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Thread: Making my dark room darker

  1. #1

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    Making my dark room darker

    Because of health reasons I've got to start printing during the daytime and my current dark room frankly isn't up to the task.
    I figure I'll push pin my focusing cloth over the window to block any dim light which leaks around the cardboard. That leaves the threshold and door frame of the door (which opens onto a hall way which is dim, but not dark during daytime) A carpet can help the threshold but the frame is my current issue. Any ideas?
    "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
    Unwitting Thread Killer Ari's Avatar
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    Re: Making my dark room darker

    John, I once stapled some black mat board to the edges of my door, oversized so when the door was closed, the board covered the gaps in the frame, and blocked outside light from coming in.

  3. #3

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    Re: Making my dark room darker

    Fold over a piece of duvetyne or black felt and staple it to the bottom of the door (on darkroom side) as a flap. Black ripstop will work too.
    Black weatherstip around the frame or more felt.

  4. #4
    matthew blais's Avatar
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    Re: Making my dark room darker

    I just have a curtain rod with two black sheets sewn together I hang across and above the door during daytime
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    August Rodin

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  5. #5

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    Re: Making my dark room darker

    Thanks guys!
    "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
    Greg Lockrey's Avatar
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    Re: Making my dark room darker

    I made a "tent" in my two car garage out of black visqueen, the material used for gardens and drop cloths. It be dark....
    Greg Lockrey

    Wealth is a state of mind.
    Money is just a tool.
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  7. #7
    Pastafarian supremo Rick A's Avatar
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    Re: Making my dark room darker

    You can tape a blach trash bag over the window. As to the door, hit Wally world for a length of the heaviest black material you can find to cover it with. I found a heavy black nylon type material with a black vinyl backing at Wallys and velcro'd it up. I can remove when not in use, and slap it up when necessary. I used an off cut from it to cover my window
    Rick Allen

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  8. #8

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    Re: Making my dark room darker

    I use the flexible, but very strong, foam rubber type of weather stripping made for the bottom of garage doors. It's much wider than normal weather stripping and works perfectly.

  9. #9

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    Re: Making my dark room darker

    Quote Originally Posted by ralnphot View Post
    You can tape a blach trash bag over the window. As to the door, hit Wally world for a length of the heaviest black material you can find to cover it with. I found a heavy black nylon type material with a black vinyl backing at Wallys and velcro'd it up. I can remove when not in use, and slap it up when necessary. I used an off cut from it to cover my window
    Not all black trash bags will work. I had a student who set up a darkroom in her apartment and had severe fogging problems. I went over to see if I could help. Trash bags had been doubled and taped over the window. Within 2 or 3 minutes i could have read a newspaper in the room.

  10. #10
    ROL's Avatar
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    Re: Making my dark room darker

    Use gaffers tape to seal your light block (any totally opaque material) within window. Gaffers (Home Depots, etc.) is made to come off easily without harming surfaces.

    Use weather stripping around the door and install a sweep at the bottom. Lastly, as mentioned, hang a heavy fabric (cheap vinyls - Jo-Anns, etc.) from a shower rod installed above the inside of the door.

    Or...

    I could stop by on my next furtive trip through old F'berg, after lunch at one my old haunts: Dicicco's, Me'n Eds, or Javier's. I've been told quite often that I darken any door I pass through.

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