Darkroom Renovation Phase 1

Nokton48

Nokton48

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I'm renovating my home basement darkroom. Up until now, I used this space for general storage, film loading, and long ago, color enlarging. I still have a 16" Kreonite CPT16 dry to dry EP2 Color processor hooked up, but I'm getting rid of that. Want to set this up for B&W darkroom work. Washing and water in another room right now.

Been buying shelving, floor mats, and a LOT of cleaning and organizing. Mind the clutter, it's not done yet. Just wanted to show you guys my progress. What do you think so far?

Darkroom renovation 1 by Nokton48, on Flickr

Darkroom renovation 2 by Nokton48, on Flickr

Darkroom renovation 3 by Nokton48, on Flickr
 
Makes sure to have a big waste basket. I usually fill mine up when working in my darkroom!

I have a dry area and a wet area.

Yours Looks good so far!
 
Looks like its going to be a nice and comfortable space , I would imagine that being in the basement would keep the temperature quite stable too.
 
I have a Kreonite Plate Washing Sink (think Print Shop stuff) that is made of square fibreglass. Dragged it out of the basement of Midwest Photo many years ago. Thinking of plumbing that up (need a base with legs). Also eventually building a long darkroom sink for B&W washing and trays.
 
Also want to set up 3 1/2 gallon Kodak Deep Tanks to process 8x10 and smaller sheet film. All that related stainless stuff is presently stored on the new black shelves along the front wall.
 
Dayrell bishop said:
Looks like its going to be a nice and comfortable space , I would imagine that being in the basement would keep the temperature quite stable too.
Click to expand...


Hi Dayrell,

Yes it sure does. Right now it is rather cool but I have plug in oil filled heaters which warm it up nicely. In the warmer months it is about 20C all the time.
 
Has anybody here converted the "Omegalite" flourescent saucer head to LED for split-grade printing? I love my Omegalite head, last wet printing with Foma graded papers.

And I have a lot of EKTALURE salon paper I loaded up on, right before it was discontinued, up to 16x20. The Omegalite liked Ektalure. I developed it in Unicolor print drums.

I've ordered tray sets to 16x20 and they should be here from Freestyle in a few days. Work on this continues as I have time.
 
Thanks all for comments. Keep 'em coming. I'm open to new ideas :)

Like I may switch to all incandescent overhead lighting. Florescent tubes have an "afterglow" that lasts many minutes...................
 
I see you can now buy LED replcement bulbs for 4ft fixtures. Might be an option!

Looking good! My only recommendation is more table top!

I’m a freak for clear workspace!
 
B-9 said:
I see you can now buy LED replcement bulbs for 4ft fixtures. Might be an option! Looking good! My only recommendation is more table top! I’m a freak for clear workspace!
Click to expand...


Yes I'm not happy about losing half of the tabletop due to the shelving on top of it. Those white 3 section shelves are only $16 at Lowes (ten minutes away). If I buy more sets, I can go floor to ceiling behind, and pull the formica table outwards from the wall. I will have to reconfigure the flooring, no big deal. Trays (16x20 etc) will go underneath the formica table (more white shelving). When I get it the way I like it, I will zip tie it all together.

Good idea about LED 4 foot bulbs! I will check into that. Lowes again! :)
 
I did go to my local Menards today, and bought two 4' LED light strips. $25 each and 11% rebate :) Also I need to redo the tungsten overheads, and the Patterson safelights (3) ang green Kodak inspection light.

Later I will build sinks, plumb everything, and redo house wiring into this room.
 
I got lucky with a sink,

My friend is a master at welding plastic. A few years back we built a large wet table for my then darkroom.

This past weekend we built onto it making a even larger washout booth for my silk screening.

I’ve cleared the old darkroom of my custom cabinetry in prep for paint and new flooring. I have the entire second story of our Victorian to use as a shop! Including a whole room 11x16 dedicated solely to film inventory. The old darkroom is going to be a screen prep and drying area with the attached bath becoming a washout room.

I found I no longer need a darkroom, I can do it all with my dark box, and have built a small rolling platform for my enlarger that holds everything related to developing or printmaking.

It will just roll around the finished workshop. The new mantra is open space and empty tables for me! I’ll try and grab some photos to share.
 
The Kreonite works, it's just outside on the other side of the darkroom front wall, next to the door. I used to feed prints in where the black plastic shelving is now, with all the tanks. I've just covered that up, see the black plastic stapled to the wall? I'm in Ohio, but I'm not ready to sell it yet.

Kreonite CPT16 EP2 Color Processor by Nokton48, on Flickr

And this is the Kreonite Plate Washing Sink I want to restore and install.

Kreonite Plate Washing Sink by Nokton48, on Flickr

Kreonite Water Mixing Valve Unit by Nokton48, on Flickr

And this Kreonite Water Mixing Unit will be removed and put over the sinks after I build and install them. The hot and cold lines will be easy to extend as they are already there as you can see. This water board is worth some dough.
 
Hello from the North!

I have family in Ohio! Love to visit, Rock on the Range! (what was anyways)

That Kreonite sink is really cool!

Looks like you got it going on. Cant wait for future updates! I love this kind of thread.

Edit: I like the green of the sink, what is it made of? Almost looks like a eyewash station sitting up like that!
 
It's upside down in the photo, and it's plastic and fiberglass. My hands are itching from moving it. I will have to hit it with epoxy sealer for sure! EEK

Kreonite had a whole division that supported commercial printing press shops. This thing had four jet sprays (you can see the holes in each corner, the jets were rotten so I removed them) for washing commercial print shop plates (I guess). Kreonite stuff was UBER EXPENSIVE back in the day. I worked in a cutting edge print shop when I was younger, and I know a bit about this.

I think I paid $40 for this sink, which is an absolute steal. I dragged it out of Midwest Photos basement many many years ago. I worked at Columbus Camera Group when I was in college and bought a lot of stuff there.
 
Hopefully this works... lol

Here’s a snap of my old wet table turned washout booth.

I feel it looks small in the photo but I can sit in the thing.
50306284_10157096892888724_5984629231500394496_o.jpg
 
OK So you spray out silkscreens in that? Very cool

I'm going to plug the holes where the jets were located, and use it as a small utility sink, prolly in a corner.
 
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