On Mon, 23 Dec 2002 22:01:08 +0100, you wrote: >Hi, > with all the talk on digital, I feel like returning to the good old > darkroom. My eyes ache much more from the monitor than from the > acrid fumes :)
I still operate a darkroom of sorts, for making printing plates sensitive to a 530nm laser. The plates are so light sensitive I have to cover the little green LED's on the computers which show hard drive activity - even though the computer is across the room. Since there is a lot of work activity to handling and preparing the plates, I want a lot of light, so I just use a couple of standard 2 ft x 4 ft fluorescent fixtures with two tubes in them installed normally in the drop-ceiling. Then I cover the fixtures' diffuser panels with Ruby Lith and seal off any light leaks with red lithographers tape. Works great. Brightest darkroom in town, and no fogged plates. I tried the colored "safelight filter" sleeves which fit over the fluorescent tubes, but they did not change the light to the correct wavelength, and I was getting fogged plates very quickly. -- John Mustarde www.photolin.com
