Thanks for the tips Shel, they're good ones. Yep, I've been bit by the B&W bug again. At the prices used darkroom stuff is going for these days, it's a pretty cheap bug too! ;-) I've paid about 10 cents on the dollar for the items I didn't still have. I'm setting up a pretty basic darkroom but I want to be able to walk in and get right to work. I don't have the time I used to have to set up, get temps right, develop and then take everything down and put it away. This way all I have to do is be careful to keep track of dates on chemistry, and, as you suggest, be consistent in my tools and procedures.
Don > -----Original Message----- > From: Shel Belinkoff [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Saturday, July 16, 2005 10:18 AM > To: [email protected] > Subject: RE: Darkroom temperature control. > > > Hi Don ... for some reason I didn't realize you were talking about film > development. My solution - very low tech - is to keep all the chemicals > and water at the same temp. There are several gallon jugs of distilled > water here, the working solution of developer, the working and stock > solution of fix, and so on. That's my temperature control. The > containers > are kept in a place that remains about the same temp all year 'round, and > development times are adjusted based on the actual temp of the developer > (which varies only a few degrees throughout the year). It's never been > higher than 72-degress, and rarely, if ever, lower than about 65-degrees. > Over time I've learned the correct timing for any temp variation > (there are > usually charts that can be found with the film or on line that provide > adjusted times for temperature variations). > > Temperature change during the process is minimal. I fill the tank with > some of the stored water for a while before loading the film, handle the > tanks by the edges when developing to reduce the chance of my hands > inducing a temperature change, and keep the work counter insulated with a > piece of cardboard so that the tank doesn't gain or lose temp from the > counter top. > > I don't use a running water rinse, so even the rinse temp is the same as > the rest of the process. The technique conserves water and is archival. > Let me know if you want the details. > > This has worked very well for me. YMMV, and it probably will. Remember, > it's as important to "calibrate" your thermometer and timer as well. By > that I mean to always use the same instruments to measure the > temp and time > the process. Likewise, always use the same measuring containers. Not all > indicated liters and quarts hold exactly the same volume. So, while you > may be very precise with maintaining your temp with coils and refrigerant > and what have you, if you use different instruments at different times to > measure the temp, or decide to use a different brand or sized beaker when > measuring your chemicals, you may be off in your result anyway. One of my > two liter beakers holds a slightly different amount of liquid than two of > my one liter beakers. > > You might also want to pick up the latest edition of The Film Developing > Cookbook: > > http://tinyurl.com/any2o and http://www.graphos.org/ > > HTH ... > > FWIW, I develop the film in my kitchen and use the timer on the microwave > oven to keep track of elapsed time. > > Shel > > > > [Original Message] > > From: Don Sanderson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > To: <[email protected]> > > Date: 7/16/2005 3:22:13 AM > > Subject: RE: Darkroom temperature control. > > > > Thanks everyone for the suggestions, they ranged from > > high-tech to no-tech! ;-) > >
