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-   -   First darkroom, I think I've ordered everything I need (http://www.film-and-darkroom-user.org.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=13340)

Britman 4th August 2020 09:27 PM

First darkroom, I think I've ordered everything I need
 
So I'm in the process of setting up a darkroom (in the bathroom) and I think I have ordered everything needed to at least get crackkng.

Durst F30 enlarger (used got for cheap)
50mm f4.5 lens (used got for very cheap)
Chemicals, Ilford multigrade dev, stop and rapid fix (I already have from developing film)
Ilford Multigrade RC paper
Safe light
Focus checker
Trays (that may or may not be cat litter trays)
Tongues
Multigrade filters (Ilford education pack)
Timer (used)
Home made easel.

Am I missing something?

I hope it all arrives this week.


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Molli 5th August 2020 12:12 PM

The only things I'm not seeing are a thermometer which I'm guessing you may well have amongst your film developing supplies, and a line and pegs to hang your prints. Other than that, you seem well set!
Welcome to the best part of using film :-)

Britman 5th August 2020 12:32 PM

Yes, thermometer I have. 👍
Pegs totally forgot about that.

My enlarger arrived today, absolute mint condition. It's never been used, just need a lamp now.

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Molli 5th August 2020 01:00 PM

I made a rope and pulley sort of thing for my print drying line. I started out using my laundry, but drying prints (and film) in my bathroom. Since I'm in a rental property, nothing permanent is possible. So, a couple of tack nails in the surround above the door and window makes for a very fast print dryer, easily taken down and with no nail holes visible ever.
The pulley system is only slightly fancier. I put two nails above each door in the laundry (one leads into the house, the other goes outside) and a length of dowel is seated above the door, behind those nails, with a third dowel used to raise and lower the strings.
Photos would probably explain it better, but you possibly already have a print drying idea in mind. Window screens are another option.

Do yell out if you need any DIY tips, though. As I mentioned, I'm in a rental property so I specialise in discrete and reversible options and, also, I'm on an extremely tight budget so I have cheap workarounds for most things.

Well done on your mint F30. It's always a treat to acquire things which simply work straight out of the box!

Terry S 5th August 2020 02:26 PM

It sounds like you've got all the main things to get you started.

Enjoy! :)

Terry S

Ian Marsh 5th August 2020 02:35 PM

Not essential, but you may like to consider a print squeegee to remove the surplus water from the prints before hanging them up.

Have fun

MartyNL 5th August 2020 03:15 PM

Looking forward to seeing some prints, Best of luck!

Britman 5th August 2020 05:35 PM

Thanks for the wishes and tips.

I have to confess that I have now jumped the gun slightly, as this enlarger didn't come with a lamp I couldn't wait for an enlarger lamp to be delivered so went to B&Q a bought a Diall 1055 lumens 75w LED neutral white (4000k) lamp.

It seems to have worked, illuminated the board evenly, well to my eyes.

So after I did a light leak and safe light test I did a couple test prints on small strips.
But because my temporary safe light is a bicycle rear light I couldn't really see shit 😂 and messed up. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...e6d0eb10d2.jpg

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Richard Gould 5th August 2020 05:50 PM

Just Hi Britman
Led lamps work very well for Enlarging, I have been using one in my meopta for around 2 or 3 years now, also a B@Q dial one, i8n my case a 14.5 watt, but I did some trials with them before I commited to mine and I found you need a 2700 k warm bulb, which seems to match the enlarger bulb in tone, and to get all the grades with MG paper,so I would suggest you get the warmer bulb, and use the colder tone in your room light, as far as the rest, I can't see anything else you need to start printing' just one thing, when using RC paper you don't need a line, just somewhere to lay the prints out, the will dry fast and flat, I have been known, in the past , to lay them out on sheets of newspaper, back down, you only really need a line for FB prints, pegging them back to back in pairs with a peg at each corner helps the not to curl to much
Richard

Britman 5th August 2020 06:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Richard Gould (Post 134880)
Just Hi Britman
Led lamps work very well for Enlarging, I have been using one in my meopta for around 2 or 3 years now, also a B@Q dial one, i8n my case a 14.5 watt, but I did some trials with them before I commited to mine and I found you need a 2700 k warm bulb, which seems to match the enlarger bulb in tone, and to get all the grades with MG paper,so I would suggest you get the warmer bulb, and use the colder tone in your room light, as far as the rest, I can't see anything else you need to start printing' just one thing, when using RC paper you don't need a line, just somewhere to lay the prints out, the will dry fast and flat, I have been known, in the past , to lay them out on sheets of newspaper, back down, you only really need a line for FB prints, pegging them back to back in pairs with a peg at each corner helps the not to curl to much
Richard

Thanks Richard, I bought 2 of those lamps so will exchange one for the 2700k warm 👍

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Nat Polton 5th August 2020 10:05 PM

When I used the bathroom as a temporary darkroom I had a board over the bath for the enlarger and trays.
The advice in those days was to run a few inches of water into the bath in case of any un-noticed chemical splashes. It immediately diluted any chemical spills and prevented the bath from getting stained.
I have no idea on modern electrical safety regulations for use in bathrooms, but if you are using an extension lead to power the enlarger, a Residual Circuit Breaker plug would be a very desirable safety precaution.

Britman 5th August 2020 10:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nat Polton (Post 134884)
When I used the bathroom as a temporary darkroom I had a board over the bath for the enlarger and trays.
The advice in those days was to run a few inches of water into the bath in case of any un-noticed chemical splashes. It immediately diluted any chemical spills and prevented the bath from getting stained.
I have no idea on modern electrical safety regulations for use in bathrooms, but if you are using an extension lead to power the enlarger, a Residual Circuit Breaker plug would be a very desirable safety precaution.

I have a table setup as I only have a shower. And yes great advice in the breaker

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JOReynolds 8th August 2020 01:26 PM

As posted by others before, the red LED lamps (screw or bayonet) sold for parties and other decoration make superb safelights for Multigrade - bright and really safe.
RCD is essential, often now sold for garden stuff. Test often as per instructions. Make sure the enlarger is earthed, preferably with a 13A plug - no adapters.

Britman 8th August 2020 01:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JOReynolds (Post 134910)
As posted by others before, the red LED lamps (screw or bayonet) sold for parties and other decoration make superb safelights for Multigrade - bright and really safe.

RCD is essential, often now sold for garden stuff. Test often as per instructions. Make sure the enlarger is earthed, preferably with a 13A plug - no adapters.

The enlarger doesn't have an earth.

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Nat Polton 8th August 2020 07:17 PM

ENLARGER EARTH.
My enlarger is a Durst M605.
Just had a look at the electrics.
There are only two conductors in the original cable that goes to the transformer from the mains supply.
The transformer in turn only has two conductors going to the lamp holder in the enlarger head. So there is no earth supply at all.
I even put a multi-meter set for continuity testing, between the head and the vertical column.
There was no connection there between the head and column. When I had a closer peek I could see the head slides along the column in nylon shoes. Slim chance of connection there.
It is POSSIBLY double insulated.
Not being an electrician I have no idea if adding an earth to a double insulated piece of equipment is dangerous or not.
If any qualified electricians are reading this please let us know if it is dangerous to add an earth to double insulated equipment.
Assuming it is double insulated. And UK electrics.
Cheers.

Nat Polton 8th August 2020 07:20 PM

Earths on enlargers used to be recommended, not only for safety but also to reduce dust attracting static electricity.
Cheers.

Britman 8th August 2020 08:22 PM

My enlarger being such a basic one is literally a desk lamp inside a box with a condenser lens.

I can even pull the lamp holder out.

I'll take some pictures.

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Bob 9th August 2020 02:35 PM

There's a lot of exposed metal on an F30. Safety was not always uppermost on designer's minds back in the day, so I agree an earth is well worth adding.

Saying that, an RCD should prevent electrocution in the unlikely event of the metal becoming live, but you get no warning as it will not trip until you touch the live metal - had it been earthed, it would trip immediately the short occurred and will refuse to be reconnected until the fault is cleared. A fairly recently (re)wired house will have at least one RCD in the consumer unit.

Colour enlargers with a transformer may not need one as the voltage is stepped down to 12 or 24 volts via an isolating transformer and that is not enough to push a dangerous amount of current through the human body. Even then, a fault in the transformer can put 240V on the output instead of 12/24V (a typical failure mode for cheap USB chargers - NEVER buy cheap USB chargers!) so it's still worth having as a belt-and-braces addition but by no means essential. A colour enlarger with separate low-voltage power supply is a "Class III" device and is considered safer in this regard than "double insulated" (Class II). The double-insulated device should have either the class designation or the double-insulated symbol (one rectangle inside another) on the label.

Britman 9th August 2020 02:49 PM

Thanks Bod, I wouldn't know how to go about earthing it if it wasn't designed that way.

The enlarger is double insulated, the live can never come in contact with the metal part unless the cable has a cut in it.

Bob 9th August 2020 03:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Britman (Post 134937)
Thanks Bod, I wouldn't know how to go about earthing it if it wasn't designed that way.

The enlarger is double insulated, the live can never come in contact with the metal part unless the cable has a cut in it.

Cool, in that case I would be happy with just the RCD adaptor socket.

Enjoy (finally! :D).

Nat Polton 9th August 2020 08:26 PM

Another thank you Bob.
My Durst M605 tranformer has the two squares marking.
Cheers.


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