Contact Printing

[Daniel Unkefer]

Great ideas. It might be possible to adapt at least some of this to a small/bathroom space. A question... Where are you mounting the Rosco ND and printing filters? I would think that the ND would be mounted on the fixture's rim, but in your photo there's what appears to be a white disc there (see arrow in the attached copy of your photo). What's the white disc? Diffusion of some kind?


Copy of Daniel's photo:

Attachment 225429

The front of the reflector is cut eliptically. So it's just the curve of lamp front rippling it's way around. Notice I taped four corners

ND Roscos cut to size, use whatever combos are cool with your setup. I cut the Roscos into tight fitting sheets and installed them first so they are on the bottom. The Multigrade I put into cardboard frames so I can slide them in and out of the box easily in the darkness

I use an EPOI darkroom timer with foot pedal.

Basically you step off a test sheet varying exposure in five second increments. Then pick the best and make a note of the time. Next, expose an -entire- sheet as a full sheet low contrast exposure. Then switch to the contrasty filter, and lay a second test sheet exposure onto the paper. Then you have the high and low contrast times and it's nailed with no issues. Finally expose third sheet, using the correct low and high contrast times. Voila! Perfecto. Now burn and dodge!

[Vaughn]

Good quality contact printing frames are a relative pleasure to use, and all tend to be a PITA to use relative to a pieces of heavy glass and a soft surface. Two more surfaces that can gather dust, most require some level on handling of sheets of glass in a dark/dimroom, and they take time to load and unload. Plan on (eventually) printing your 8x10 negatives on 11x14 paper. It is a disease. It happened to me.

I like split-back frames, even though I do not expose by checking the printing-out image formed by some alt processes (one of split-backs' best attributes). I find it easier to position and hold the neg, etc on the glass and lock it down with one half of the back, then close and lock down the second half. If one exposes in a different room, contact printing frames are easy to carry back and forth. Working in a tight space, requirements change -- go for it and have fun!

[Daniel Unkefer]

A question... Where are you mounting the Rosco ND and printing filters?

r.e. ,

The Rosco goes in first so it's on the bottom. The Multigrade s go in so I can read the #00 and #5 designations when I look up. to avoid mistakes

Multigrade Filters for Contact Printer by Nokton48, on Flickr

[r.e.]

r.e. ,

The Rosco goes in first so it's on the bottom. The Multigrade s go in so I can read the #00 and #5 designations when I look up. to avoid mistakes

Thanks very much.

[Two23]

since I have an enlarger, I use it as my light source when contact printing (also 5x7 and 8x10 mostly). it lets me use multigrade filtration, and the exposure times are long enough for dodging and burning. I even put a lens on the enlarger and an empty neg carrier. This gets me into "normal" enlarging printing times more or less with Ilford MG paper.

I'm not sure if the OP mentioned having an enlarger or not, but if he does, this is one way to get light on the paper.

No, I don't have an enlarger. I'm trying to avoid that at this time.


Kent in SD

[tomwilliams]

No, I don't have an enlarger. I'm trying to avoid that at this time.


Kent in SD

Kent, I'm attaching a photo that I made of a rube goldberg contact printing construction, made of cardboard and a bit of construction adhesive. It looks very funky (it is very funky), but it was cost free and has been working well for a couple of years, maybe three years. I blended ideas that I took from Tim Layton's DIY printing frame, and from Daniel Unkefer on this site.

You can see that it's just cardboard, though the cardboard shelf, top and bottom are 3/4" thick corrugated cardboard. The sides,back and front flaps are from typical moving-grade cardboard. The shelves are glued in with liquid nails construction adhesive. The shelf just below the light will hold 6x6 contrast filters, registered against thick 2-sided tape (with the exposed side of the tape covered). The drop light on top is also registered using the same tape - it's a bit over 1/8" thick, and two layers makes for unambiguous registration. The whole package is 48" high, and about 16" wide. The two flaps that could close the front if desired work well as stabilizers also. Weight, about 7 lbs, max (I haven't actually weighted it). I use a 6 watt incandescent bulb in the drop light, so the drop light socket needs an adaptor. Plug the drop light into a darkroom timer, and bob's yer uncle.

On the bottom shelf is a DIY contact printing frame, sized to accept 4 4x5 negatives with very little wiggle room.

The printing construction is a snap to build, no tools are required beyond a box knife. The contact printing frame is easy to build also, but tools are required. I used a table saw.

[Two23]

Kent, I'm attaching a photo that I made of a rube goldberg contact printing construction, made of cardboard and a bit of construction adhesive. It looks very funky (it is very funky), but it was cost free and has been working well for a couple of years, maybe three years. I blended ideas that I took from Tim Layton's DIY printing frame, and from Daniel Unkefer on this site.

You can see that it's just cardboard, though the cardboard shelf, top and bottom are 3/4" thick corrugated cardboard. The sides,back and front flaps are from typical moving-grade cardboard. The shelves are glued in with liquid nails construction adhesive. The shelf just below the light will hold 6x6 contrast filters, registered against thick 2-sided tape (with the exposed side of the tape covered). The drop light on top is also registered using the same tape - it's a bit over 1/8" thick, and two layers makes for unambiguous registration. The whole package is 48" high, and about 16" wide. The two flaps that could close the front if desired work well as stabilizers also. Weight, about 7 lbs, max (I haven't actually weighted it). I use a 6 watt incandescent bulb in the drop light, so the drop light socket needs an adaptor. Plug the drop light into a darkroom timer, and bob's yer uncle.

On the bottom shelf is a DIY contact printing frame, sized to accept 4 4x5 negatives with very little wiggle room.

The printing construction is a snap to build, no tools are required beyond a box knife. The contact printing frame is easy to build also, but tools are required. I used a table saw.

That does look pretty efficient.


Kent in SD

[Daniel Unkefer]

VC Contact Printing Box by Nokton48, on Flickr

Here's a better interior view of the Multigrade VC Printing Box. Not difficult to make and works well. I looked at Tim Layton's pictures of his unit on the internet, and built my own

[r.e.]

Here's a better interior view of the Multigrade VC Printing Box. Not difficult to make and works well. I looked at Tim Layton's pictures of his unit on the internet, and built my own

Thanks again. Good ideas here.

[Tin Can]

I love using this for multiples, fast to use

I paid real money for this very heavy gem 9 years ago

It was made for AZO and way too bright for new paper

Changed to Oven lamps, added a pile of good paper as filter

The lamp height is adjustable, contrast filters easily used. New 1/4" plate glass, the black pressure plate is 1" cushion

I printed my 2 LFPF mail print exchanges with it

Now we just use computers until our...... fall

I better start using my AZO and LODIMA, that will take years...

Real Old 8X10 Contact Printer by TIN CAN COLLEGE, on Flickr