Safelights and paper developer?

Ken Hart wrote:
The wall switches that are used for three-way light circuits (such as the
light in a stairway where there is a switch downstairs and another upstairs
to control one light) are single-pole-double-throw switches. They have three
connections: have the power coming in on the 'common', and out on one of the
two others depending on the position of the switch. One position of the
switch supplies power to the safelight, the other position supplies power to
the enlarger.

Thanks, I have never seen them here. I'll have to ask. Instead of using
3 way light switches, hallways have push button start timers. They are
scientificly designed through years of measurement and careful observation
to turn off the light just before you get your door open and therefore
plunge you into darkness. :-)

Geoff.


--
Geoffrey S. Mendelson, Jerusalem, Israel N3OWJ/4X1GM
IL Voice: (07)-7424-1667 U.S. Voice: 1-215-821-1838
Visit my 'blog at http://geoffstechno.livejournal.com/

On 21 août, 21:12, Andrew Price wrote:
On Tue, 21 Aug 2007 05:33:26 -0700, Claudio Bonavolta

wrote:

[---]

In your situation, I would try to find a local supplier of raw
chemicals and mix my own, it may be easier.

Good suggestion. See also Lloyd Erlick's article :

http://www.heylloyd.com/technicl/bulkchem.htm

on this subject. The other articles on his site are also well worth
reading.


Some more comments as Geoff seems to need a post-nuclear war survival
guide ...

One more option for the safelights: to make my computers screens
inactinic when working in my darkroom I cover the screens with red
plastic film called Rubylith. This is not just a red film as it is
intended for masking use in graphic arts and printers. It is very
efficient and cheap, the only drawback is that it is becoming rare as
most of graphic work has gone digital.
There is also an amber version called Amberlith.

Regarding self-made chemistry, a few other pointers:
- Steve Anchell's pair of books (meant to be practical cookbooks and
not scientific litterature), check with Amazon.
- I put a copy of Kodak's J-1 publication which contains all basic
formulas (and more) here (20MB pdf file):
http://www.bonavolta.ch/hobby/files/Kodak%20j-1.pdf
- Photo Formulary have also published a bunch of formulas (under
Technical Infos):
http://www.photoformulary.com
- The same with Digital Truth together with a database of development
times: http://www.digitaltruth.com
- Ryuji Suzuki's website (seems down, hopefully temporarily):
http://www.silvergrain.org
- http://www.jackspcs.com
- and many other websites ...

If Geoff stays with classic formulas like D-76 and D-72 (Dektol's
public formula), the basic ingredients are similar and the number of
raw chemicals could remain limited.
If he prefers more environmentally-friendly formulas then those based
on ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) are available (Mytol, E-72, Ryuji's
formulas, etc ...).

Regarding the raw chemicals in Israel, I did a quick search and found
following website that may be a good start: http://dir.chemnet.com/Regional/Israel/
One of the links points to an university, that could be a good idea to
ask the chemistry department of a university what suppliers they use.

So, good luck !
Claudio Bonavolta
http://www.bonavolta.ch

Claudio Bonavolta wrote:
Some more comments as Geoff seems to need a post-nuclear war survival
guide ...

I don't think so. It may seem that way, but it's a more of a combination
of the effects of digital photography and the movement of research
to the China and India, combined with post 9/11 paranoia.

I can already see the effects here, some common household chemicals
such as ammonia are banned. I also see that in the U.S. people who
buy scales and organic solvents are suspected of running meth labs,
or a bomb factory.

When I was a child growing up in Philly, I had a microscope and a
small home chemical lab. By 1970 the organic solvents I used
e.g. xylene and acetone, were banned and all sorts of chemicals
were no longer sold. At one time you could buy them in a rack in
a hobby shop, like spices at a supermarket, but they were gone.

One more option for the safelights: to make my computers screens
inactinic when working in my darkroom I cover the screens with red
plastic film called Rubylith. This is not just a red film as it is
intended for masking use in graphic arts and printers. It is very
efficient and cheap, the only drawback is that it is becoming rare as
most of graphic work has gone digital.
There is also an amber version called Amberlith.

I'll have to look for it. It should be easy to find if there are
any graphic arts companies left. My guess is that they have all gone
digital, it's obvious if you open any newspaper that everything is
done with photoshop.


Regarding self-made chemistry, a few other pointers:
- Steve Anchell's pair of books (meant to be practical cookbooks and
not scientific litterature), check with Amazon.
- I put a copy of Kodak's J-1 publication which contains all basic
formulas (and more) here (20MB pdf file):
http://www.bonavolta.ch/hobby/files/Kodak%20j-1.pdf

Downloading it now, thanks.


Regarding the raw chemicals in Israel, I did a quick search and found
following website that may be a good start: http://dir.chemnet.com/Regional/Israel/
One of the links points to an university, that could be a good idea to
ask the chemistry department of a university what suppliers they use.

The university is Hebrew University, where I got my start
in Israel in their computer science department. I'll ask them if
they can help.

Thanks for all your help,

Geoff.

--
Geoffrey S. Mendelson, Jerusalem, Israel N3OWJ/4X1GM
IL Voice: (07)-7424-1667 U.S. Voice: 1-215-821-1838
Visit my 'blog at http://geoffstechno.livejournal.com/

On 22 août, 12:39, (Geoffrey S. Mendelson) wrote:
Claudio Bonavolta wrote:
Some more comments as Geoff seems to need a post-nuclear war survival
guide ...

I don't think so. It may seem that way, but it's a more of a combination
of the effects of digital photography and the movement of research
to the China and India, combined with post 9/11 paranoia.

I can already see the effects here, some common household chemicals
such as ammonia are banned. I also see that in the U.S. people who
buy scales and organic solvents are suspected of running meth labs,
or a bomb factory.

When I was a child growing up in Philly, I had a microscope and a
small home chemical lab. By 1970 the organic solvents I used
e.g. xylene and acetone, were banned and all sorts of chemicals
were no longer sold. At one time you could buy them in a rack in
a hobby shop, like spices at a supermarket, but they were gone.

Don't worry this was just a joke ...
Fortunately here in Europe (except UK maybe) we feel much less the
9/11 effects.
By the way, chemicals were already less widely available before due to
safety regulations and another problem is that many chemical companies
ask you to buy quantities way to large for the simple hobbyist.

One more option for the safelights: to make my computers screens
inactinic when working in my darkroom I cover the screens with red
plastic film called Rubylith. This is not just a red film as it is
intended for masking use in graphic arts and printers. It is very
efficient and cheap, the only drawback is that it is becoming rare as
most of graphic work has gone digital.
There is also an amber version called Amberlith.

I'll have to look for it. It should be easy to find if there are
any graphic arts companies left. My guess is that they have all gone
digital, it's obvious if you open any newspaper that everything is
done with photoshop.

A link to the manufacturer: http://www.ulano.com
They have a link to company Arta Graphics being their distributor for
Mid-East region:
http://www.arta-israel.co.il/sg_product~7010~13~54.htm
But I can't read Hebrew ...

Good luck,
Claudio Bonavolta
http://www.bonavolta.ch

"Claudio Bonavolta" wrote

Rubylith. This is not just a red film as it is
intended for masking use in graphic arts and
printers. It is very efficient and cheap, the
only drawback is that it is becoming rare as
most of graphic work has gone digital.

Pre-press equipment and supplies can often be found
at outfits that supply the silk-screening industry.

A good art-supplies store will often carry rubylith
for poster silk-screening.

--
Nicholas O. Lindan, Cleveland, Ohio
Darkroom Automation: F-Stop Timers, Enlarging Meters
http://www.darkroomautomation.com/index.htm
n o lindan at ix dot netcom dot com

On Aug 22, 12:14 am, "Richard Knoppow" wrote:
"Geoffrey S. Mendelson" wrote in ...

Richard Knoppow wrote:

Thanks for the wonderful answer. It will be a great help.

Outdated paper is likely to be fogged. While the
use
of an anti-fog agent can same some of it its best just to
avoid it.

I agree, but it's what I have. :-)

I'll have to see if I can get any paper locally. Darkroom
stuff does
not sell well here.

Most of long post snipped...

I am sorry to hear of the problems caused by unreasonable
taxes there. A real PITA.
If you can obtain raw chemicals you can make your own
wash aid. For paper a simple 2% solution of Sodium Sulfite
will work well. I think sulfite is available for other uses
than photography so it may be easier to obtain than it first
looks. The use of a Sulfite wash aid very substantially
reduces the amount of water needed for washing, by at least
6 times. Also, you can save more but using a sequential bath
method. Total washing time is about the same but the amount
of water used is much less than for a running water wash.
Kodak and Ilford give instructions for film but paper can be
washed the same way. Agitate fiber prints in a sequence of
about 5 minute baths of water for about 6 changes of water
when a wash aid is used.
Beware of red coated light bulbs as safelights. They
_look_ red but pass enough other colors to cause fogging.
They may be OK but test them. Actually, any safelight should
be checked because the filters fade with time.
Old paper can often be used with the help of an
anti-fogging agent. The most effective is Benzotriazole but
plain Potassium bromide will work. Bromide has a greater
effect on the image color (tends to warm it up) and looses
more speed than Benzotriazole. I will have to look up the
amounts, they are given in Grant Haist's book and its in a
box somewhere right now.
In general, cold tone papers tend to pick up fog less
than warm tone paper. I have some ancient Brovira which
still works but warmer tone paper such as Agfa Portriga
Rapid is useless even with the anti-foggant.
Rodinal is not the ideal developer for anything but works
OK where somewhat increased grain is acceptable. That means
it work for large format negatives and for very fine grain
film. In particular, it will develop T-Max or Delta films
wtih relatively fine grain. Rodinal also makes a good, if a
bit expensive paper developer at about 1:30.

--
---
Richard Knoppow
Los Angeles, CA, USA


I suppose there would be a few more options for a wash aid although
some ingenuity may help.

If I recall correctly plain old sodium cloride (table salt) helps
speed washing a little.

Sodium Sulfite is just sulfur dioxide (SO2) combined with lye (sodium
hydroxide). He says he can get the lye so all he needs to do is burn
sulfur in a vessel that is sealed and has water in it. Water combines
readily with SO2; the solution is slightly acid. Then take that
solution and add a dilute solution of lye until a pH of about 7 is
reached.

Having a pipette and an indicator to reach a neutral pH may be pushing
it, but buying Hydrion pH paper over the net should not be hard and it
doesn't weigh much. Adding lye solution with an eye dropper is a way
to mimic the pipette (with a little care added - lye is nasty).

Naturally, to do this, he needs to find some sulfur ... perhaps that
is possible?

On Wed, 22 Aug 2007 06:26:41 -0700, Claudio Bonavolta
wrote:

Don't worry this was just a joke ...
Fortunately here in Europe (except UK maybe) we feel much less the
9/11 effects.

And the UK has no one but itself to blame for that ...

On Aug 22, 11:48 am, Peter wrote:

I suppose there would be a few more options for
a wash aid although some ingenuity may help.


Agfa for many years recommended a 2% solution
of sodium carbonate. Dan

wrote:

Agfa for many years recommended a 2% solution
of sodium carbonate. Dan

Ok, I'll look for those things, but it's not a priority. In 2003 I bought
large bottles of Tental developer, wash aid and fixer. The developer
did not last, but the fixer and wash aid concentrates seem to be
fine.

Of course once I get things going, I may use them up a lot quicker. :-)

Thanks, Geoff.

--
Geoffrey S. Mendelson, Jerusalem, Israel N3OWJ/4X1GM
IL Voice: (07)-7424-1667 U.S. Voice: 1-215-821-1838
Visit my 'blog at http://geoffstechno.livejournal.com/

In article ,
(Geoffrey S. Mendelson) writes:

Rod Smith wrote:

You might see if you can find a red LED bulb. I use one of these as one of
my two safelights:

http://www.superbrightleds.com/specs/E27-W24.htm

I wonder if I can just make one from red LED's? I have many of them. It won't
look as nice, and I'll probably just run it off of a "wall wart".

That ought to work, although with the usual caveat that you should do
safelight tests. In fact, if you spread them out you might end up with
more even illumination than you'd get from a single bulb.

It's actually two rooms, a larger area with a clothes dryer in it, which
I am using as an enlarging table, and a small powder room with a counter,
sink and toilet as the wet room.

I'm using a broken washing machine as a table in my darkroom. My
enlarger's control unit, which is separate from the enlarger's
base/column/head assembly, sits on the washing machine.

I'll probably use it for the wet room, and the red lights for the enlarging
area. Now I have to figure out how to set up a switching arangment so
that they go off when the enlarger goes on. I don't have a timer, but
I can count to 10 and if I concentrate 15 :-)

I've never bothered with this. My typical exposure times are in the 10-30
second range, which shouldn't cause fogging unless the safelights are very
close to being unsafe to begin with.

There's also a mix-it-yourself
version of Rodinal called paRodinal; see
http://silent1.home.netcom.com/Photo...d%20Times.html
....
I tried that. I found that the local tylenol equivalent was expensive,
pure sodium hydroxide was available only from a soap maker (who was
willing to sell me 250 grams at a time), but sulfite was impossible
to find. None of the camera stores carried it, and I could not locate
a pool supply. Private pools are rare here.

I believe that sodium sulfite is used in wine production, so you might
check if there are any stores that specialize in such things. Certainly
it's a common enough chemical industrially; the tricky part would be
locating somebody who'd be willing to sell small quantities to an
individual.

--
Rod Smith,
http://www.rodsbooks.com
Author of books on Linux, FreeBSD, and networking