[trixtroll]

I recently started shooting film, after a long sabbatical, and was shocked at how much it's going to cost me to send 5 rolls of Tri-X off to The Darkroom.

I gave away all my darkroom equipment several years ago, so I'm working on re-acquiring everything I need to do some "quick and dirty laundry-room processing." It's been a little over a decade since I've done it, so I want to make sure I'm not forgetting anything before I start pouring developer.

• * A changing bag (pretty sure I have one in storage)
• * Tank and reel
• * Film Squeegee
• * Graduated cylinder
• * Mixing paddles
• * Amber bottles
• * Chemistry
• * an improvised wash tank.
• * Somewhere clean / dry to hang the film for drying
• * Some clothes pins
• * A thermometer
• * A kitchen timer
• * A sacrificial roll of film to practice loading the reel

I'm not currently interested in printing, so I'm just going to use a flatbed scanner for now.....

[ismaelg]

Hi,

Quite obvious but don't forget something to open the film canister or retrieve the film leader.

Thanks,
Ismael

[pres589]

Here's your list with the things crossed out that I don't use. And I bought nearly off of the items I'm suggesting you don't need if you are only developing film and not making prints;

* A changing bag (pretty sure I have one in storage)
* Tank and reel
* Film Squeegee
* Graduated cylinder
* Mixing paddles
* Amber bottles
* Chemistry
* an improvised wash tank.
* Somewhere clean / dry to hang the film for drying
* Some clothes pins
* A thermometer
* A kitchen timer - Use your phone unless you've got an egg timer already
* A sacrificial roll of film to practice loading the reel

[JohnMc]

I recently started shooting film, after a long sabbatical, and was shocked at how much it's going to cost me to send 5 rolls of Tri-X off to The Darkroom.

I gave away all my darkroom equipment several years ago, so I'm working on re-acquiring everything I need to do some "quick and dirty laundry-room processing." It's been a little over a decade since I've done it, so I want to make sure I'm not forgetting anything before I start pouring developer.

• * A changing bag (pretty sure I have one in storage)
• * Tank and reel
• * Film Squeegee
• * Graduated cylinder
• * Mixing paddles
• * Amber bottles
• * Chemistry
• * an improvised wash tank.
• * Somewhere clean / dry to hang the film for drying
• * Some clothes pins
• * A thermometer
• * A kitchen timer
• * A sacrificial roll of film to practice loading the reel

I'm not currently interested in printing, so I'm just going to use a flatbed scanner for now.....

If your interest in printing changes, and your changing bag is big enough, I have just gotten a nice 23c XL with 75mm, a couple Saunders four blade easels, timer, and some other goodies...

[disconnekt]

For chemistry, if you want to keep it minimal you can get away with just using a developer & fixer.
For the stop bath I just mix water & 5% distilled white vinegar (1:3)(can be found cheap at the dollar store), mainly because it's one less chemical to worry about, plus you can just dump it down the drain afterwards.

[tuco]

• Archive Sleeves
• Chemistry
  • Wetting Agent (reduces need for squeegee)
• Small fan for drying

[ChrisPlatt]

GraLab 300 timer

The large face is easy to see from across the room.
It will do double duty when you get your enlarger.

Chris

[trixtroll]

GraLab 300 timer

The large face is easy to see from across the room.
It will do double duty when you get your enlarger.

Chris

Hindsight is always 20/20. I used to have a 300 and a pair of 60 second time-o-lights.

I see myself quickly going full steam into my re-discovered interest….I went ahead and mailed a couple rolls off to the lab today, but I may not be patient enough to wait on future ones.

Also, BTW the camera you sent me is working great. Thanks again!

[officiousbystander]

I have found the Massive Dev app indispensable. iOS or Android.
Digitaltruth Photo - Massive Dev Chart Film Developing App

[DWS1]

Hi,

Quite obvious but don't forget something to open the film canister or retrieve the film leader.

Thanks,
Ismael

I always used a combo can/bottle opener. The old kind that a has hook on one end.

[clickclick]

A funnel may or may not be handy for pouring back into the bottles if you want to reuse any of your chemicals.

[jbinpg]

If you are concerned with chemicals going down the drain, there is always the Caffenol process. Still the fixer to worry about but the steel wool trick neutralizes that fine. I just have a backyard lagoon so I have to be cognizant of what I flush down the drain.

[Michail_P]

As @pres589 mentioned, you can still keep things simple. I like the absolutely-essentials approach. A black bag is a must though. The most frustrating thing is that you need to pay more for a good scanner... cheaper ones don’t show the full detail of your film.

[pres589]

I use a $1 church key style bottle opener to get the ends off of film cassettes. I own a black changing bag and have never once used it; I do all of my work "in free air" in whatever bathroom I mean dark room I'm working in. Agreed on a funnel, I bought a cheap set of stainless (sorta) funnels. I use a few of those accordion style bottles to hold fixer and agreed on getting some wetting agent to help knock down minerals etc left behind on the negatives. I also got some Edwal Anti-Stat to wash negs with manually and a packet of PEC pads to go with.

I copy my negatives with a 105mm macro lens and my K-5 II on a tripod pointed down on a cheap LED light box. Negatives converted to positives and such with Negative Lab Pro and Lightroom 6. Not sure if I could recommend that again though if one doesn't already own Lightroom 6 as I'm not paying subscriptions to Adobe and Negative Lab Pro is probably never going to some other platform. Kind of a dumb situation worthy of its own thread. So perhaps a good scanner is the smarter path in 2021.

[ChrisPlatt]

I use economical long shelf life HC110 and Rodinal concentrated syrup film developers.
These are very easy to use immediately mixed with water already at room temperature.

A small graduated baby syringe makes dispensing the required amount much easier.

Chris