Keepng warm

[coops]

I want to spend a good part of the weeend in my small 8x10 darkroom but it will be quite cold. Looking for an efficient,safe way to warm the room up a little and make it comfortable. What do you guys use?

Cheers

[Richard Wasserman]

Something like this should work well I think http://tinyurl.com/bq3nmdu

[Alan Gales]

Like Richard suggested or you could install an electric baseboard heater.

[Michael Clark]

I'v got one like Richard has and it works great,all walls and roof are insulated. Live in So. Cal so it don,t get that cold though.If only I could cool the water in the summer.

Mike

[Jim Jones]

I have a thermostatic controlled baseboard heater that does a fairly good job. A small electric space heater suppliments it in really cold weather, but it stirs up some dust.

[Brian C. Miller]

My bathroom is my darkroom, so I just turn up the heat.

It depends on what kind of a situation you have. If you don't have a lot of electric power going to your darkroom, you might want to consider a propane heater. You'll need incoming fresh air, though.

[Alan Gales]

How about bottle of Cognac and a big fur coat with a couple of Frank's models underneath to snuggle with? :eek:

[Andrew O'Neill]

I have one of those little oil filed electric heaters that you can wheel around. Works well. Mine is similar to the one in the attached pic. My darkroom is about the same size as yours.

[Scott Walker]

I use a ceramic space heater

[Ben Calwell]

I use what Andrew uses, and it keeps my unheated, basement darkroom toasty....

[coops]

How about bottle of Cognac and a big fur coat with a couple of Frank's models underneath to snuggle with? :eek:

The cognac I can afford, the models I dunno, but best idea so far. Do oil heaters not put out fumes? The ceramic heaters don't. Thanks for the ideas. Will check a few out this weekend.

[John Koehrer]

The ones above are sealed units. The oil is heated by the electric heating element and the oil will hold the heat which is transferred to the housing and into the room. No fumes.

[Pawlowski6132]

I want to spend a good part of the weeend in my small 8x10 darkroom but it will be quite cold. Looking for an efficient,safe way to warm the room up a little and make it comfortable. What do you guys use?

Cheers

Is your room 8x10 or is it for 8x10 neg?

[tedw6]

I have a nova slot processor 16x20 and 20x24. I keep them at 100f. My darkroom is nice and warm.
Ted

[John Kasaian]

How about bottle of Cognac and a big fur coat with a couple of Frank's models underneath to snuggle with? :eek:

The most sensible solution so far, although the Swedish Bikini team would be more to my liking ;)

[winterclock]

+4 for the oil filled heater, it won't stir up dust like the fan ones do.

[Fred L]

another oil filled rad user but get the larger one. also doubles as a hand towel drying/warming rack ;)

[Alan Gales]

The cognac I can afford, the models I dunno, but best idea so far. Do oil heaters not put out fumes? The ceramic heaters don't. Thanks for the ideas. Will check a few out this weekend.

No fumes on the oil heaters.

I used to own a 2 bedroom condominium that had electric baseboard heaters throughout with thermostats in each room (liviingroom/diningroom, kitchen, bathroom, each bedroom). It could get quite hot if you cranked up a thermostat!

[SamReeves]

Space heater, and suit up with a thick jacket. Nothing like having your dektol at 55*F. :D

[bvaughn4]

Another vote for the oil filled heaters shown above. Cheap and effective.

[Andrew O'Neill]

another oil filled rad user but get the larger one. also doubles as a hand towel drying/warming rack

Great idea, Fred!

[Rick A]

I prefer a ceramic disc heater, they are very safe and efficient. You can add a small filter to the back and help eliminate dust.

[Kirk Gittings]

Just cover the "on" light with a piece of tape. This can fog asa 400 films being tray developed-I found this out the hard way.

[cyrus]

A quartz heater is all you need.

[jeroldharter]

Many heaters use fans which means their primary purpose is to blow dust on your negatives noisily, generating some heat in the process. I suggest an oil heater which is quiet, has no dust issues, and can safely dry towels as Frank mentioned.

[Harold_4074]

I've been using one of the oil-filled heaters for several years, and find that it is a nearly ideal heat source---no dust, no fire hazard, no worries about getting burned by accidentally touching it. The only drawbacks are a) the thermostat is a bit flakey, and b) only the chimney effect pulling cold air from near the floor is available for air circulation when the darkroom is idle. The first problem I solved by getting a high-precision thermostat and putting it in series with the heater; the second I may have to deal with by continuosly running a tiny computer fan---as it is, the temperature stays nearly perfect at thermostat height, but is a bit chilly for the chemical bottles sitting on the floor.

[nolindan]

Electric heater that looks like one of the oil filled ones but uses heated metal plates instead. I keep a small oscillating fan going to even the heat.

I also use a heating pad under the developer tray. A sheet of ensolite under the pad keeps the pad from wasting it's effort in heating the bench. When I had a sink I used a bigger tray as a tempering bath.

[coops]

Well thanks for all the great feedback. I live in Florida and buying heaters is not something we do a lot of, but we do occasionally get close to or slightly below freezing, at night, and my darkroom is in the garage wilth no insulation. I went to Home Depot to buy an oil heater and wouldnt you know it, sold out. All they had was one very small $20 ceramic heater left. I took it home, plugged it in and within 10 mins the room was toasty. Wow, powerful little bugger. Did not need to run it again once the heat from the enlarger, lights and body heat from me and my dog kicked in. And yes, a bottle of alcohol (not cocnac) did help.
Thanks again.

[Eric Woodbury]

Space heater for the room. Wool socks for the feet.

[Alan Gales]

Space heater for the room. Wool socks for the feet.

You got that right! When I used to work construction I wore a pair of wool socks and uninsulated work boots in the winter. At least my feet never got cold!

[Curt]

The oil filled is what I've had for several years although I have a baseboard heater too. Either are fine but I like the oil filled heater best and would recommend it. Just plug it in and get a warm room. I see that Mike uses one too and several others. I don't have at dust problems with it.