Bathroom and other Temporary/Makeshift Darkrooms

[pbromaghin]

Last weekend, ready to do 5 rolls at once, with Angelina supervising.




Hey, it's her house. I just live there.

[jsimoespedro]

Hi.

I do not own a print washer. I wash my RC paper um a large tray, same as those for developing, and fixing paper, but only larger. I place it in the tub and let water run from the shower.

I use a large large bathroom (but mostly unused) as a darkroom. I place the enlarger on top of the counter to one side of the washing basin. Of course I do not use this basin. I place the developing trays on the ground. I also work standing up. I do not have any shots for you, nor will I until late December.

[desertratt]

Where I come from out on the endless prarrie, the saying is "Lord willing and the creek don't rise." And they meant it. My uncle's bridge would wash out and it was a seven-mile trip around the back to get to his farm for months until they could afford to put the private bridge in again. I had a darkroom in a tiny closet and I had to lean down to use the enlarger. It is amazing what you can do in a confined space.

[ozphoto]

Here in TH, installing a new socket is nothing anyone thinks twice about, and yes, the term "safety first" doesn't even rate a blip on the radar. No registered sparkies needed - just about everyone has a relative or friend who will wire you up, with whatever you need.

Does it concern me? Ah, yes - I'm rather cautious around power sockets over here, but so far only had misfortune once and that was with a power board. Scared the c*** out of me, hurt like hell, and it was promptly tossed and replaced. Don't want to experience it *ever* again!!

[Richard Jepsen]

I have a simple dry darkroom. The plywood on top of the washer expands the tray surface. My print washer is a 12x15 tray. I use the fill and dump tray method. The safe light is a red Jr Lab in $8.00 silver reflector. The Gorilla DR can only be used at night. There is no ventilation so I use a water stop and TF-4 fix.

I know, it's not a bathroom but close.

[ac12]

I actually had more space in my apartment than in my house.
In the apartment, I used the bathroom.
- 1/2" plywood over the tub, for the enlarger.
- A homemade portable extension to the sink counter over the toilet, for the trays.
- Washing was done in the kitchen.

In my house, the only room I can use is a small half-bath which is less than 36 inches wide.
- The MF enlarger is put on the toilet.
- I use a drum or rocking print tray to process on the counter.
- Washing is done in the kitchen.
- Because of the very cramped setup and drum/rocking print tray, I've only done RC paper, not fiber.

In both setups, I either removed the white bulb from the bathroom light fixture or replaced the bulb with a small safelight. I needed the light switch in the ON position to run the exhaust fan.

I'm in the process of building a darkroom under my house, but like most home DIY projects, that will take way longer than I think it will to complete.

[ozphoto]

I remember doing a load of B&W in my hotel room in Braintree, UK. Picked up the supplies at a Jessops, blocked the light under the door with some extra towels, and processed 8 rolls over two days (4 rolls per night).

Probably the first and only time I've actually used a hairdryer in a hotel room - dried the reels and the films rather nicely.