Argh!!!!!!

[Tom A]

Ilford used to make a"press" type paper called Plastika (or something like that). It was designed to be dried on a roller heater (large monstrous machine with a "usually" really dirty apron and a red hot polished steel cylinder). It was a very thin paper, single weight, and with a VERY smooth surface! It also came in 8x10 size and 500 sheet to the box.
I was working late and had to open another box, to save time in trying to get a small stack (20-25 sheet) I pulled the whole bag (black paper) out of the box, grabbing what I thought was the open end of it and lifting it up!
The entire bag opened up and 500 sheets of paper, like so many playing cards. took off and fluttered all over the darkroom floor. The dark room lights were good but the filters were getting faded and I knew that I had about 2-3 minutes to grab the papers and try to stuff them into the bag before fog set in. Needless to say, I had at least 100-150 nice white pieces of paper to write notes on and use for checking focus with!
Oh, if you decided to air dry "plastika" it would curl up to a cigarette diameter roll, 10" long and with a remarkable faculty for wanting to stay that way. Even several minutes in the dry mount press would result in a "sprooing" sound when you lifted up the top plate and the print was now a cigar diametered 10" roll.

 

[peterc]

You could sell the paper on eBay as nearly mint.

 

[sienarot]

You could sell the paper on eBay as nearly mint.

Another good idea! don't forget to take a picture of the paper so people know what they're getting 🙂

 

[Ash]

Drew, thankyou 🙂 pm'd.

Tom, your story really made me smile. Thankyou for sharing 🙂

Peter/Derrick, so those couple auctions were famous - I thought I was the only one who spotted them!!


It took way too long to get into the darkroom tonight; by the time my sister left so I could lock up the house, and after sorting out the dog, it must have been nearly 11pm - working on maybe 10 sheets (3 or 4 prints, at least 2 of each), I didn't get back inside til 1:30am.

It's nearly 2am, but I sucked in all the advice like a sponge 🙂
A wad of paper was placed in a thinner box I had, to use/ruin. The main box was kept closed tight. No major problems tonight thankfully.

 

[rtphotos]

drewbarb gives good advice regarding "paper safes". I use them always. It beats fumbling with the paper box and plastic bag during printing sessions.

This is the type I use:
http://www.freestylephoto.biz/sc_prod.php?cat_id=&pid=1526

Get one! Good luck on your printing!

rt 🙂

 

[sepiareverb]

Another nod to the paper safe- best investment you can make at this point. I still manage to turn on the lights with the paper safe open once a year, but I only fog a few sheets. I keep maybe 25 sheets in there at a time, reload as needed while printing. Does save time as well, nice and simple to get your sheet out. The next time you fog paper you've paid for the paper safe.

 

[MartinP]

I must admit that I have also turned the wrong light-switch at the wrong moment. Probably everyone has done it at least once !

I've never used a paper-safe though - do they self-close or something like that ? I just have the routine that only the single packet of paper in use goes on top of the bench, and every time I leave the bench I check it. So far so good, for a few years (famous last words).

Good luck with you interview btw.

 

[drewbarb]

Check the link RT posted above- this is my vote for the best (simplest, most fool-proof, and cheapest) design for a paper safe. I have a couple in each size from 8x10 to 20x24. I got all of mine very cheap or free, and I use them all the time.

 

[sepiareverb]

I like the older Premier brand versions that have a small plastic latch to prevent accidental openings when moving the safe. The newest Premiers seem to have replaced the latch with a cheaper velcro 'latch' which only serves to make noise when opening the thing, alerting you to the fact that you have either fogged the paper or are simply getting another sheet for that next print.

 

[drewbarb]

Hmm. The ones I have all have a small metal latch on the front which turns to the side to latch them closed.

 

[markinlondon]

Papersafes sell for about £5 from www.secondhanddarkroom.co.uk. Their postage is a bit of a killer on small orders though.

 

[Tom A]

Over the years I have designed and built 1/2 dozen darkrooms in various locations. My current one has one strange feature. YOU CAN NOT turn on the lights when you enter! You have to make it the 10ft to the sink and then you have to find the switch. This has cut down on stupid mistakes considerably!
Nothing being perfect, it also introduces new mistakes - trying to carry 2.5 liters of hot water in a Paterson jug to the sink and forgetting that the last time you were in there, you did not push the stool at the enlarging table all the way in!

 

[sepiareverb]

Over the years I have designed and built 1/2 dozen darkrooms in various locations. My current one has one strange feature. YOU CAN NOT turn on the lights when you enter! You have to make it the 10ft to the sink and then you have to find the switch....

I did something similar in this darkroom with my lights- force myself to walk far to get to the main white lights, but then I added one over the sink to check on prints in the fix after I dripped too much all over the floor. That light is my usual culprit in paper fogs. I am getting better at remembering to close the safe as I remove the paper- some old dogs can learn new tricks.

Might you post us a picture of your darkroom Tom?

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=40458&highlight=darkroom

 

[Tom A]

I will attempt to take a shot of the darkroom and try to post it. Probably will use Tuulikki's GRD with the 21 adapter for that. Might get around to it tomorrow as i just finished a bunch of articles for the LHSA Viewfinder that has to be shipped out and my eyeball's are seared from staring at a screen for multiple hours.

 

[john neal]

My wife once bought me a box of Ilford MG4 for my birthday - before gift wrapping it, she she thought she should look inside and make sure it was OK......

 

[Tom A]

 

[Tom A]

 

[Tom A]

 

[sepiareverb]

Hey thanks Tom- I love the yellow walls! Making me think of a paint job now. I've got a blue lineoleum floor & blue ceiling- that yellow would put me over the top!

Would have guessed you to be a metal reels fellow; that's a lot of reels. I just spent three days running films from my trip a few weeks back and was thanking my metal reels for being loadable while wet, as I only have 12.

Beautiful workspace too- my office/workroom is a jumble of desk, shelves, safe and worktables. More like some aisles in a very crowded junk store!

Ash- remembered a cracked lid to one of my developing cans as being the culprit to a lot of fogged film years back- strange irregular fogs that it took forever to pin down- also explained the developer, stop & fix 'mysteriously' pouring all over my hands while agitating. A pretty sizable crack in the plastic lid that was nearly invisible. I noticed it finally when pushing down a stubborn cap with my thumb. Another one of those Argh!!!!! moments.

 

[markinlondon]

Wow, wide open spaces, Tom! 🙂