Darkroom hazards, was Levels & Curves

["Dave King" <kingphoto@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I was taught this in art school college level photo classes 30 years ago
too.  By cracky:)  Let's hope this isn't still being taught - ever wonder
why so many old photographers develop Parkinson's?

I haven't used my darkroom since investing in Profiler Pro and an X-Rite
DTP-41:), but I had become somewhat chemically sensitive over the years and
found a book called "Artist Beware" very helpful in the design of my last
darkroom ventilation system.  (Another book called "Over Exposure" gives
hazard analysis for photographic chemicals specifically.  Don't know if
either is still in print.)

Using what I learned in Artist Beware, I built a shallow but wide box onto
the wall the sink is against and the intake slot is the bottom edge of that
box.  This box feeds into a larger volume mixing chamber that is connected
by standard vent pipe materials to an exterior mounted *restaurant size*
kitchen exhaust fan (available at Grainer).  This puppy works, the slot is
well below head level so fumes are routed away, and the pull is strong
enough that small children and pets get sucked into the vent slot when they
get too close:)  The stuff they market specifically as darkroom ventilation
products is a pathetic, and perhaps even dangerous, joke - they don't work.

Dave

----- Original Message -----
From: gary <gsellani@accesscom.com>
To: <scan@leben.com>
Sent: Thursday, December 27, 2001 1:23 AM
Subject: RE: Levels & Curves


> I've seen the motorized vents and Keeble and Schucat. If you haven't been
to
> the SF Bay area, that is the "bring lots of cash but we have the best"
> camera store. It is one of the few lens rental places in the area. The
have
> the Jobo AT1500 there as well.
>
> Getting back to the darkroom, I remember in high school handling the
prints
> with bare hands. Even worse, one trick we learned was to rub the areas on
> the print you wanted to get developed a bit more because the friction
would
> heat up the area, which in turn speeded up development. I'm guessing today
> nobody puts their fingers in the chemical baths.
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: owner-scan@leben.com [mailto:owner-scan@leben.com]On Behalf Of
> > byard pidgeon
> > Sent: Wednesday, December 26, 2001 5:38 PM
> > To: scan@leben.com
> > Subject: Re: Levels & Curves
> >
> >
> > When you're putting in that "small darkroom", be sure you learn how to
> > ventilate it properly so you don't poison yourself.
> > The American Lung Association may have some info for you on this.
> >
> > on 12/26/2001 11:11 AM, gary at gsellani@accesscom.com wrote:
> >
> > > No argument that the digital manipulation is better than what
> > you can do by
> > > hand in a chemical process.
> > >
> > > That said, I have a house in design stage and will put in a
> > small darkroom,
> > > something I always wanted. We may reach a point in history
> > where I am the
> > > last guy in America doing wet photography. ;-) I notice lots of
> > enlargers
> > > showing up on the used market. Hmmm.....

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