Progress on Film Drying Cabinet

[Steven Ruttenberg]

The original was made of particle board and falling apart so ny neighbor and I startex to rebuild out of interior grade 3/4 in plywood. Below is the test fit of all components except door and heater.

[neil poulsen]

Decades ago, I made my own film drying cabinet. I hang the film (35mm, MF, 4x5, 8x10) and let it dry overnight.

In my view, including a fan is just opening a can of worms. (An analogy that should not be taken literally.)

[LabRat]

Hanging it in a steamed-out shower stall works for me...

Steve K

[Roger Thoms]

Looks like a nice job on the cabinet. What are you planning on using for the finish on the interior?

Roger

[Michael Graves]

I agree with Neil on the fan. I have a California Stainless with a built in fan. The only time I EVER get dust on my negatives is if I use it to force dry the film. I don't always get it, but it's when I use the fan that I do. Also, if the roll film has a tendency to curl anyway, force drying it exacerbates the curl.

[Tin Can]

Looks good!

We know Steven lives in a very high dust area

I humidify my DR in winter, no need in summer, and hang film over a wet sink

no dust

[jnantz]

The original was made of particle board and falling apart so ny neighbor and I startex to rebuild out of interior grade 3/4 in plywood. Below is the test fit of all components except door and heater.

that's pretty high-grade! I used to use a 6 foot tall metal locker ( looks like a filling cabinet but for clothes ) and when I lost that I went the home despot and got a plastic closet , I took out the shelves and strung wire from side to side ... dust free, won't rust and a good
hiding place for the upcoming alien invasion.

[John Kasaian]

that's pretty high-grade! I used to use a 6 foot tall metal locker ( looks like a filling cabinet but for clothes ) and when I lost that I went the home despot and got a plastic closet , I took out the shelves and strung wire from side to side ... dust free, won't rust and a good
hiding place for the upcoming alien invasion.

I like the way you think!:cool:

[Roger Thoms]

My experience is the opposite of some of the other people who have replied here. I have a Arkay film dryer and get cleaner negatives with the fan. I did make a mask sits on top of the filter to reduce the airflow because sheet film was flapping around to much and I have a good quality filter on the unit. The dryer also has a heater which I have at a moderate temperature setting.

Roger

[ruilourosa]

I use an ikea tall closet with a spiral of heating cord on the bottom for reptiliaries that i never turn on.
No dust.

[LabRat]

Just putting a 100W incandescent light bulb near the bottom would provide enough heat in a cabinet, without creating much air movement that carry much dust around and without air turbulence issues...

Steve K

[Pieter]

Just putting a 100W incandescent light bulb near the bottom would provide enough heat in a cabinet, without creating much air movement that carry much dust around and without air turbulence issues...

Steve K

An Easy-Bake oven!

[Steven Ruttenberg]

I bought the original cabinet it was made from particle board. The fan/heater assembly was in good shape. It uses filtered air. I am making a holder for a heppa filter to filter the incoming air. I am finishing the cabinet in linseed oil to keep the natural wood grain showing and to highlight it inside and out. It also has a built in back sheet that helps the airflow thru the cabinet. It will be going in my dark room that is being built as part of my new home currently just started construction. My darkroom and the adjoining office will be on a completely isolated air system complete with a couple of large ionizing fans in the ceiling and will have higher pressure in side than the rest of the house so dust will be kept to a minimum along with a couple of plumbed in humidifiers and antistatic/dust mats you step on before entering the room (the kind that are sticky if you have ever worked in a clean worm). Essentially I am building clean room minus the certification as I will also do optical work in there as part of my photography and astrophotgraphy/research.

Took clamps off the other day, in process of attaching the roller feet to it. Next is hang door reassemble fan and heater (parts are at coating shop getting serakote applied to them. Can't wait to try it out. I have probably close to 200-300 sheets need developing and many rolls of film. Will start using in my pos rental that has more dust than a vacuum cleaner so probably won't use fan and cover it with a few towels to be safe.

Speaking of high dust, another thing I am doing for the entire new house is using screening material on the windows that will allow air thru, but the openings are small enough to keep out that talcum powder dust and pollens, etc.

While I live in a desert, our current humidity is 48%. It has been fairly high for the last year.