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  #1  
Old 11th December 2016, 10:11 AM
EdmundH EdmundH is offline
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Default A view inside my Darkroom

Here is my 'compact' darkroom, which measures just 3' x 5'. The window is blacked out in seconds with a plywood board held in place with two turncatches

The lower shelf is just wide enough for three 8x10 trays and has a 60w tubular heater underneath to keep them warm. It can be removed between sessions so the toilet can still be used.

The upper shelf is about chest height so I don't have to bend down for focusing, and it leaves plenty space underneath for developing prints.

After a lot of work I have managed to get the room 100% lightproof; the door has heavy duty rubber/aluminium draftstrips around the outside, which also made it totally airtight! - I created a lightproof grill through the door, complete with an air filter to prevent dust being drawn into the darkroom by the extractor fan.

There isn't space to use running water, but our kitchen sink is only five paces from the door.
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Old 11th December 2016, 10:26 AM
John King John King is offline
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Default Darkroom

Well what can I say? Compact-yes, functional-yes, but don't you find it clostrophobic? My 'space' is larger, but like you I don't have running water but the bathroom is just '5 paces away'.

Just a tip though, if you can find a strip of carpet or other floor covering to place over where you will be carrying water or spent developer it saves staining the carper underneath (I know to my cost!)

But it does go to show that you don't need a huge space to operate, so well done.
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Old 11th December 2016, 10:36 AM
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MartyNL MartyNL is offline
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A very good use of space Edmund, well done!
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Old 11th December 2016, 12:11 PM
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Martin Aislabie Martin Aislabie is offline
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I hope you are very happy in your darkroom and produce lots of work that you are very pleased with.

Martin
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Old 11th December 2016, 12:30 PM
big paul big paul is offline
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takes me back to when I didn't have my own darkroom I used to move from room to room ,when people say they haven't got the room to set up a darkroom it always makes me smile .we should have a bumper sticker made, As long as we can turn the lights off we can do it almost any where. ok so you would need a long bumper


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Old 11th December 2016, 04:32 PM
EdmundH EdmundH is offline
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Ideally I would like a much larger space, and I have more acquired equipment including 16x20 trays put away for such an eventuality. For the present I don't find it claustrophobic, it's warm and quiet, and slightly larger than it appears in the photo. It would be nice to have room for a stool though.

I fitted black vinyl on the floor to hide any staining, but inevitably the lower walls already have a lot of yellow marks down them.
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Old 11th December 2016, 06:22 PM
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maltklaus maltklaus is offline
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I've always wanted to have a loo in my darkroom

In all seriousness, very clever use of available space! Where there's a will, there's a way!
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Old 11th December 2016, 07:07 PM
John King John King is offline
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Default Darkroom

If you ever went over to colour RA4 printing, the space required for a Nova Processor would be a lot less.

(You would have room for a small fridge and a kettle - all home comforts)
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Old 12th December 2016, 05:05 AM
RichardWarom RichardWarom is offline
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Very neat Edmund well done.
Richard
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Old 12th December 2016, 04:39 PM
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Martin Aislabie Martin Aislabie is offline
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If you ever fancied printing larger than 10x8, NOVA (The Imaging Warehouse), do a series of vertical slot processors - https://www.theimagingwarehouse.com/...rint-Processor

Think a row of developing trays stood on end

These were developed specifically for those people with limited space.

New ones can be a bit expensive but Second-hand Darkroom Supplies might have a second hand one for sale - or alternatively E-Bay

There are no moving parts, so unless someone has dropped it or never bothered cleaning theirs, older ones will work as well as newer ones do.

Martin
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