darkroom ventalatoin

[Ken Lee]

Another helpful step is to avoid foul-smelling chemicals altogether. The following may be relevant if you do black and white processing:

According to Anchell and Troop in The Film Developing Cookbook, alkaline fixers have the following advantages over more traditional acidic formulas:

Less danger of over-fixing
Shorter washing times
More archival
Greater capacity
More stable
Can be formulated to have low odor

If you use an alkaline fixer, you don't need an acid stop bath. If you insist on an acid stop bath, a mild acid works well and Citric Acid is dramatically milder-smelling than the old standard Acetic Acid.

[Drew Wiley]

Air is easier to pull than to push. External or inline fans will work better than ordinary wall or ceiling mounted ones, and will help isolate sound too. Panasonic has some very nice inline ones if you have the budget for this. Efficiency of air movement is affected by atmospheric humidity. In damp weather you should plan for about double the CFM's as what the routine advice recommends for your room volume. It is better to have a bigger fan with a variable volume control - you can always turn it down. Also, any inevitable bends or corrugations on your exhaust ducts will affect air movement. And of course, you need adequate-area light-tight air intake grills opposite your fume hood. Color developers and blixes can be especially unhealthy, but even seemingly innocuous chemical can sensitize you over time. Plan appropriately.

[Tin Can]

I agree with Ken and use most of his suggestions from his excellent website. I find I have very little odor at all. I am really careful with powder of any kind, even when cooking...

Another helpful step is to avoid foul-smelling chemicals altogether. The following may be relevant if you do black and white processing:

According to Anchell and Troop in The Film Developing Cookbook, alkaline fixers have the following advantages over more traditional acidic formulas:

Less danger of over-fixing
Shorter washing times
More archival
Greater capacity
More stable
Can be formulated to have low odor

If you use an alkaline fixer, you don't need an acid stop bath. If you insist on an acid stop bath, a mild acid works well and Citric Acid is dramatically milder-smelling than the old standard Acetic Acid.

[Drew Wiley]

Judging the cumulative health risks of any chemical merely by initial odor is a bit naive. There is simply no substitute for proper ventilation.

[MrFujicaman]

I have plans from the old Peterson's Photographic Blueprint Series II book for a vent hood-If you're interested PM me with a mailing address and I'll copy them and mail them out to you.

[Tin Can]

I am well aware of the dangers of unnoticeable 'odor' and sometimes the wrong chem needs a lot of vent. I once walked into a huge auto body shop through an open double garage door and didn't make it 30 feet as I passed out from something I could not smell. They carried me out and strangely the chem was not bothering the workers...Ever see an old body man?

I always run power vents and have buried 2 coworkers from excess Trichloroethylene exposure. They refused to use available vent hoods. I warned them continuously.

Industrial disease.

Merry Christmas.

Judging the cumulative health risks of any chemical merely by initial odor is a bit naive. There is simply no substitute for proper ventilation.

[Leszek Vogt]

Agree with Ken on this one. Have I had a decent ventilation way back in early 70's, I probably would set up a darkroom today. Yes, those fumes still sting.

Les

[AtlantaTerry]

I have plans from the old Peterson's Photographic Blueprint Series II book for a vent hood-If you're interested PM me with a mailing address and I'll copy them and mail them out to you.

Then you would be violating the publisher's copyright. How as a photographer can you be protective of your copyright but be callous about someone else's copyright?

[PureQuill Photo]

Then you would be violating the publisher's copyright. How as a photographer can you be protective of your copyright but be callous about someone else's copyright?

Is it a copyright violation to share info that is from 1973 & decades long out of print?
It isn’t as if MrFujicam is trying to sell him copies of the plans for profit.

[MrFujicaman]

Then you would be violating the publisher's copyright. How as a photographer can you be protective of your copyright but be callous about someone else's copyright?

Would you rather people die from the fumes in their darkroom ? That book was published in 1973..That was FORTY years ago !. It has never been reprinted ! I rather doubt Peterson's renewed the copyright !
AS purequill stated, I'm not trying to make money off this..I was trying to help someone.