Darkroom Renovation Phase 1

They look great. (Trays)

But they will not last. The PVC material is expensive. It’ll be a waste once those unseasoned boards start to curl or the veneers peeling on the bottom of the extremely low grade ply.

Better off making them from signboard or solid plastic.

Sure those worked a few times before they fully dried out and became modern art. Lol 😀


I really like wood sinks, but it’s a big mistake not finishing all sides of the wood as I’ve mentioned before. Why go through all this work and not paint the bottom or sides lol.

Looking forward to seeing what you cook up.
 
Perusing around some seem to really like wood finished with marine paint for boats. Some say "has lasted 20 years", "good enough for boats" etc. Also an option.
 
I'm continuing to gather info (and parts) for this project. I want to sincerely thank everybody who have taken the time pipe in so far with your ideas.

Actually I talked yesterday to a guy, he lives real close to me, he's a wet plate large format photog. He has a sink he bought on Craiglist, but has never installed. So now we have talked, and he is thinking of selling it off. If this is a go I will prolly take it. He says it will take three 16x20 trays (as long as the they don't have pouring lips on them) and has a deep well on one end, like to put a print washer there, or whatever. It's a little smaller than I would like, but with the 4x4 foot Kreonite Plate washing sink next to it, it might be OK? For $200-$300 it would certainly solve my sink searching dilemna. It is a commercially made darkroom sink, no markings. Small but so is my darkroom, it's only 10x12 feet total. Spacious enough for one person.

Also I met my father in law in my basement for a couple of hours yesterday, and everything I want to do down there is doable. So he is starting to get interested in this project. We spent a lot discussing the details of the new electrical, plumbing, drop ceiling, and general carpentry.

This is kind of exciting for me 🙂

Darkroom Drop Ceiling and New Thermometer by Nokton48, on Flickr

Stuff related to the drop ceiling
 
modern enlarging systems model 2 by Nokton48, on Flickr

I did just pull the trigger on this Modern Enlarging Systems Model II LED head for my Omega D2. It uses Cree XP-G LEDs which are the most efficent on the market. Printing speed about like a 150W bulb so very bright blue LED. Although the Model II was intended for graded paper printing, I can put 6x6" Ilford Multigrade Gels in it's path if I want to VC print with it (which I eventually will when I run out of graded paper). The price on this was really great so I grabbed it, new in the box never used A wonderful upgrade to my trusty ole D2. I've read on the internet that these heads were a labor of love, he's not planning to make any more.

Next week I'll go after a big fiberglass darkroom sink practically right next door, and I have my eye on a 16x20 Calumet Archival Print Washer for a good price at a local used photo shop

Most pressing projects are the drop ceiling, and installing a heat vent in the ductwork running through the darkroom. I'm waiting for the special order duct to come in.

Is anybody here using the Model II as an enlarging source?
 
Calumet Archival Print Washer 2 by Nokton48, on Flickr

This is the Calumet Archival Print Washer I just bought for $250. Weighs a ton when empty, takes seventeen gallons to fill. Mine needs a bit of work but appears OK, 30 day return at the store where I purchased it. I will replace all the clear tubing, and the top right overflow "T" appears bent, maybe it dosen't leak?? We will see soon. This unit will archivally wash twelve 16x20 fiber prints, or 24 8x10s in one go. This was a $650 print wash in it's last years in the Calumet catalog. I think it was made by Gravity Works? A Thing of Beauty in my opinion............

The compartments are sealed so you be almost done washing a set of prints, and then drop in another print freshly loaded with fixer, it won't contaminate the other washing prints. Very cool

The Guy with the sink says his wife wants him to keep it for wet plate. So back to building a custom wood sink............

Oh Well 🙂
 
Stearman SP445 Tank 1 by Nokton48, on Flickr

My Stearman SP445 dev tank is here now. Only 16 oz of chemistry to do two 4x5/9x12 Lane glass plates, or four sheets of 9x12/4x5 modern flexible film. Useful! 3D printed item.

The ASA 25 Speed Plates fog easily. Jason sent the first batch, then emailed me and told me to throw them away!!! He went more than three minutes with his old safelight and fogged the speed plates. He has since switched his safelights. I bought a 5 1/2" Wratten #2 for my ancient Kodak safelight and he says that is OK with the speed plates. Kodak says for high speed Ortho film so that agrees with Jason's findings. You can also use a Kodak Dental X-Ray wratten filter, that is OK too. Very very dark red, must be 4 feet away at least. Or load the speedies in the dark. Not much light to see but enough to load!

The second batch he sent has no fogging. I will load them in the dark into the SP445. I will use the #2 to load the Makina holders.
 
Stearman 9x12 J Lane Holders with two 4.5x6cm Lane plates by Nokton48, on Flickr

My really good news for today, is that I can drop four 4.5x6cm glass plates into Tim's 9x12 J Lane SP445 process racks. This fit my Plaubel Makinas and Makiflexes, in both sizes that I shoot. See my Avatar. These are accessory plate holders that can be purchased separately. They are 3D printed.

I've tried loading and inverting the tanks for a good bit. The smaller plates do not shift around or break.

Most excellent news! I should show this to Tim........... 😎😎😎
 
Omega DII Modification 3 by Nokton48, on Flickr

I found an article about modifying the DII so that the neg stage becomes adjustable. I bought a box of thumb screws from McMaster Carr, and washers and bolts too. Now my neg stage is adjustable.

url=https://flic.kr/p/SYUCbf]
33461829698_cb89354bb7_z.jpg
[/url]Modified DII lensboards 2 by Nokton48, on Flickr

I also modified my DII lensboards, so that the lens planes of each are adjustable. I drilled and tapped each board, and put a layer of computer mouse pad between each top and bottom of each finished board. Used thumbscrews from McMaster Carr. So now I will use the Versalab Parallel Laser Alignment Tool to set the enlarger completely parallel each time I set enlarger height. Only makes a minute to do this each time.

Modified DII lensboards by Nokton48, on Flickr

Here are all the finished adjustable lens boards. I like the original silver Schneider Componons, I find them entirely adequate for my uses. I do have one much more modern black 180mm Rodenstock, which I have always used for printing 16x20s from 4x5

From the bottom right, 50mm, 60mm, 80mm, 100mm, 135mm, 150mm, new 180mm, old 180mm. I have even longer Componons (up to 300mm) but I use those on my cameras. Ken Ruth got me started collecting old Componons.
 
My New Delta Six Foot Darkroom Sink by Nokton48, on Flickr

Just drove all the way across town, and bought this Delta 6 foot Darkroom Sink for Fifty Bucks 🙂 It sells new at B&H for almost $800, when you figure in the freight. I does hold three 16x20 Patterson trays so I think I am good to go. This will work well with the Kreonite 4x4' Sink to it's left, and the Calumet 16x20 print washer in between the two sinks. An eight foot sink would be too cramped IMO.

Not too shabby! 🙂 No cracks I can see, soon will be as good as new.
 
Thanks Bill! Having a lot of fun designing and building this new workspace.

Delta Drain Faucet Set by Nokton48, on Flickr

This is the Delta Faucet/Drain set that will restore my new sink, I ordered it today. There was one on my new to me sink but it was completely rotten and I removed it. Might as well replace all with new. When you total everything up at the Lowes or Home Depot it's prolly cheaper to buy this from B&H!
 
Luxor Heavy Duty Rolling Cart by Nokton48, on Flickr

After a lot of data mining, and suggestions on three different camera forums, I settled on this Luxor Heavy Duty Cart, to hold my 16x20 Calumet Washer. $119 free shipping from B&H. When it arrives, I will be ready to test the Calumet. I have replaced all the tubing and plumbing. This unit is rated for up to 500 lbs, load distributed.

The Calumet has a 30 day warranty from the shop where I bought it, if it leaks.........
 
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