Bathroom Darkroom Ideas

[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