Dry darkroom?

[rich caramadre]

Anyone using a dry darkroom? I am planning on using a spare room as a darkroom but am not going to have running water in it. There is a bathroom across the hall to get water for mixing and neg/print washing. Not ideal but I think it should work. For neg development I have had good success with tempering a water bath with an aquarium heater. Any hints or unforeseen issues that someone has come across are welcome.

Rich

[Daniel Stone]

Many(including myself) have done what you're talking about with much success. Yes, its not "ideal", but for people who cannot(or simply) don't have the space for a dedicated darkroom, its workable.

One thing I've found that helps, when printing(rc or fiber), is to have a bucket(5gal "homer" bucket in my case), or a deep tray full of water, and the prints can soak in it after the last fixer stage. Once I'm done with a printing session, I then take the bucket/tray to the washer(in the tub), and put them in the washer. Saves me some running back and forth from room to room, and also allows fiber prints to diffuse somewhat. I keep the hypo clear tray in the tub next to the washer btw...

best of luck!

-Dan

[Andrew O'Neill]

I managed for 12 years in Japan with no running water in the darkroom, which was a spare bedroom and the bathroom was right across the hall. Carried water over when I needed it and did all my print/film washing in the shower. You get used to it.
The room was a constant 20C in the winter, but I had to have the portable AC going during the hot and humid summer months. Maintaining constant temp is important. I kept bags of ice in the freezer as the tap water was sometimes 30C. I really didn't like working in there in the summer!

[James Hilton]

Many years ago I temporally use a shed when I didn't have access to another room. It didn’t have running water or drainage.

I preferred using a slot processor rather than trays for processing. I found it was much easier when it came to clearing up as you can either leave the chemicals in the slots and put the covers on, or quickly drain them into a container with little or no spillage. Also the built in temperature control was useful and it was quick to get going. Second hand they are reasonable in price, new they seem to be extortionate these days.

I believe it is important to have your room setup so is that it is quick to get started and clear up after. A non-dedicated darkroom won’t be used much if it takes an hour to get everything in place ready to go and another hour to clear it all up after.

[Brian Ellis]

I did that for some years, using an outdoor pantry adjacent to the kitchen as a darkroom. It worked pretty well. The only thing you really need running water for is mixing the chemicals, washing the film or paper and cleaning up. My main problem wasn't the lack of running water, it was using the outdoor, un-air conditioned darkroom in Florida summers with the door closed.

[chassis]

The majority of my 30 year darkroom career has been spent with a "dry" darkroom, with nearby water access. I use a 5 gallon bucket to dispose of one-shot solutions, and to dump trays. Print and film washing takes place in the bathroom on the other side of the lower level.

[ac12]

Think about liquid protection.
That is protection from spilled or splashed water/chemicals.

Then how you will take the water/used chemicals to/from the DR to the bathroom to dump. You do not want to carry a tray of water, very easy to spill. Dump the trays into a large bucket and carry the bucket to the bathroom.

[Ken Lumbis]

I've set up a dry darkroom as well, after being out of it for many years. I use a tray of water as well until I'm finished with the enlarging and developing. One thing I've wondered, are there any negative effects from having the prints sit in the the water holding tray for extended periods before going to final print washing and drying? If you are doing prints over a number of hours should you put the first half of the prints in the final wash and dry before you finish the rest of your printing?

[Daniel Stone]

Ken,

I haven't experienced any problems from a 4-5hr(usually my longest stretch time-wise) session from beginning to end, with no dumping or changing out of water. However, many times I might only have 8-10 prints at the end of a session. Some papers have a problem with emulsion lift-off after some time, especially the Lodima contact papers, at least in my experience. Not big "chunks", but frilling on the edges does occur, but its usually not anything that affects the image area itself. No problems with Ilford or Kentmere papers though, or the Emaks graded fiber papers.

-Dan

[David Karp]

I had one for years. Loved it. Used the laundry sink for my water and to wash prints. It was much better than the darkroom I don't haven now.