1st time printmaker

[vpwphoto]

Hi, You will find many opinions as to safe light use/types etc.
First as reccomended find out how safe it is. If you can do the coint test and not notice an issue after 5 to 10 minutes you are ok. (Not all papers react the same).
I leave mine ON when printing, have for decades. I use flourescent tubes with OC filters and bouced the light off a white ceiling.
A word of warning for anyone reading... THE NEW HIGH EFFICENCY SPIRAL BULBS CONTINUE TO FLOURECE AFTER THEY ARE SWITCHED OFF... THEY MAY FOG FILM IF THEY ARE IN YOUR LOADING ROOM!

Chreers..

[onadraw]

Thanks guys. I'm learning.

[Rick A]

One thing you may want to consider as to a safelight, color. A red safelight positioned approx. one meter or more from your work area is far safer than an OC safelight, and for some papers is required. My red light(5x7 Premier) gives me well over 30 minutes of open time with any paper before showing signs of fogging. It is safer to use the safe light option on the timer for any light, giving extra time before the paper will start to fog.

BTW, for got to congratulate you on joining a dwindling group of folks that hold dear, the art of wet printing. Continue on having fun, I've been at it for nearing a half century, and it's still magic.

[onadraw]

This was my first enlargement. Its 8x10 from a 2 1/4 x 2 1/4 negative.

[Michael R 1974]

Looks like you're off to a good start. Congratulations on your first darkroom prints!

[andrewf]

Thats a pretty clean enlargement for a first go! Mine was covered in fingerprints and dust! Nice work!

[Molli]

Very nice work! While comparisons may be odious, I have to say, if I'd been making prints like yours from the outset I'd never, ever want to leave the darkroom!

[RPippin]

When I used a two bladed easel I found it helpful to square up the blades with a tape measure first and then simply put a strip of tape where they cross to keep them from drifting apart. I also switched to a Thomas Duplex safelight and leave it on the whole time I'm printing. It's bright enough to read by and I've never had any problem with paper fogging. I did an experiment once to test for paper fogging with the coins after being shocked to see all the light leaks in my darkroom. I used to only print at night to be safe, but after installing the Thomas I decided to test in the daytime, light leaks and all, and to my surprise there were no problems with fogging. Keep at it and have fun, it wont be long before you get where you want to be. You might also think about taking a workshop or find other darkroom users and hang out in their darkrooms to see how other folks work.

[MattKing]

When I used a two bladed easel I found it helpful to square up the blades with a tape measure first and then simply put a strip of tape where they cross to keep them from drifting apart.

This is a really good idea that in 40+ years of using easels never occurred to me - thank you!

[pentaxuser]

Paterson do three fixed size easels(5x7,8x10 and I think 12x16). Easy to use with absolutely straight and equal borders but of course no option to alter border sizes and of no use with paper outside of the 3 sizes mentioned.

As you are new to printing I'd be inclined to go with fixed easels. Good 2 bladed ones which can be altered for different border sizes and different sizes of paper are expensive. Good 4 bladed ones are even more expensive.

pentaxuser