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View Full Version : Seattle Photographers' darkroom Co-op



Jay DeFehr
24-Apr-2011, 17:28
Hello fellow Seattleites!

I've recently relocated to Seattle, leaving my well appointed darkroom behind. I'm already having withdrawals, and I wondered if anyone in the Seattle area would be interested in sharing a darkroom space. I have a lot of equipment to contribute, and a lot of construction experience. I've built a few darkrooms, too. I would prefer something in the Capitol Hill neighborhood, but I'm flexible. I know PCNW rents their darkroom, but $10/hr is a bit steep, considering I've already invested in all of the equipment. I think 6-10 people could easily share one darkroom if it was well planned, and members communicated well. I also think a suitable place could be found for under $500/mo, keeping the price of membership well below the price of a parking space, even if there were only a few members. If anyone is interested in discussing the idea, I'd love to hear from you.

If this is the wrong place for this thread, I apologize.

Jay

Brian C. Miller
24-Apr-2011, 18:51
The darkroom needs ceiling height. I have a Fotar 8x10 enlarger needing more space than I have ceiling height in my apartment. I'd like something kind of convenient to the bus lines. What about cheap space near the waterfront? The older buildings down there have space.

Jay DeFehr
24-Apr-2011, 20:44
Brian,

That would be great! Any idea what space goes for down there? I had a beautiful Fotar 8x10 horizontal enlarger, but let it go because I didn't have space for it.

Brian C. Miller
24-Apr-2011, 21:58
I'd have to take a trip down there and look again. Along 1st Ave the old buildings had cheap space. No AC, stuff like that. We might have to have appropriate plumbing installed into the space.

Jay DeFehr
24-Apr-2011, 22:08
AC is not critical, and I can do light plumbing. I won't be tying into any mainlines, but I can plumb from existing water lines to existing drains. I would be happy to ride the bus/ scooter to 1st Ave.

Kuzano
25-Apr-2011, 01:08
I happen to have a 7-8 foot stainless steel sink about 5 inches deep. It has a stainless upright back with a temperature control mixing valve and two valves downline for filling trays or tanks. The stainless has a composition wood frame around it. Needs legs built.

It's not going to be used in a darkroom that I know of. I had hopes, but not the space. If interested, PM me.

Jay DeFehr
25-Apr-2011, 07:14
PM sent

Jay DeFehr
27-Apr-2011, 09:14
Here are some spaces currently available, that might work, depending on the number of members.


http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/off/2345278792.html

http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/off/2340401350.html

http://seattle.craigslist.org/tac/off/2344117065.html

http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/off/2338406597.html

And here is a group of woodworkers doing something similar:

http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/off/2342539978.html



I'm beginning to think finding a space might be easier than finding members.

MumbleyJoe
27-Apr-2011, 09:28
I'm not entirely sure where I'd fit in, but as a Seattle LF photographer without an enlarger (I can develop my film at home, but that's it for now) I'm interested in seeing where this goes. I really don't have anything to contribute in terms of hardware, but I am interested.

Brian C. Miller
27-Apr-2011, 10:31
Jay: The problem with my Fotar is that I need at least nine good feet of ceiling, preferably ten. The first two definitely didn't have the needed ceiling height, and the last one had been deleted. I think the third one is actually in Tacoma.

Tyler: If you don't have equipment, then that's OK by me. Defrayal of rent and utilities is good. Things can be worked out.

PCNW rates (http://pcnw.org/facilities/hours-rates/) seem to aggregate to $16/hr with an enlarger, so if you are doing eight hours a day for a weekend (8hrs * 16*2=256) for a month (4*256=1024) it really adds up.

Jay DeFehr
27-Apr-2011, 12:07
I have tons of equipment- that's not a problem; space is the problem. A private darkroom would be on the expensive side, for me. A Co-op seems like an ideal solution, since most photographers don't work in their darkrooms full time. I looked at the darkroom at Photo Center Northwest, and it looked like something that wouldn't be difficult to duplicate between a few photographers combining their equipment, and darkroom equipment is getting easier and cheaper to come by all the time. We might even get donations if we have a space for the stuff.

Brian,

I'll keep the ceiling height requirements in mind as I look for spaces.

jontobey
30-Apr-2011, 15:29
Jhanavi Barnes rents space at her place in North Gate. I'm in Duvall, but have a full darkroom with an Omega enlarger and can do negatives up to 4x5. I have room in the darkroom for another enlarger if you want to park it here and use the space. It's about 10'x8' with a bench along one long wall, a long shallow sink along the other, and a lucite board outside with 500w spots to inspect prints. Bring your own chemicals and you can use it for really good beer or single malt. I think the bus stops right down the hill from me.

jontobey
11-May-2011, 11:01
Hmm, this thread kind of died. You can email me directly at jontobey@yahoo.com