DIY Changing box/tent/bag

[sully75]

Hi there,

I was looking for some feedback or suggestions on building a changing box. Currently I'm loading and unloading 5x7 into a Bessler 11x14 drum in a normal changing bag. Goes without saying that this leaves something to be desired. Fingerprints, scratches and dust are all part of the game.

I've been thinking about building a folding changing box out of that foamcore that you get in art stores. My idea is to cut up the black foamcore to make a box and more foamcore on the ends. I could cut the arms out of my current changing bag and put them through holes in the front of the box.

Would gaffers tape be good enough to lightproof the seams? I also have some Gorrilla brand tape that looks pretty heavy duty. I was thinking velcro to hold any parts that won't be taped, so that you can fold it down.

Any thoughts?

Thanks
Paul

[Joanna Carter]

I would question the use of foamcore, as the static is prone to might attract even more dust.

Haven't you seen the Calumet Changing Room (http://www.calumetphoto.co.uk/item/RM1000/)?

[sully75]

hmmm...would the changing room be big enough to really manipulate film holders? It doesn't seem that large. Definitely interesting...

[Joanna Carter]

I regularly load and unload 4x5 into Jobo drums. I wouldn't say there was enough room to swing the proverbial cat but there's probably enough room to swing a large hamster :D

[Nathan Smith]

I've been thinking about building a folding changing box out of that foamcore that you get in art stores. My idea is to cut up the black foamcore to make a box and more foamcore on the ends. I could cut the arms out of my current changing bag and put them through holes in the front of the box.

Would gaffers tape be good enough to lightproof the seams? I also have some Gorrilla brand tape that looks pretty heavy duty. I was thinking velcro to hold any parts that won't be taped, so that you can fold it down.


I've been thinking of doing that very thing. Please post your results if you do.

I'm curious about the idea of foamcore attracting dust due to static electricity though, I would not have considered that and I haven't ever worked with the stuff so I don't have any experience in that regard. I do know that STYROFOAM seems to have problems with static electricity, but foamcore is a bit different.

I think that gaffers tape would be fine. Plenty of folks use it to repair film holders, so I wouldn't expect light leaks.

Nathan

[Brian C. Miller]

I recently bought a Photoflex Changing Room (http://www.photoflex.com/Photoflex_Products/Changing_Room/index.html) bag. Attached is a snap of one holder and a box of 8x10 inside it. I have the new style with the arm holes on either side. Would I like something larger? Of course, but this is quite adequate for the price.

As for building your own, keeping it light-tight and collapsible is something that is quite important. Experiment first with just making a folding box, using cardboard as the template.

[lenser]

Nathan, Using gaffers tape might not be the light tight result that you envision. Repairing the flap on a film holder which already has a mechanical light trap as part of the design and structure does not rely on the tape which only replaces the hinge, not the light trap. Using it as a substitute for a light trap in a home made changing room might be an invitation for a disaster.

Paul,

If you haven't done so, you might look at the Harrison tents (3 sizes) from Camera Essentials.

They seem a little pricey, but my first one lasted me well over ten years of perfect light tight changing of thousands of sheets of film (often in bright sunlight) before I bought a new one just this month. I only replaced it because the outside started to get gummy and sticky, but again, that's after over ten years of hard and hot field use. That figures out to probably less that $20.00 per year to own and use it pretty constantly.

I don't care for the Calumet style changing rooms (I've owned and used them) due to the difficulty in collapsing them and because of the curved walls which tend to limit the usable floor place. If you push stuff out of the way to the walls, it tends to slide back toward you a bit and get in the way of how you are working. Much more so if you are working 5x7 and larger.

The tents have vastly more usable floor space and much better ergonomics in terms of the placement of the sleeves at the front instead of the sides like most others......way easier for me to use.

If you are determined to build one, I would go with 1/2" top grade plywood, interior thoroughly sanded smooth and then double painted flat black enamel to insure a total seal against any edges where dust could collect. The joints need to be notched to create light traps and both glued and screwed tight for perfect seals, then caulked with a black caulk which will dry hard, not like typical plumbing caulk. Same kind of notches on the door and clamps to pull it very tight. And then, how are you going to make and attach the sleeves to prevent leaks there?

Sounds like ordering something ready made is a lot less trouble.

Tim

[Frank Petronio]

You could always drape some black plastic over the top of something that isn't 100% light tight. Ansel Adams used to change film in his sleeping bag.

[sully75]

The Harrison tents look awesome, I've seen them before. But just totally out of my price range right now. If they were $80 I'd be buying one.

Honestly, I can buy a real tent, that you can sleep in, for the price of one of theirs.

Not sure that I'd be that much better off loading my bessler drum in the Calumet or Photoflex bags.

Argh.

[D. Bryant]

The Harrison tents look awesome, I've seen them before. But just totally out of my price range right now. If they were $80 I'd be buying one.

Honestly, I can buy a real tent, that you can sleep in, for the price of one of theirs.

Not sure that I'd be that much better off loading my bessler drum in the Calumet or Photoflex bags.

Argh.

What's the price of a box of fogged 8x10 film going for these days? If you need this for handling film on the road they are indespensible.

If you just need dark at home most any bathroom can be made light tight with black plastic and black photographic tape, or black gaffers tape.

IMO trying to engineer and manufacturer your own tent is a waste of time and money unless you plan to sell your own line.

Don Bryant

[sully75]

erm yeah. some people have budgets.

[lenser]

Paul, Keep an eye on the auction site, go for the mid size or large, and be very sure that the one you are bidding on has not begun to degrade into the gummy condition that some (like myself) have encountered.

You should be able to find one fairly soon and you'll probably pay less than the cost of materials to build a truly light tight box from the expensive plywood, paint, glue etc. that you would need to do this right.

My first one was used from the bay and it was a flawless performer as I mentioned before.

[sully75]

hi Lenser,

That great, thanks for the advice. What's the gummy condition thing about?

Thanks
Paul

[lenser]

Paul,

Not being a chemist, I really don't know what happened in scientific terms, but the exterior only(!) on mine (and on other's...see other threads on this site) began to degrade into a stickiness that caused the outer skin to stick together when folded and rolled up, especially for long periods of time and in hot conditions like stored in the car in the summer. Eventually, it got to the point where each time I used in, the elastic bands on the sleeves actually left black residue on my bare arms.

I want to emphasize that this was after having it and not caring how it was stored for probably eight of those ten years.

I suspect that there was some kind of chemical breakdown going on, but other than the nuisance factor, it NEVER caused a problem or any sign of a light leak including less than a month ago when I used it on a two week architectural shoot in field conditions that varied from bright sun to dim motel rooms. The 200 plus sheets of E-6 film all processed out perfectly with no sign of a light leak except for one sheet that I accidentally pulled the dark slide on while grabbing the holder from the camera bag.

I occasionally stored the tent set up in a closet and the gumminess would go away. As long as it was in a relatively cool place and the surfaces were not in contact with each other, the out-gassing or whatever was causing this was resolved.

Anyhow, after owning and using it for more than ten years, I figured the investment was very well amortized and it was time to buy a new one, which I did. If it lasts as long (and I'm quite confident that it will) it will cost me under $20.00 a year for tremendous value and complete confidence in changing film under just about any conditions.

I am going to change my habits though and try to keep this one set up during storage as much as possible, and keep it out of the car except for trips where it will actually be needed, in order to minimize exposure to harsh temperatures and from self contact due to having it tightly rolled all the time. Maybe that way, it will outlive me.

[numnutz]

I used to change and load film in my sleeping bag with a couple of coats on it.

- Later one evening I was informed that I should not be doing anything that would make me go blind> :eek:

nn :)

[Frank Petronio]

Unless you're camping, why not make a hotel or home bathroom a darkroom? Five bucks of tape, black plastic, wadded up towels, helped along by working in the evening gloom = nicer than any changing tent. The back of a toilet or tub is probably the most dust-free, non-static surface in existence too.

Just send me a check for the $150 I saved you.

[jeroldharter]

I echo the comments in favor of the Harrison tents. I have Calumet also and prefer the Harrison for the reasons already mentioned, plus the Harrison is more compact for traveling.

For the money, you will spend more in time and materials trying to manufacture your own than you will by purchasing a new Calumet tent which should be big enough for 5x7 (but not 8x10 in my opinion). In the end, you will want a Harrison anyway so I would use a dark room in the meantime and save money until you can purchase one.

[fuegocito]

Another option would be pick up the largest black film change bag you can find, they are dirt cheap if you look around, and pick up one of those wire frame windshield sun blocker, rip the fabric out and stitch the flexible wire into the black bag and voila, you have you own collapsible film change tent.

Rob

[GPS]

Hi there,

...

Would gaffers tape be good enough to lightproof the seams? I also have some Gorrilla brand tape that looks pretty heavy duty. ...

Any thoughts?

Thanks
Paul

Why don't you examine it to see for yourself? Is it so difficult to find out??

[Nathan Smith]

Another option would be pick up the largest black film change bag you can find, they are dirt cheap if you look around, and pick up one of those wire frame windshield sun blocker, rip the fabric out and stitch the flexible wire into the black bag and voila, you have you own collapsible film change tent.

Rob

That's a great idea! Simple and effective.

[Andrew O'Neill]

Back in 2004 I posted some pics of a tent that I built myself. It was fun to design/build and it works, but I think I would rather have one of those Harrison tents. Mine looks like Sponge Bob Square Pants.
The top has an elasticized bottom which slips over the frame and pulled down to the underside. No light gets in. The tubing is not glued. The whole thing is roled up in the blue tarp. It takes about 5 minutes to set it up. To insert film and holders, all one has to do is pull up a corner of the cover.
Here are a few pics of it.

[sully75]

Andrew,

That's sweet...did you sew up the bag yourself? That looks pretty roomy.

Re: the bathroom. I live with some fairly understanding roommates but one of them is a little put off by me occupying the bathroom for hours as it is (I use it to develop). I'd rather have another solution.

Re: gorilla tape, yeah it would sort of take a long time to build a box, use gorilla tape and then try to load film in it, see if it fogs, etc. Seems like a reasonable question.

Thanks!
Paul

[GPS]

...
Re: gorilla tape, yeah it would sort of take a long time to build a box, use gorilla tape and then try to load film in it, see if it fogs, etc. Seems like a reasonable question.

Thanks!
Paul

Don't you know a better way of testing if a tape is lightproof or not?

[Andrew O'Neill]

Yes, it's quite roomy. I shouldn't have had the arm holes so close together as it's a bit awkward. The only stiching I did was for the elastic openings. The rest was glued with contact cement. I used light-tight material from a fabric shop. The material is slightly rubberized, which makes it easier to clean and wipe down with a damp sponge before using.

[Frank Petronio]

Just get one of those high intensity LCD flashlights, turn off the lights and let your eyes adjust, shine the light around INSIDE aiming close to the seams.

[Fotch]

I picked up a like new Harrison Tent, on epay, for around $100 with shipping. Just have to watch for the right deal, might take awhile but worth it.