I'm in process myself to built a make-shift darkroom in my bathroom, and your posts have inspired me very much. I live in a two-bedroom apartment with only a small bathroom, and so far I have placed the enlarger on the toilet and I could manage to have four 8x10" trays on the floor under the shower.
I'm still contemplating how to improve this, as it is not the most comfortable to work in, and your input has led me to believe that working in layers is the best approach. By working in layers I mean to put up some sort of shelf system on wheels where the top shelf will house my enlarger and then maybe four shelves under each other with different trays, e.g. developer, stop, fix and water bath. The Ikea antonius system seems obvious for this, although I really want something that I can collapse and store away as my space in generally is limited.
Basically, I want to use an inexpensive plastic cart with a raised edge as a shallow sink, using a water supply that comes from the wall (or a hose) and cutting a drain into it, using hose to route the outflow to my drain in the floor.
I will post updates on how it works in a few months if/when I get this thing up and running.
Looking to buy the cart locally or from www.uline.com, which has a house brand that's much less expensive than Rubbermaid.
EDIT: Elsing, laboratory/industrial supply sites might have carts that meet your needs, too...seen a bunch while poking around the net for my stuff.
Also, anyone have an idea for a cheap enlarger stand? Saw some workstands for drill presses, etc, but it seems expensive. Might try a stack of milk crates four-square and several high, taped or otherwise banded together...thoughts? Also considering kitchen carts or the like.
Ok guys I have a challenge, I have a small hallway space outside of my bathroom which I want to use for printing (Bathroom itself is too small) but one side is an open archway.
Any ideas on a cheap easy way to block off the arch so thats its light tight but still able to walk through without dismantling whatever is blocking the arch?
Attached is a rough outline of my plans, sealing off the doors/window is easy enough (Doors are pretty tight already and the windows has a blackout Velux Blind on it) but the archway is giving me problems.
You might want to move this to your own separate thread - it would be much easier to find that way.
Can you change the size of your enlarger table in order to fit it into the "nook" behind where you currently have it positioned?
That would allow two smaller tables - one at each end of the arch.
Matt
“Photography is a complex and fluid medium, and its many factors are not applied in simple sequence. Rather, the process may be likened to the art of the juggler in keeping many balls in the air at one time!”
Ansel Adams, from the introduction to The Negative - The New Ansel Adams Photography Series / Book 2
See photo. 6.5 x 5.5 ft. space. Not shown is a chair to sit down on in front of the enlarger, plastic to protect the vanity from chemicals, Delta red safelight bulb (in regular light socket), and a Time-O-lite timer and footswitch. A paper safe is placed beneath the chair. Of course the window had to be blocked. I use the darkroom only at night.
Developer is on the toilet, stop bath and fixer on the sink, and water in the tray on the hamper (all 11x14 trays). I can't use the bathroom sink to wash because of the trays so when the print goes in the water tray, I leave the darkroom and wash the print in the kitchen sink. This works well, I've been using this setup for years but I am thinking of building a darkroom in the basement.
I use to live in a studio apartment. I had my enlarger permanently on top of a low dresser (I used to pile t-shirts on top of the board and move them when I wanted to use it). I had a square tub (around 3 feet on a side) in the bathroom and Iwould put a piece of pine (around 12" wide) across the top with my trays set up on it. I would put the wash tray in the bottom of the tub and let the faucet run into it.
Having recently moved into a house, I was trying to figure out how to put a proper darkroom into my laundry room. Reading this made me remember the extra bathroom down in the basement (that I have yet to use). I'm figuring on a table for the enlarger and then an extension to the already sizeable countertop by the sink for wet process.
Dark out curtains? Print at night to stack the deck.
Adv Reply
Originally Posted by Fotoguy20d
