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  #1  
Old 14th July 2017, 01:38 PM
MarkH MarkH is offline
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Default Nova Blackout Kits

Has anyone any experience of these kits please?

https://www.theimagingwarehouse.com/...linds-Blackout

I currently changing the spare bedroom to a darkroom come office. I was thinking of trying to make something myself that I can manage to blackout the window as I have been doing in the bathroom up to now. But if these work it will be a lot easier for me.
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Old 14th July 2017, 02:26 PM
Richard Gould Richard Gould is offline
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I used something very similer from Firstcall many moons ago when I was changing our spare bedroom to a full time darkroom, worked and is still working very well indeed
Richard
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Old 14th July 2017, 05:49 PM
MarkH MarkH is offline
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Thank you Richard, I will order some then.
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Old 21st July 2017, 05:08 PM
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Martin Aislabie Martin Aislabie is offline
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I have used something similar for years.

However, I would classify them as making the room just very very gloomy in bright sunlight.

I always waited for darkness to fall before handling film - just in case.

They are fine for print processing.

Martin
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Old 21st July 2017, 06:11 PM
big paul big paul is offline
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I bought a big bit darkroom blackout material from mike O'pray ,(saved me money and we recycled )it was on his window but he changed to a roller blind type ,I put a wooden frame in my window stapled Velcro to the wood machined Velcro on to the edge of the cloth ,and when I need to use my darkroom I just stick it up,i also have some on my door frame and vent and its so dark in there I cannot find my backside using both hands ;-)
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Old 21st July 2017, 08:26 PM
Mike O'Pray Mike O'Pray is offline
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Mark, if I may add to what Big Paul has said. If your bedroom window is South facing and fairly large, as bedroom windows tend to be these days, then I'd be inclined to do as Paul has done and fix it to a frame on the window. I had a South facing window and chose to fix the fabric to the inside wall surrounding the window thinking this would be easier.

I was wrong. I found that the 6-8 inch gap from the blackout material to the glass left a big enough gap to act like a mini-cooker whereby the rays of the sun heated the large air gap, being unable to escape and dissipate. This meant that I had to use a lot of wide velcro to ensure that the air's expansion in the gap did not force the blackout material from the velcro. It also acted like a radiator releasing unwanted heat into the room. In the end to cut down on the air gap and to absorb the heat I used blocks of polystyrene inside the window.

It worked OK but given my time over again I'd do what Big Paul has done and fit it inside the window frame.

Mike
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Old 22nd July 2017, 06:23 AM
John King John King is online now
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My darkroom is south east facing and the blackout sheeting from Firstcall is stapled to a wooden frame set in the window recess. However it is NOT completely light proof if there is sun directly on the blind.
You can still see a faint 'glow' of light once your eyes have become adjusted to the darkness. OK for B&W I suppose, but not for colour.

A black bin liner opened out and taped to the rear as a temporary measure is enough to make it completely dark, but it should not need it, if the material was as it claims.

Last edited by John King; 22nd July 2017 at 06:27 AM.
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Old 28th July 2017, 07:31 PM
MarkH MarkH is offline
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Thank you everyone, it's a north facing room but I think I would have much the same problem but at different times of the year. It already has a blind in the room that cuts out most of the light, but nowhere near adequate for a dark room, so I thought with the addition of the darkroom material I thought I would manage to get total darkness. I had already thought of the velcrose round the door and on to the laminate floor. I will have to work on the window, thank you again everyone for all your suggestions.
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Old 28th July 2017, 09:06 PM
Mike O'Pray Mike O'Pray is offline
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When I had the Nova Darkroom Blackout material this was a few years ago but I cannot recall the Nova material being penetrated with any rays of light.

It is heavy stuff and not cheap for a biggish window but here's a thought. If you already have a blind you might want to consider heavyweight black lightproof curtain material if your curtain holder allows you to have a large border of material on all four edges. Any very diffused light from the blind has to then turn two corners on any one side to get into the room.

The great thing about curtains is that when the room is not in use they can be drawn back so from the outside the room looks normal.

The permanently blacked-out bedroom window used to drive the wife nuts

Mike
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Old 6th August 2017, 08:04 PM
MarkH MarkH is offline
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Thanks Mike, that is something I have considered as there is about 5 feet of wall either side of the window. That particular window faces a small communal car park and I always keep the blind so it lets light in but no one can see inside. Because my "studio" is a large white room at work that has other uses I have to keep all my lights, cameras etc in the same room. Most of it is stored out of sight but I'm apprehensive of anyone seeing my iMac and scanner realising that it's an indicator of other equipment. Sorry about the non darkroom equipment but I can't enlarge and darkroom print colour or any 120 film yet, partially because I have so much to learn about printing 35mm B&W negatives before adventuring into other films. I think three full length curtains (one covering the door) could be the way forward. I can't see anything happening until mid September as we are on holiday the first week of the month and then we have to arrange for someone to do the work. The suggestions have been really helpful in working out the way forward.
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