Bathroom Darkroom Ideas

[bens0472]

Hi Folks,

My post isn't specifically related to large format photography, so I hope that's ok. I'm considering making a small, half-bathroom in my home a temporary darkroom - one that I can setup and take down with relative ease when I need to process film and prints. I'll be working exclusively in 35mm black and white and have very limited space. My bathroom is L-shaped (or, if you prefer, is a right angle oriented the same as the capital letter "L". The bathroom has a toilet at the end of the "top" arm of the L and a sink at the right-most end of the botom arm of the "L. Each of the arms, measured from the bottom corner is 70 inches. Each arm is 35 inches in width. There is a light fixture above the sink into which I could install a red safety bulb to replace the existing bulb. There are no windows in the bathroom and the door could easily be "sealed" to prevent light from the hallway intruding. There is a ventilation fan above the toilet and a GFCI power outlet near the sink.

So - if you had this space, how would you go about equipping a temporary darkroom? What sort of enlarger would you consider (keep in mind, it can't live in there, it must be removed and stored when not in use and it will ONLY be used to print from 35mm negatives to print sizes no larger than 8x10)?

I was thinking about something like the Beseler Printmaker 35 or the Cadet for the enlarger (my concern here is whether I want to sacrifice the quality of a larger, variable contrast enlarger in order to get the portability of one of these smaller, condenser enlargers). I'd likely use a couple folding card tables - one would straddle the toilet, the other the sink. I'd probably put the enlarger on the table over the toilet and the print developing trays on the table over the sink. With this configuration, I'd have to run an extension cable from the power outlet over to the enlarger, but that would be easy.

I would probably not print in the same sessions when I'd develop film so that I could keep those two workflows independent and keep the clutter down as much as possible. I'd process film in a 2-reel Jobo tank and changing bag.

Thoughts?

Thanks,
Ben

[xkaes]

First "enlargers" in TWO groups:
#1 small enlargers like those listed here: http://www.subclub.org/darkroom/enlarge.htm
There are also "suitcase enlargers" (pretty obvious), and "PRESS enlargers" -- enlargers that have a fixed, short height such as the Daylab 300, Omega Concept 6, and the Durst Magico.
There are LOTS to choose from. MANY of these, are small and light. You just pick up the baseboard and away you go. You can set it on the toilet seat. With enlargers like the DAYLAB 300 you don't even NEED a dark room -- you use it on the kitchen counter with the lights on!
For small space processing, the best is a TUBE for processing with a roller base. An alternative is stacked trays, but that really messy/difficult.
It basically comes down how much time you have to put this together. Deciding what is best -- planning -- takes time, but pays off. Finding the gear might take time as well, but it will probably be cheap!!!!!

[cp_photo]

I have and use a Durst F30 for this application, printing 35mm no larger than 8x10 in an occasional temporary micro bathroom darkroom situation. It packs down into the original box and goes on a shelf when not being used. It used to be available very inexpensively. I use a Jobo 2830 drum on a Stark manual roller base for processing the paper in the kitchen once exposed with the F30 enlarger.

[Greg]

When I was a student at RIT in the mid 1970s, I had good access to the school's darkrooms, but only at odd/off times. I was shooting 35mm and 8x10. In my apartment's bathroom was a sink, toilet, and tub and was easily converted into a working darkroom in all of probably 5 minutes. The outlets next to the sink were the only source of power. An extension cord with a safelight on the other end was in one of the outlets. The other one was used for a Gralab timer with the enlarger plugged into it. Timer, boxes of paper, and other things rested on the top of the sink's cabinet. Gralab timer also served as my timer for processing the prints, with the enlarger turned off. Enlarger rested on the closed cover on the toilet. I had a piece of plywood that rested over 2/3 of the tub. On it were three trays. The tub was partially filled with water and prints went into it after the fixer. For the final washes I took the wet prints into the kitchen and rotated them back and forth in the kitchen's double sink. The enlarger was a very simple DURST F30 35mm one, but was fitted with a high quality 50mm Schneider Componon lens. For contact printing the 8x10 negatives I used a contact frame under the DURST F30 enlarger. I still have some of the prints I made back then and none have faded or stained. I assure you that back then the prints needed to be of the highest quality to be handed into for my class grades. Later on in life I replaced the DURST F30 with a Leitz Focomat V35. The Leitz was ten times easier and faster to use but the final prints made with the Leitz were no better than the final prints made with the DURST with it's 50mm Schneider Componon lens.
Good luck

[xkaes]

Here's the OMEGA I mentioned.

222949

Others made similar setups. Some were B&W and some COLOR too. You can get these for next to nothing -- if you can find them. I'd check out the DAYLAB gear. Much depends on how HIGH you want the head to go -- for cropping purposes.
One thing to consider is getting a wide-angle lens for 35mm -- that way the head does not need to be very high off the easel. There were many 40mm, 38, 35mm lenses -- even 30mm and 25mm!!! -- that you could use for full-frame 35mm. Many of them are listed here:

http://www.subclub.org/darkroom/lenses.htm (http://www.subclub.org/darkroom/lenses.htm)

There are several 38mm lenses that are GREAT for small spaces -- harder to find, but you can get them cheap. I picked up a Beseler 38mm f4.5 not long ago for $10 on EBAY. GREAT lens.

[Willie]

Most of the small enlargers will work. Spend the dollars on a good quality new lens to fit your format. Then check enlarger alignment.

All else is easy and the print quality you can get is as good as a dedicated darkroom if you are a careful worker.

[GeorgesGiralt]

Hello,
Been there, done that. I used to set up a table over the toilet and put the enlarger on it. A board on the sink for the trays and a large was tray in the shower. Used it for years. But one thing has to be addressed ! Surround the enlarger with black paper/plastic in order to cut the reflections from the bathroom tiles or the white glossy paint of the bathroom. Otherwise no contrast on your prints whatever grade you set or time used to print... Do not ask how I know....

[neil poulsen]

I did exactly this for years in two different homes. In both cases, the bathrooms were half bathrooms, and the darkrooms were permanent. One of these bathrooms was under stairs. Being small, neither of these bathrooms had windows.

It was pretty straight forward in each case. I built a table that just fit over the toilet for the enlarger. That left a bit of space between the toilet seat and the underside of the table where I could position a three shelf paper safe for 8x10 paper. I had the kind of safe where one pulls down the door, versus sliding anything. I used a Durst 600 enlarger, which was the predecessor to the Durst 601. So, i could print both 35mm and MF.

Again in both cases, the sink surfaces were a little small. In one bathroom, I had about 10 inches of surface to each side of the sink, so I was able to fit a developing tray on one side and stop and fix trays on the alternate side. In the second case, I had about 30 inches of surface to the left of the sink, which was still enough room for three trays. I may have stacked the stop and fix on a two level rack that I made. One can probably find wire-frame versions on EBay. Of course, one can use the temporarily wash 8x10 prints. These bathrooms usually have a drawer and a cupboard that were adequate for storing darkroom tools and chemistry. Put the trays away in one of these cupboards, and there was plenty of room to load film into film holders, or into developing tanks in the dark.

I hung a single, Kodak 5" (round) darkroom safe light one the end of the cord. Using those small screw-in hangers, I draped the plug down to the bathroom plug that all these half bathrooms seem to have. I spliced one of those roller switches into the cord, so that the safe-light could be turned easily on and off. It was easy to alternate between the ceiling light and the safe-light.

Doors were rarely light-tight, so I draped about an 80"x36" (or so) thick, dense, black cloth over the door on a simple curtain rod.

Bathrooms usually have fans. But to really get adequate circulation, one needs a light tight vent in the door to allow fresh air into the room. Neither of the bathrooms had this, and so fresh air "entered" under the door.

As one might imagine, space was constrained; but, it was fine for 35mm and MF, printing on 8x10 paper. I could do decent work in these circumstances. Being half bathrooms, each of these homes (an townhouse apartment and a house) also had a full bathroom. So as I indicated, these bathrooms could be converted into permanent darkrooms.

Both of these darkrooms were strictly

I guess I got used to printing in cramped spaces, because my current darkroom is about 6'x8" in which I can print up to 16x20 photographs. (Though, I rarely print above 8x10.) I built a stand for a Zone VI 5x7 Type II enlarger that can easily be converted to an 8x10 enlarger using a 240mm, Rodenstock enlarging lens.

[Kevin Crisp]

I've always had a soft spot for the Omega B22 and B22XL. They are frequently on Craigslist. The shorter one can make 11x14 prints with a 50mm lens, the longer rail "XL" model 16x20s. The handle 6x6 MF negatives too, but not 6X7 or 6x9.

[Jim Jones]

The Omega B22XL was my favorite, too. It served for many years. After losing it in a fire, I went to an enlarger that could handle slightly larger negatives and was a little more solid, which meant there was no problem with it staying in alignment. The B22 could get out of alignment, but could also be very precisely realigned. Its small lamp enclosure ran hot, and in some printing sessions negative popping occured.

[esearing]

Way back in my younger days I had a sheet of plywood with 2x2 legs that sat over the bath tub at a comfortable standing height. The legs were removable using anchor threaded hangers and wing nuts. 135 Enlarger was stationed over the sink, and a simple aluminum clamping light fixture from hardware store clipped to the shower rod for the bullet style safelight. I would put my 8x10 trays on top of the plywood table and wash trays in the tub below the table.

These days I have a small closet darkroom but expand into the garage when needed. You do not need a large sink except for washing, so if you have a shed or garage you may find it more comfortable to work on a folding 30"x72" table. You are at the mercy of the weather for working temperatures. For film developing a good daylight tank lets you work in the kitchen or bathroom.

You could also look into Tubes for development of paper and work in a small space. Then you only need a table for your enlarger and a little counter space.

[j.e.simmons]

I found a plastic shelf, two tiered, at a thrift store. It fits perfectly in my bathtub and raises the developer traps to a good height. Being plastic, it’s impervious to my chemicals and water. I also bought a half-held shower head that can be inserted and removed from the regular shower head. It makes filling tanks and trays much easier.

[Tin Can]

My first darkroom was a full bath/shower

The 4X5 enlarger went on the sink, trays raised up in bathtub

Big strong shelf installed for film holder loading

I put a DORAN Vent in the door and used the bath suction fan

Then I made a full condo Darkroom

Water was my problem, I tapped into my bath sink for hot cold-water on the other side of wall

And the only way I could drain was to cut a round hole in bathtub tile with a 90

It HAD 21 feet of SS sinks

Now 7 foot sink in an old house, far from the maddening crowd

Peace is great

[bipod]

I coverted the upstairs half-bath into a darkroom. My enlarger is bulky.
Since I live in the country where it's dark at night, I do my printing in the
spare room, where I have the "dry side" set up.

When I lived in an apartment, the bathroom was my part-time darkroom,
and I printed in the living room at night. A bathtub makes a great sink
(once you get something soft to kneel on): plenty of room for trays.

BTW, a 8.5 x 11" black plastic covered notepad, provided it's light-tight,
makes a small paper safe for carrying a few sheets of exposed paper from
the enlarger to the darkroom.

A wet darkroom is not a good environment for an enlarger: humid and possibly
acetic acid vapors. One sees a lot of used enlargers with corrosion and a
lot of used enlarger lenses with fungus.

If the OP has a room that can be made reasonably dark, setting up the
enlarger and "dry side" there might be ideal.

For LF folks, contact printing can be done in a dimly lit room (no safelight needed)
provided the printing frame is loaded in the darkroom, then covered. The cover
need only be removed for the time necessary to make the exposure. A light
source on a timer can be used to make the actual exposure. The little bit of
dim light from the room makes very little difference.

I like printing at night, with the windows open and the drapes closed.

[Chester McCheeserton]

I coverted the upstairs half-bath into a darkroom.

A wet darkroom is not a good environment for an enlarger: humid and possibly
acetic acid vapors. One sees a lot of used enlargers with corrosion and a
lot of used enlarger lenses with fungus.

drapes closed.


I have my darkroom in my bathroom and am realizing this. Steam from the shower is pretty close to the dry side of the room, though there is a ceiling vent and a window I can open.
I've mounted a digital timer to the wall but am thinking it may be best to remove it and roll it out of the bathroom with my enlarger cart whenever I shower.

[Tin Can]

Stop using Acetic acid

ASAP

TF5 mixed with distilled water from grocer

[Willie]

After rinsing film and removing the enlarger from the bathroom you can assure clean negatives using one simple solution.
As you photo flo/wetting agent run hot water in the shower and steam up the room a bit. Then hang the negatives to dry. Leave the room
and close the door (rolled up towel at the bottom will help prevent dusty air coming in) and don't go in for a coupe hours. Negs will be dry
and clean - as the steam from the shower takes care of any dust in the air.

To clarify, you don't need London Fog conditions. Light hot water mist will clear the air well. No need to go crazy with it.

[Doremus Scudder]

I printed for years with a 4x5 enlarger on a rolling cabinet and a sink made of plywood that stood on legs over the tub. Water was from the shower head after removing the head and attaching hose fittings. Print washer was in the tub. I used tray stackers and printed up to 16x20 that way. I still have the over-the-tub sink (tub size with 4" splash all around and a drain at one end) free to a good home :)

Doremus