stand on. Music is a much desireable feature as is a telephone. If you install a telephone, make sure it doesn't have an LED that blinks when it rings or light that comes on when it's off-hook. Light switches that can be reached easily from strategic parts of the room make life easy. I've rewired mine twice since I built it. Good luck!

Regards,

-- Pete Caluori (pclauori@hotmail.com), October 12, 2001.


The anti-fatigue mats sound good, but what works for me is to have a couple stools, one in front of the enlarger and the other in front of the developer tray. I find it easiest on the feet to just rest on a high stool as much as possible. I got a couple surplus ones that swivel, so it's easy to move from one to the other.

-- Tim Nelson (timothy.nelson@yale.edu), October 12, 2001.

I didn't see drying screens mentioned. If your pressed for space, I've seen screens mounted above sinks where the rear side of the screen was hinged to the rear wall and the front side could be attached to a chain hanging from the ceiling. The screens could be raised up out of the way while printing, then lowered when need. Hope that explanation makes sense. As far as floor mats, check out Canal Rubber in NYC. I believe they have a web site. Much cheaper and more variety than other places.

-- Steve Wiley (wiley@accesshub.net), October 12, 2001.

Ventilate by pressurizing the room, rather than exhausting it. That way, you can filter ALL the air that enters the room. Locate the exhaust vent near the sink in a location that will draw air away from your face. Locate the supply vent on the opposite side of the room. A large slow fan is quieter than a small fast one.

Anti-fatigue matting.

Multiple faucets.

Safelight switch accessible from the enlarger. Diffused, or indirect, safelighting that provides a moderate light level througout the room, rather than hot spots. Safelight level should be minimum at the elarger and developing tray.

A white-light inspection light directly above the holding tray, with switches accessible from the holding tray and from the enlarger. You will need to adjust the intensity of this light independently of the room lighting. A halogen incandescent lamp will maintain constant brightness better than standard incandescent or fluorescent.

Power outlet for a timer located above the developer tray.

-- Chris Ellinger (chris@ellingerphoto.com), October 12, 2001.


You lucky dog!

All the above are great suggestions, and I will save this thread for the time in the future when I will be remolding my darkroom. I can't really add to the previous suggestions but I will add my voice to the emphasis on a good mat for standing, and add more shelf space then you could ever imagine needing, because you will eventually use it. Also, a good viewing light above the backsplash for print evaluation and have all lights activiated by pull cords or foot switch. Good luck and enjoy.

-- James Chinn (Jim1341@dellEpro.com), October 12, 2001.



Here are the things to think about.

1. I had no choice but to put the white light switch next to the safelight switch. So i chose an "outdoor" switch for the white lights. This is a very stiff operating switch (it can't go on accidentally) and has a rotating arm for on and off, thus the motion is very different from a regular toggle switch.

2. I installed an white, inspection spot light.

3. My white lights are cheap track lights/bars from Home Depot. They are aimed up at the white ceiling, so the white light is very diffuse & easy on the eyes.

4. I bought & used a Thomas sodium vapor safelight, but didn't like it. It's actually too bright, and fogs some VC papers. Switched to a red safelight, which I like better, but found an Aristo red safelight on EBay for $50. If you can find one, you might like it. Much cheaper than Kodak filters these days.

5. I put slide out trays in my cabinets, and really like them. Don't have to go fishing for things in the back of the cabinets.

6. I've got an "upper" cabinet on the dry side, with sliding glass doors, where I store dry chemicals. That's worth having.

7. If you can, move the refrigerator out of the darkroom. They produce heat, and move air (and dust). The coils will have to be cleaned religiously, as they breed dust bunnies. Then, too, it'll give you more precious darkroom space.

8. With the added space where the refrigerator was, put a kitchen sink for film developing, mixing chemicals, washing hands, etc. I've found this invaluable.

9. Use GFCI (ground fault current interrupters) on everything in the darkroom. You'd don't want to get shocked to death.

10. Put outlets all along the dry side, at countertop height or slightly above. Mine are all switched, and the safelight is on this switch, too.

11. Have some provision for electricity on the wet side, just for timers.

12. A "power kill" is useful for quick shut down of the entire darkroom.

13. Find a remote corner for an LED clock. Remote so it won't fog paper, and someplace where you can shield film from it.

14. Don't get too concerned about putting the enlarger directly across from the developer. Unless you are doing high volume, saving a couple of steps is far from critical. Besides, walking is better for our bodies than standing.

15. Plan for storage of easels, and big paper, and big dodging sheets.

16. Prepare for a second enlarger, just in case!

-- Charlie Strack (charlie_strack@sti.com), October 12, 2001.


just a few additions to all the great thoughts mentioned above. I have may enlarger tied into the safe light so it goes off when i turn it on. You can also get a long electric strip so you don't have to have a lot of extension cords running all over the place. You will have to wire it yourself, but that is simple to do. I have pets so i also have a air filter(HEPA type) that i run before working. Helps with the dust, even tho the cats do not go into that room. Matts and a stool are great additions, and i have also used an intercom system that someone mentioned, it comes in very handy. You probably have more information than needed. I enjoyed reading all the ideas, thanks for the question.

-- Ann C lancy (clancya@mediaone.net), October 12, 2001.

The best single improvement in my darkroom was the addition of a swivel office chair that I can do nearly everything sitting down. I adjusted the height of the chair to match counted tops, sink, print drying and work table. I use to be limited to 2-3 hours in the darkroom standing up due to lower back pain, but now I can work 4-6 hours straight without back pain. Great for us olde geezers.

The only regret is I did not have the builder make it a 12x16 room rather than 12x12!

-- Gene Crumpler (hassieguy@att.net), October 12, 2001.


Hey, you're getting some great advice here, I don't have much to add other than agreeing with Charlie in that you should use GFCI outlets definitely. My darkroom is about the size of Pete's, I had an earlier one half the size & figured I'd never outgrow the new one....when I started acquiring roller transport proc., deeptanks etc....it got small once again! So, plan for the future....another thing I did with regards to power, was to split the outlets into two breakers. One for the dry side & one for the wet. This way, my enlargers (2) were on a dedicated line. My safelights are all wired on their own switch, and the whitelights are on another...the inspection light, I rigged up as a low 25 watt lamp on a footswitch that I mounted to a sink leg, so I can just bump it with my knee quickly. I would say to definitely have hot & cold water filters (25 micron minimum) mounted for your incoming lines. One thing to think about with your sinks, is placing them at a comfortable height to work at. I did mine waist high, but some people like them at a sitting height or whatever...and make sure you put in enough faucets...I wound up with 3 total across two sinks. One sink has just one , but the other runs off a water panel with 2 outlets. I have a tankline set up in this sink, and do all my washing there as well.

As far as little things you can do, at work we have a fairly large, nice gang darkroom outfitted with Kreonite enlarging stations...each one is like a booth that holds the enlarger, and has a built in light table with an OC filter (handy), and a built in paper safe as well. This is a drawer with a lid basically. I used to work in another lab that had these but they were wired as well, so if the drawer opened & the whitelights were on, the lights would shut off....another nicety is having floor drains, in case of spills, but that's usually not possible in a residential space...

If I had to do mine over again, I'd design it with a slot hood for the sinks...which I've sorta tried to retrofit now & then...but mostly just stick with the dilution ventilation I started with. My "dream" addition would be a water chiller....

-- DK Thompson (kthompson@moh.dcr.state.nc.us), October 12, 2001.


DK if you want a water chiller, check out Grainger, their water coolers are about $2000 less than B&H's.....hope you can make your dream come true...:-))

-- Jorge Gasteazoro (jorgegm@worldnet.att.net), October 12, 2001.

wow! lots of great ideas! The size of my room is finalised but there's many other things that I can incorporate. Thanks everyone!

-- Nigel Smith (nlandgl@unite.com.au), October 13, 2001.

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