Neare
Well-known
I want to make some full bleed 5x7 prints (edge to edge) so I would like your ideas on how to keep the paper flat while it is under the enlarger as I will not be using an easel.
What I am thinking is to dab a bit of water on the enlargers base board and hopefully the paper will stick down to it.
Any other/better ideas? (I don't own any type of glass plane to put over it)
What I am thinking is to dab a bit of water on the enlargers base board and hopefully the paper will stick down to it.
Any other/better ideas? (I don't own any type of glass plane to put over it)
MartinP
Veteran
Go to a diy-shop that cuts glass and get a piece big enough to cover, say, a 12"x9 1/2" sheet. You can then use the same glass for all your contacts. I assumed everyone does this? There is no need to pay for a contact frame from Paterson (for example) but you could do that too.
For positioning the paper tape a piece of drawing-paper on the baseboard, draw your 5x7 shape on that and use it for composing, then place the photographic paper in the rectangle with the glass on top, and expose.
EDIT: If there is some real reason for not wanting to use glass, then you could try polycarbonate sheet. It is harder to keep clean and you would need to push it down on the baseboard, as the polycarbonate material is quite light in weight. Further alternatives might include double-sided sticky-tape on a sheet of card - rub the tape with your fingers to reduce the stickiness.
EDIT2: If you don't want to spend any extra money then the answer is to use a larger piece of paper and cut the white edges off. Or, if you don't have an easel, hold a larger piece of paper down with your fingers, then trim to size. This is a none-problem.
For positioning the paper tape a piece of drawing-paper on the baseboard, draw your 5x7 shape on that and use it for composing, then place the photographic paper in the rectangle with the glass on top, and expose.
EDIT: If there is some real reason for not wanting to use glass, then you could try polycarbonate sheet. It is harder to keep clean and you would need to push it down on the baseboard, as the polycarbonate material is quite light in weight. Further alternatives might include double-sided sticky-tape on a sheet of card - rub the tape with your fingers to reduce the stickiness.
EDIT2: If you don't want to spend any extra money then the answer is to use a larger piece of paper and cut the white edges off. Or, if you don't have an easel, hold a larger piece of paper down with your fingers, then trim to size. This is a none-problem.
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Freakscene
Obscure member
The best way is to get a borderless easel - they come up on eBay all the time for almost nothing.
Marty
Marty
Neare
Well-known
Thanks for the ideas, though both involve money! 
The darkroom I use has some ready made contact printer in it, don't know where it came from. But I can't use the glass from that because it has separators for the edges of the negatives, so I would get big white lines in the middle of my prints.
As for positioning, I just plan to stick the red filter over and work with the paper directly underneath.
Btw marty, I had a look at that easel. It looks like it uses screws to hold the corners down? That will result in the corners not exposing yeah?
The darkroom I use has some ready made contact printer in it, don't know where it came from. But I can't use the glass from that because it has separators for the edges of the negatives, so I would get big white lines in the middle of my prints.
As for positioning, I just plan to stick the red filter over and work with the paper directly underneath.
Btw marty, I had a look at that easel. It looks like it uses screws to hold the corners down? That will result in the corners not exposing yeah?
Pherdinand
the snow must go on
well,you could also make holes into the board and attach a pipe and suck on it while exposing!
Or you can try electrostatic clamping i.e. charge the paper and it will stick on the board by static electricity (but will attract lots of dust too)
really, the double sided tape shall be the cheapest solution... be careful though, some of the glueing material is very hard to remove.
The easiest solution is to use paper one size larger...and crop the white edges...
Or you can try electrostatic clamping i.e. charge the paper and it will stick on the board by static electricity (but will attract lots of dust too)
really, the double sided tape shall be the cheapest solution... be careful though, some of the glueing material is very hard to remove.
The easiest solution is to use paper one size larger...and crop the white edges...
ChrisN
Striving
Vacuum easel is the best solution. Pretty simple to make too, especially in that small size.
eg: http://www.penguindigitalarts.com/vacuum.html
eg: http://www.penguindigitalarts.com/vacuum.html
Freakscene
Obscure member
Some work that way. The best ones use a vacuum, like Chris suggested. I got mine for $5.
Marty
RichL
Well-known
Double stick tape. Quick dirty and workable till you get the cash for something better.
KenD
Film Shooter
There are old recipes floating around the web for making a sticky easel with corn syrup and a few other ingredients, all from the kitchen cupboard or grocery store.
Masking tape made into a loop at the corners works too.
Masking tape made into a loop at the corners works too.
rxmd
May contain traces of nut
Or you could make prints with a regular, narrowish easel and cut off the edges.
Neare
Well-known
Thanks for the ideas. I don't want to cut anything, the 5x7 is already pretty small and I just want to print and go. I'm planning to make about 150 or so, I would like as little fiddling as possible.
I'll give some of the easy options a shot, otherwise I guess I'm getting out the drill and making the vacuum contraption.
I'll give some of the easy options a shot, otherwise I guess I'm getting out the drill and making the vacuum contraption.
ChrisN
Striving
Another easy option is a light coat of spray-on contact adhesive on a baseboard (use a sheet of glass or hard plastic or similar; even MDF). Let the adhesive "go off" and you have a tacky surface you can press the paper to, yet still lift it away without leaving any residue.
rxmd
May contain traces of nut
You could also print on wet paper. Less of a mess than fiddling around with corn syrup or glue, and you don't get glue leftovers in your developer.
Probably more convenient if you don't change negatives all that often. Are your 150 prints off 150 different negatives?
Probably more convenient if you don't change negatives all that often. Are your 150 prints off 150 different negatives?
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Neare
Well-known
Yeah they're all different It's going to be a couple of long nights...
It's going to be a couple of long nights...
shadowfox
Darkroom printing lives
Have you tried smaller aperture like f/11 ?
Flatness may not matter. Do a couple of test prints.
Fasten a wooden frame on the enlarger board. The frame should have an opening the size of the paper, that way you can quickly drop the paper into the frame, expose, move on. You have 150 prints to make, anything that speeds up positioning the paper, will help.
Flatness may not matter. Do a couple of test prints.
Fasten a wooden frame on the enlarger board. The frame should have an opening the size of the paper, that way you can quickly drop the paper into the frame, expose, move on. You have 150 prints to make, anything that speeds up positioning the paper, will help.
froyd
Veteran
If you just want to "print and go" messing with water droplets and alignement does not seem nearly as quick and easy than trimming a larger piece of photo paper... four cuts and you are done. Granted, it's more wasteful than printing on 5x7, but you could fit a 4x6 and a 5x7 on the same piece of 8x10 and trim the borders of both prints to end up with borderless photos.
DriesI
Established
If you print on 5.6 or smaller, your depth of field should be sufficient to cover the (limited) curling of such small paper.
I print on 8x10 without easel at 5.6 or 8 and never have problems.
Just try one, you'll be fine
I print on 8x10 without easel at 5.6 or 8 and never have problems.
Just try one, you'll be fine