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Thread: I build six "Old School" drying screens

  1. #1

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    I build six "Old School" drying screens

    To go with all my other "old school" photography gear.
    2" x1/2" Canadian Doug Fir for the framing. Joints glued with Elmer's Carpenter glue (the yellowish version of Elmers, supposed to be more resistant to moisture) then staples on both sides to hold together for drying since I only had two long clamps and am building a batch of six drying screens.
    Then I gave it a good coat of Zinssner "Bulls Eye" Shellac. After everything dries I marked the corners where I wanted the mending plates, pulled out the staples on that side and glued the mending plates in place with Duco-cement to keep them where I wanted them until drilling the pilot holes and screwing the mending plates down.
    Tomorrow I'll flip them over, introduce a bend by slightly raising the short ends and clamping down the centers of the long sides, then staple the screen material along a pencil line 3/8" from the inside edge of the framing, release the clamps and let the frame stretch the fabric tight, then staple the long sides, cut off the excess screen material and cover the edges and staple line with half round molding held in place with wire brads, then another coat of "Bulls Eye" Shellac. Then its back to contact printing.

    Yeah, I could have used aluminum frames and splines, but this has been a heck of a lot of fun and I suspect they will look "right."
    "I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority"---EB White

  2. #2
    Louie Powell's Avatar
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    Re: I build six "Old School" drying screens

    I used ordinary 1x2" clear pine that I ripped in half to make 1x1" sections (actually, 3/4 x 3/4"). I cut rabbets at the ends so that I could create lap joints at the corners. Yellow carpenter's glue (actually, polyurethane glue would have been better because it's more water resistant) to glue the corners together, then used metal mending plates. Finished the wood using water-borne polyurethane floor varnish because its cheap, tough and water resistant, and is so very easy to clean up after using. Stretched plastic window screening over the frames and attached with staples.

    Then I build a rack using L-shaped molding to hold the frames about 4" apart. The rack is under my darkroom sink.

    To use, I squeegee the prints against a sheet of glass, and then place them on the screens - face down for FB paper, face up for RC. If left alone, FP prints (all DW) will dry thoroughly overnight. I can expedite things by directing a small fan on the prints -brings the drying time down to a couple of hours.

  3. #3

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    Re: I build six "Old School" drying screens

    The thickness of the Douglas fir I used looks closer to 1".... but not quite. It's whatever it is that Lowe's sells, anyway.
    "I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority"---EB White

  4. #4
    Drew Wiley
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    Re: I build six "Old School" drying screens

    John - you should try making a few of those lampshade-shape, then selling them to REI as designer bug headnets. I see lotsa sillier things sold there. You might
    get rich. For bigger screens I just use sliding patio door screens (fiberglass). I get em free whenever our door&window warranty crew has to do a replacement on
    a new slider.

  5. #5

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    Re: I build six "Old School" drying screens

    Quote Originally Posted by Drew Wiley View Post
    John - you should try making a few of those lampshade-shape, then selling them to REI as designer bug headnets. I see lotsa sillier things sold there. You might
    get rich. For bigger screens I just use sliding patio door screens (fiberglass). I get em free whenever our door&window warranty crew has to do a replacement on
    a new slider.
    Fiberglass might not stop Sierra skeeters, Drew---I've seen 'em stick their proboscis clean through a heavy cotton flannel shirt sleeve! Maybe a heavy galvanized pail perforated with #9 shot for sight & ventilation and replace the wire bail with a more comfortable chin strap would interest REI? The deluxe model could have a solar panel on top and a charger for the well equipped outdoors person's Smartphone (with GPS app)
    "I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority"---EB White

  6. #6
    Drew Wiley
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    Re: I build six "Old School" drying screens

    I'm only half joking. I grew up with a kid who noticed the scrap pile of cedar next to the sawmill a short walk down the road, then had kids shape it into little soap
    bars in his garage after school. He sold these five per pkg to Eddie Bauer under the label as the Poor Man's Cedar Chest. He sold so many that he has not only supported his family for the past forty years on this item alone, but is well enough off to have his own plane and airstrip up in those foothills. ... But REI is simply nutty selling fashion statements to one-weekend-a-year outdoor wannabees.
    I go in there looking for a simple plastic canteen. They have an entire aisle of silly designer cool-looking water bottles for twenty bucks up, but nothing simple.... So I hit up someone I know in the organization and tell them they should likewise install an entire aisle of designer pee bottles for all those winter campers etc who don't want to crawl out of the tent at night. I was spoofing of course; but the stupid things would probably sell there!

  7. #7

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    Re: I build six "Old School" drying screens

    Back to work!
    The half round molding won't allow the screens to stack easily. What I need is a molding called Screen Bead, but apparently thye only make the stuff in pine, which looks cheesey against the grain of the Doug fir. Aside from either painting them or milling Screen Bead from Douglas fir, does anyone have any suggestions? I guess I could paint the molding in a complimentary color (green, black or red?)
    Right now I'm knocking out three more of these "mini" drying screens for a total of nine.
    "I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority"---EB White

  8. #8
    Drew Wiley
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    Re: I build six "Old School" drying screens

    Screen bead is typically avail in birch and alder too, John. ... but not ... uh, er, just "anywhere" .. Birch and fir age about the same in terms of reddening. Alder needs
    a tiny slip of thinned-out stain to do the trick. Fir won't mill that small. Do you have a hardwood dealer anywhere in that part of the world?

  9. #9

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    Re: I build six "Old School" drying screens

    Quote Originally Posted by Drew Wiley View Post
    Screen bead is typically avail in birch and alder too, John. ... but not ... uh, er, just "anywhere" .. Birch and fir age about the same in terms of reddening. Alder needs
    a tiny slip of thinned-out stain to do the trick. Fir won't mill that small. Do you have a hardwood dealer anywhere in that part of the world?
    Next market day, when I hitch Bessie and Nellie to the buckboard and head into town, I'll ask at the General Store

    There are a few places that have hardwood---I'll see if I can get the Birch. I did find Oak at Lowes, but it seems like overkill for something like drying frames. Thanks!
    "I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority"---EB White

  10. #10

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    Re: I build six "Old School" drying screens

    I used metal screening that one can purchase at a Home Depot. Works great. But, it of course doesn't have that neat, shellac look.

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