Yep, gotta darken it, I guess. I was actually looking for printing frames on eBay when I happened across several such box-type devices. The wheels started turning, and I thought there might be a loophole. Guess not, really.
I'm looking forward to starting in on contact printing, though. The 4x5s are going to be a little on the small side (though 3-1/2 x 5-1/2 used to be a standard print size from Walgreen's, and 4x5's awfully close), but when I get me that 5x7...
Scott, with your woodmaking skills you can make a real nice contact printing frame in some nice fancy wood,, how about black valnut?
Yeah, Jan, that thought's already run through my head once or twice...
I think you may find these things are sheathed internally with flaking asbestos. I had my hands on two and they were both that way.
Scott, one way you could get good use out of that contact printer is to mount a spiral compact fluorescent BLB bulb in it, and use it for alt-process or POP printing. It'd be an *excellent* way to expose cyanotype, van Dyke brown, kallitype, even platinum within its size (the only way to make platinum affordable -- print *really* small), as well as albumen and POP -- probably even work with Azo or the replacement for it that Michael and Paula have been working on (if that ever finally bore fruit, and you can manage to get some). You probably wouldn't do much dodging and burning on a 4x5 contact print anyway, so the negative and paper being locked in during exposure isn't that big a deal...
However, for more general contact printing, you want something more like this contact printing frame.
If a contact print at arm's length is too small to see, you need a bigger camera. :D
"I just hate having to try to block out light in any room we have. Requires electrical tape over smoke detector lights, towels in front of doors... "
Paint the smoke detector lights red or tape a piece of red tissue paper over them.
Depending on where the doors are, how many there are, how far from the paper, etc. you might not need the towels. Remember the inverse square rule of light fall-off with flash - it applies to light coming in under doors as well.
Brian Ellis
Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way when you do criticize them you'll be
a mile away and you'll have their shoes.
Scott-Originally Posted by Scott --
Well, here's what I'm (now) envisioning: I'll set up the back room in the basement so as to darken it fully. Get a safelight. Rig up some kind of 4 to 7 watt bulb. Get a contact printing frame or two. Expose the paper in the "dark" room. Load the paper in my Unicolor drum. Develop it in daylight.
I just hate having to try to block out light in any room we have. Requires electrical tape over smoke detector lights, towels in front of doors...
I have what I affectionally call a "dark closet" in my house. Until I make my wife's quilting room bigger, I'm not allowed to make my closet bigger. But it does have plumbing and a sink, and my 4x5 enlarger, but only has room to do 8x10 prints in trays (which is why I haven't migrated to 11x14 or bigger for contact printing yet). So when I enlarge to bigger print sizes, I use my Jobo drums (despite all of the naysayers) to develop the prints. It can be done, and it's a better alternative than doing nothing. Good luck. Paul
BTW, that's a pretty cool looking box in any fashion. Might be good for something else.
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks