Jahanzeb
1-Mar-2021, 01:01
Disclaimer: I am a newbie, who's just learning the ropes. This forum, the post here and the knowledge within them have been an invaluable learning resource. At more times than I can count, my answers have been easily found with a little digging.
I'm in the process of setting up a more permanent bathroom darkroom, a space of roughly 6 x 3.5 feet.
It will be equipped with a LPL 6700 enlarger, on the dry side, along with film and paper. Will try to fit in another table to handle cutting, coating and serve as a barrier/gap to the sink.
I will be mostly working with 4x5 and 120 mm BW, contact printing the 4x5 for now, onto variable paper and start experimenting with salt printing.
Readymade developers, fixers, toners or anything for that matter including films and paper are not available in Pakistan, import duties are prohibitively expensive, so my priority is always to source equipment and material locally.
However, raw chemicals are available. If not all, most required in the darkroom are easily available. The rules are not too strict in terms of health hazards and those chemicals which may no longer be easily accessible in the Sates or EU, can be obtained here, if available, without too much of a hassle.
So far I have been using D76, the formula available on the massive dev chart, and a modified version of Agfa-304 fixer. (as I can not source ammonium thiosulfate locally) with Artista Edu Ultra 400 in 4x5 and HP5 in 120mm.
D-23 with Fuji Hr-U
Having said that, what chemicals would you recommend, would be helpful to begin with and be beneficial in the long run?
Importantly what chemicals are a must have in your own darkroom and alt-process arsenal?
I'm in the process of setting up a more permanent bathroom darkroom, a space of roughly 6 x 3.5 feet.
It will be equipped with a LPL 6700 enlarger, on the dry side, along with film and paper. Will try to fit in another table to handle cutting, coating and serve as a barrier/gap to the sink.
I will be mostly working with 4x5 and 120 mm BW, contact printing the 4x5 for now, onto variable paper and start experimenting with salt printing.
Readymade developers, fixers, toners or anything for that matter including films and paper are not available in Pakistan, import duties are prohibitively expensive, so my priority is always to source equipment and material locally.
However, raw chemicals are available. If not all, most required in the darkroom are easily available. The rules are not too strict in terms of health hazards and those chemicals which may no longer be easily accessible in the Sates or EU, can be obtained here, if available, without too much of a hassle.
So far I have been using D76, the formula available on the massive dev chart, and a modified version of Agfa-304 fixer. (as I can not source ammonium thiosulfate locally) with Artista Edu Ultra 400 in 4x5 and HP5 in 120mm.
D-23 with Fuji Hr-U
Having said that, what chemicals would you recommend, would be helpful to begin with and be beneficial in the long run?
Importantly what chemicals are a must have in your own darkroom and alt-process arsenal?