I am 90% ready for starting my wet darkroom.

[Uncle Bill]

I got some Ilford 8x10 RC Multigrade IV paper, filters, darkroom timer and a book on Darkroom Techniques by Roger Hicks and Frances Schultz for Christmas.

I have the Durst M300 enlarger, trays, head, enlarging lens, tongs, safelight, and I need is chemicals, squeege. and time.

So any recommendations on chemicals?

Bill

 

[Bryce]

Developer- Dektol. It's cheap, easy to use, and leaves nice black blacks. I plan to make my own when Kodak gets around to actually quitting the business.
Stop and fix? More or less any will do. You won't need a wash aid for RC paper, and toning is not really worthwhile either.
Try it, you might like it.

 

[mbisc]

Good for you!

I finally got my first wet darkroom two years ago, and have never looked back. It is absolutely awesome to be in your own darkroom and have control over all the chemicals, the equipment and everything!

I have used Dektol as well, but the one thing I wasn't too crazy about was the fact that you have to mix it up from powder. If you are not too cash-constrained, I would suggest using liquid chemicals. They are a bit more expensive, but they are much nicer to use. I have still to try the new liquid developers from Ilford myself, but I have heard good things about them. For the other chemicals (and again, although I agree with the other post that they don't really matter, I prefer liquid ones), I use Ilford's or Clayton's odorless Indicator Stop Bath, the odorless fixer from Clayton and a liquid Wash Aid (the brand escapes me right now, but it's a white bottle with a red label...)

Enjoy,
Mike

 

[Uncle Bill]

An update, I went all Ilford on the chemical route, all I need is a squeege and I can get that a local hardware store if I don't have one already somewhere.

Now, I have some reading to do before the lights go out🙂.

Bill

 

[Nachkebia]

Lucky man! excellent! and congrats! 😀

 

[boilerdoc2]

Try the Ilford warm tone papers and the Harman Warm tone developer concentrate. It makes every print look like a Cartier-Bresson!
Steve

 

[Bryce]

Squeegee... I was short one of those once, and ended up using a windshield wiper blade.
I thought I was being cheap/ lazy/ trashy 'till I read Ansel Adams recommends them in "The Print"...
Happy printing!

 

[jan normandale]

Hey Bill... you are on the "True Path to Enlightenment"

I'm waiting for the next meet up and you can bring some 'paper' with you!