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  #1  
Old 7th August 2017, 09:55 AM
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Jon Smiler Jon Smiler is offline
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Default Hi from the UK

Hello to you all
My name is Jon from Stockport,Cheshire.
I have been a photographer for about 30 yrs on and off, both traditional and digital but I am new to the darkroom side of it and have to say, I am hooked and hopefully my three children are too
My children's reactions from taking an image to developing it yesterday was priceless although they weren't so keen on the smell of the caffenol.
We will be trying contact printing soon too.

My darkroom is under the stairs and very small but I have plans for making a proper one outside this year when I start to make a summer house and storage shed.

I have a selection of cameras, 35mm, 6x6 and I also have a MPP technical vi. Oh, also a Canon 300D

I mainly shoot portraits and love using both natural and studio light.

Please excuse any questions I may ask as some may seem obvious to you.
Hope I can contribute something back too.
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Old 7th August 2017, 11:07 AM
Terry S Terry S is offline
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It's interesting that you have dived straight in at the beginning with Caffenol Jon. I too have tried it with some prints and like yours, I found the smell a bit over powering and have since left the coffee for drinking.

Personally I would do a little bit of 'straight' developing using good dev, stop and fix before branching out, to let you know what a good 'straight' print or two looks like. But after that, experiment away, as there are a lot of different processes to work your way through if you want to.

Have fun whatever you do and yes, it's great to get kids involved at an early age. I tried it with my two younger brothers when I first had a darkroom in my teens, but after a couple of photo-grams, which impressed them, nothing else followed.

Terry S
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Old 7th August 2017, 11:59 AM
Richard Gould Richard Gould is offline
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Hi Jon and welcome to Fadu
Richard
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Old 7th August 2017, 12:12 PM
mpirie mpirie is offline
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Welcome to the forum Jon.

Mike
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Old 7th August 2017, 12:18 PM
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Jon Smiler Jon Smiler is offline
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Thanks for the welcomes Terry, Richard and Mike.

The reason I started with the caffenol is that the darkroom is under the stairs and has no ventilation and I am unsure of any harm that may come from the fumes with the proper chemicals and also it was cheap to do for a beginner.

I took a chance and scanned some today without being fixed and the scanner doesn't seem to of damaged them.
They are underexposed though and the scanner is just a cheap one.

Are the proper chemicals harmless? If not I will buy them instead and hopefully get some nice images.
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Old 7th August 2017, 01:10 PM
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welcome Jon
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If you eliminate the impossible whatever remains no matter how improbable must be the truth.
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Old 7th August 2017, 01:12 PM
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Jon Smiler Jon Smiler is offline
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Thanks Mitch
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Old 7th August 2017, 02:41 PM
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MartyNL MartyNL is offline
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Hello and welcome to fadu Jon.
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Old 7th August 2017, 03:42 PM
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CambsIan CambsIan is offline
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Hi Jon,

Welcome to FADU.

I can't offer any great advice on the toxicity of the fumes from the chemicals used in the darkroom, but there are plenty of members on here who will have that info.

I can say that you will only need the 2 chemicals, developer and fix, as the stop bath can be missed out and a water wash/clean be used instead, as a lot of people on here do.

This links might help

https://www.ilfordphoto.com/health-and-safety

https://www.ilfordphoto.com/wp/wp-co...7-44-10023.pdf

https://www.ilfordphoto.com/wp/wp-co...en_ghs_E15.pdf

First one is for general H+S, the second is the data sheet for rapid fixer and the third is the data sheet for a universal developer for both paper and film.

Lots of other data sheets on there for Ilford products

Ian
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Last edited by CambsIan; 7th August 2017 at 03:54 PM. Reason: additions
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Old 7th August 2017, 03:50 PM
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Welcome to FADU, Jon!
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