Dark room contstruction plans

[Steven Ruttenberg]

Does anyone have or know where to get or design a darkroom for developing and making prints? I have an area of my garage that I plan to convert, complete with hot/cold water/drain. Room will be something like 8x10.

Also, for developing 4x5, 8x10 and 35mm. Would like to be able to make 16x20 prints from a 4x5 or 24x30 if possible) Also, going to make contact prints for b/w. Need a good equipment list or where to find that. I found something by Kodak to start me off. Anyway, sure the question has been asked before, but would like input as I am new to developing film, not using film.

[Gary Beasley]

Other than being sure to have a wetside and dry side darkroom layouts are pretty flexible. In some cases it do what you can with what you got but in your case you have it easy. Plot your workflow and build accordingly.

[Luis-F-S]

There are probably hundreds of posts on this forum on darkrooms and darkroom design as well as thousands of books on the subject! All you need to do is search. Try google. I also have a post on my 8x10 darkroom if you look for it.

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?109688-Hass-Intellifaucet-Installation


http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?56044-Lets-See-Your-Darkroom/page51&highlight=darkroom

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?107412-Darkroom-Design-for-a-9-8ft-x-10-1ft-room/page2

[Steven Ruttenberg]

I have been looking on Google and found some good things. I prefer to ask sometimes rather than spin my wheels figuring out the correct key words to search on. Sometimes they don't always work. I hate doing searches at work, they never work. :(

Thanks for the responses so far.

[Jan Pietrzak]

Steven, having built a number of darkrooms (for friend, schools, and pros).....let me ask some questions.....1) where do you live.....2) is the garage detached.....3) what kind of waste system do you have.....hot, cold and freezing can be an issue.....going out to work is nice but if it is a far distance from the house that can be an issue.....putting things into a septic system is not good.....4) can you get power and water out/into the new darkroom and can you drain your sink.....these are the first considerations I work with on any darkroom design.....5) do you plan to to do print finishing in that space???.....6) and last but not least ventilation air flow.....I know that some people may say that's to much to think about 16x20 prints that tells me that you want to be serious about this.....Jan

[Steven Ruttenberg]

Steven, having built a number of darkrooms (for friend, schools, and pros).....let me ask some questions.....

1) where do you live..... Mesa, AZ

2) is the garage detached.....No

3) what kind of waste system do you have.....hot, cold and freezing can be an issue.....going out to work is nice but if it is a far distance from the house that can be an issue.....putting things into a septic system is not good.....

The area is already plumbed with stub outs for hot/cold/drain (was thinking ahead when built house), no septic system. Regular plumbing


4) can you get power and water out/into the new darkroom and can you drain your sink.....

Have power to area, plumbed for a drain already, have overhead lights (fluorescent, but can change them)

5) do you plan to to do print finishing in that space???.....

If possible, otherwise I will have a work space upstairs for what can be done in a lighted environment.

6) and last but not least ventilation air flow.....I know that some people may say that's to much to think about 16x20 prints that tells me that you want to be serious about this.....

Will install a vent fan to the outside and use like a HEPPA filter system to bring in fresh air as well.

Yes, serious about learning and doing this for as long as I am able to. I like digital, but film is just fun and the possibilities to keep this art form alive and pass it on to my kids and others, etc is what I want to do. Leave a legacy.

Jan

[Tin Can]

Before planning study pictures of dark rooms. Most of us post in the thread show us your darkroom.

And Google images

https://www.google.com/search?q=darkrooms&safe=off&rlz=1CDGOYI_enUS768US768&hl=en-US&prmd=ivmn&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjB9Zfw8sLaAhXK1IMKHen3Bq4Q_AUIESgB&biw=320&bih=492

[Steven Ruttenberg]

There are probably hundreds of posts on this forum on darkrooms and darkroom design as well as thousands of books on the subject! All you need to do is search. Try google. I also have a post on my 8x10 darkroom if you look for it.

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?109688-Hass-Intellifaucet-Installation


http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?56044-Lets-See-Your-Darkroom/page51&highlight=darkroom


Very nice work.

[Tin Can]

You live in a high dust area.

Consider making your darkroom positive air pressure.

[Steven Ruttenberg]

You live in a high dust area.

Consider making your darkroom positive air pressure.

Will consider. I may try to make my digital work area a positive flow for when I am scanning negatives, I hate dust!

[Steven Ruttenberg]

Before planning study pictures of dark rooms. Most of us post in the thread show us your darkroom.

And Google images

https://www.google.com/search?q=darkrooms&safe=off&rlz=1CDGOYI_enUS768US768&hl=en-US&prmd=ivmn&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjB9Zfw8sLaAhXK1IMKHen3Bq4Q_AUIESgB&biw=320&bih=492

I am looking and will for a while till I know what I need exactly. Will be color and b/w.

[esearing]

Wish I had that much space. Air and heating / insulation would be high on my priority list to keep a stable temperature. Water and drainage are next.

Add electrical sockets wherever you can, even the ceiling, and some with wall switches.

Enlarger bench should have removable top layer so you can project a larger image on lower shelf for large prints (if needed).

Wet side - It doesn't hurt to have a wide sink like 36in x 9ft to accommodate large trays as waterbaths or wash stations. Dryside lots of workspace - standing room is not as important.
Open shelving above and below work spaces is better than closed cabinets which tend to limit your to a certain depth.
Lots of storage for trays, equipment, bottles of chems, measuring and mixing vessels, etc. Plastic pull out stacking drawers for smalls.
A drying cabinet is a nice to have but takes up lots of room.

If you have some folding tables you can put them in your space to determine layout and movement before committing to a layout. Depending where your door is I would build something on all four walls with minimal center floor space.
Reverse your door to open outward if it opens inward.

[Tin Can]

If you are planning to only scan LF for digital printing your darkroom can be much smaller.




Will consider. I may try to make my digital work area a positive flow for when I am scanning negatives, I hate dust!

[Corran]

I should've kept/scanned my darkroom floor-plan sketch I gave to the contractor I worked with.

I struggled starting on my DR until I found a book someone gave me that had suggestions and floor plan examples in the back. Can't remember the book title, it's in storage somewhere. I would go to your local library and find some old darkroom books (or buy a few on Amazon or your local used bookstore for a dollar each, they aren't worth anything these days) and look through example plans. Then get some graph paper and make your own plan for your space.

Oh, if you aren't printing via enlarger, the "DR" can just be a bench, sink, and shelves. No problem.

Here's some old pics of mine. Big basement room. Wasn't quite done in these photos and I've improved with pegboard and other things. Will be putting an island for additional enlargers in the center soon...my new/old Beseler 45XL is still sitting waiting for me to replace the gears and get it situated.

http://www.garrisaudiovisual.com/photosharing/drf1.jpg

http://www.garrisaudiovisual.com/photosharing/drf2.jpg

[Graham Patterson]

I had the advantage of having set up my own temporary (bathroom) darkroom, and used a large college darkroom before I had the chance to make my own. My current space is 9x8 feet (pictures at http://grahamp.dotinthelandscape.org/darkroom.html ). A pocket door opens into a central aisle, wet and dry sides, and lots of shelves. I don't have drainage. I put my extraction fan in the ceiling It was convenient, and made sense in a California summer, but it tends to flush out the hot air in the winter... But there were limitations on the building.

It's a bit like designing a kitchen - sink, appliances, worktops, circulation space, left to right or right to left bias - all come into play when building a comfortable work area.

[Steven Ruttenberg]

If you are planning to only scan LF for digital printing your darkroom can be much smaller.

Planning to do both printing old school and doing digital. For my digital scanning I have been looking for a positive air pressure cabinet to clean and prepare film and mount film to wet scan mount from Better Scanning. Haven't found one reasonably priced or plans to make one.

[Steven Ruttenberg]

I should've kept/scanned my darkroom floor-plan sketch I gave to the contractor I worked with.

I struggled starting on my DR until I found a book someone gave me that had suggestions and floor plan examples in the back. Can't remember the book title, it's in storage somewhere. I would go to your local library and find some old darkroom books (or buy a few on Amazon or your local used bookstore for a dollar each, they aren't worth anything these days) and look through example plans. Then get some graph paper and make your own plan for your space.

Oh, if you aren't printing via enlarger, the "DR" can just be a bench, sink, and shelves. No problem.

Here's some old pics of mine. Big basement room. Wasn't quite done in these photos and I've improved with pegboard and other things. Will be putting an island for additional enlargers in the center soon...my new/old Beseler 45XL is still sitting waiting for me to replace the gears and get it situated.

http://www.garrisaudiovisual.com/photosharing/drf1.jpg

http://www.garrisaudiovisual.com/photosharing/drf2.jpg



Looks good. I think I am more intimidated by not knowing exactly what I want/need. I tend to make sure I can do anything, in this case, develop color neg, slide, b/w, 4x5/8x10/medium/35mm film, print as large as possible/practical, etc. This home I will be in for like the next 12-15 years or until I die about 50 years from now God willing.

I can build almost anything, but would use contractor to make sure it is done correctly in adding the wall for the door, vent/fresh, plumbing, additional electrical, etc.

The equipment needed is what I also need help with. Which enlarger, tray developing, daylight tank developing, etc. Once room built, what should I put in it. Not Bill Gates here, so it also needs to be reasonable in price, but good quality and sustainable.

[Steven Ruttenberg]

I had the advantage of having set up my own temporary (bathroom) darkroom, and used a large college darkroom before I had the chance to make my own. My current space is 9x8 feet (pictures at http://grahamp.dotinthelandscape.org/darkroom.html ). A pocket door opens into a central aisle, wet and dry sides, and lots of shelves. I don't have drainage. I put my extraction fan in the ceiling It was convenient, and made sense in a California summer, but it tends to flush out the hot air in the winter... But there were limitations on the building.

It's a bit like designing a kitchen - sink, appliances, worktops, circulation space, left to right or right to left bias - all come into play when building a comfortable work area.

Very nice!

[Corran]

I think I am more intimidated by not knowing exactly what I want/need. I tend to make sure I can do anything, in this case, develop color neg, slide, b/w, 4x5/8x10/medium/35mm film, print as large as possible/practical, etc.

Yeah I get that. I was paralyzed until I put it on paper. I already had the enlarger, trays, etc. though, and had made a makeshift darkroom in a yard shed at my previous place, so I knew roughly what I needed. I can print up to 20x24 in my DR and develop b&w, C-41, and E-6 films with the heater/recirculator from Arkay.

[Steven Ruttenberg]

Yeah I get that. I was paralyzed until I put it on paper. I already had the enlarger, trays, etc. though, and had made a makeshift darkroom in a yard shed at my previous place, so I knew roughly what I needed. I can print up to 20x24 in my DR and develop b&w, C-41, and E-6 films with the heater/recirculator from Arkay.

To develop and print that size or up to 32x40 for slide, bw and color neg what would be an average cost. I already have the room, so construction costs would be minimal. So really the equipment, sink, etc. Plan to also do contact printing like platinum/palladium. I may even do it by just exposing to the sun. Afterall, we have 95% sunshine where I am at and lots of uv rays to boot!

Does someone have a list of the equipment needed? I like the idea of tray processing film, (although a daylight tank as well would be good), type of water chiller to use, etc. I am surprised something like this isn't readily available on the net. There are more flavors to equipment for a dark room than hairs on my head, it's like which one? And of course someone will always hate your choice of equipment.

Learning a lot from this thread and researching.