My New Darkroom

pioneervato

Lunatic Member
I don't post here much but thought I would share my latest endeavor. Back in July I finally got around to clearing out a spare bedroom in order to put in my new darkroom that I have been wanting to do for 6 years. Well, here it is! All that is left is to build is a film drying cabinet that will be installed at the left end of my darkroom sink. I custom built all of the cabinets, sinks, countertops, etc. to fit the 11x12 room and did the electrical and plumbing as well! The darkroom floor was finished with an industrial grade two-part epoxy coating which is what I also used to waterproof my sink!

The before: before.jpg

and the after:

darkroomview.jpg

darkroom.jpg

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My built in pull out light table for viewing negatives.
light table.jpg

9 feet of countertop for two of my enlargers.
Beselers.jpg

10 feet of darkroom sink!
sink.jpg
Thomas Duplex Safelight
safelight installed.jpg

The Window has been blacked out and it is light tight!

windowblackout.jpg
 
Pioneervarto, that is a really great darkroom setup you have there! It looks like you have given the layout a lot of thought. Nice!
 
Very cool. I had a darkroom in the 80's and processed my own 6x6cm and 4x5in. prints.
I really miss the aroma of those chemicals. :beerchug:
 
Beautiful and looks very functional. Something I would have liked to have in my photography hay day when silver sensitive film and paper was King.
 
I'll be moving to a new darkroom in the next few months. As the time comes I'll probably have a hundred questions about how you went about doing your conversion.

This is my present darkroom. I slowly built it up from HomeDepot supplies over 18 years. I also did all my own plumbing and electrical. But I was not so skilled with woodworking or wallboard. So no new walls or ceiling. But that was almost 20 years ago.

darkroom 3.jpg
Enlarger.JPG
DSCF5061.JPG
 
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This is my new space, the exercise room, not the bathroom. Though I need to find a way to link my new darkroom sink to the drain on the bathroom sink. Like you, I'm starting with a much nicer space than my prior darkroom. I also have a better job now, so I have more to spend on this. So, better cabinets, table tops and a proper darkroom sink are in the plans, like what you have accomplished.
Proposed Darkroom.JPG
 
I also see, if you did all that yourself, your building skills are better than mine, but I have improved in the last 18 years. I taught myself how to float wallboard and tile floors since building my prior darkroom, so I hope this next one turns out as nice as yours.

This was my most recent remodeling project, so I hope to use the skills learned on the new darkroom:

Screen Shot 2018-12-11 at 5.03.39 PM.png
 
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I also see, if you did all that yourself, your building skills are better than mine, but I have improved in the last 18 years. I taught myself how to float wallboard and tile floors since building my prior darkroom, so I hope this next one turns out as nice as yours.

This was my most recent remodeling project, so I hope to use the skills learned on the new darkroom:

View attachment 1354017

Looks like you're doing alright! Looking forward to the finished set!
 
I just happened upon this thread. As a former 135/120/4x5 wet printer myself, I am very impressed with both setups! Is that one monstrosity an 8x10 enlarger?
 
I've forgotten most of what I know about dark rooms and developing films. I had a complete setup for 35mm for many years, and was looking into 6x6 equipment for a time. Then digital hit and I bought a Nikon D100 ---- and that was the end of the dark room. I still recall the various smells used in developing film, but not with any particular fondness. One of those vapors triggered allergic reactions. Never knew which one that was.

OP: Nice looking dark room. I had a large interior closet to develop film, not nearly as spacious, but it worked.
 
I love these! I spent 4 years working at Photocraft, a pro lab here in Boulder, and this brings back memories, as I did all the hand processing for the B&W film and printing. Sadly, it's been years since I shot any film. I miss using my Rollei, but digital has gotten pretty reasonable. Still, it's not the same.

Here's to analog!
 
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