Why are developing dishes £6 each?

[swee'pea99]

A bit specialist I know, but...I'm looking to get back into b/w printing (used to be really into it as a teen) and I'm discovering that prices have gone up a bit since my day. I was fully expecting to find papers, films and chemicals expensive - they've become a minority interest now - but I'm still staggered to find developing trays cost nearly £6 a pop. It's just a bit of moulded plastic, FFS. How can that make sense?

 

[Globalti]

Petrochemicals and diminishing production runs.

 

[david1701]

wot e said, I raided someone who was ditching their darkroom so am suitably stocked on kit but lacking consumables :s

also the blinds haven't been sorted yet

 

[tyred]

Tell me about it. I'm in the process of setting up my own darkroom and although I got lucky with the enlarger, everything else is expensive.

What's worse is that I was talking about it to a guy on a VCC ride who had dumped all sorts of things a week earlier, including 500 sheets of 8 x 10 Multigrade paper

 

[swee'pea99]

My genius sis has suggested cat litter trays - essentially the same thing at less than a quarter of the price. Ok, so they're not quite as heavyweight, but it's not like I need them for hand to hand combat...

500 sheets? indeed!

 

[ArDee]

Be careful what plastic the cat litter trays are made off, you'd not want it dissolving part way through the developing process.

 

[Blue_icicle]

I have used Cat litter trays before, they are normally fine, though some are a very soft plastic and can absorb (but not leak) some chemicals and may cause contamination if you inadvertently mix them up on subsequent developing sessions.

I have also used Seed trays (from the garden centre or local 99p store) - these are useful if you are only doing small sized prints as you don't have to mix unnecessary large volumes of chemicals.

Also keep your eyes open for friends/family throwing out the large plastic storage bins. If you are handy with a jigsaw, you can cut these down and they also work.

I also use [url="http://www.uk.freecycle.org/"]Freecycle[/url] and [url="http://www.ilovefreegle.org/"]Freegle[/url] to search for photographic bits that people are throwing away - you may get lucky, it just a case of right place, right time. and its all free!

 

[Oxo]

A good source of cheap equipment could be a local camera club. Most members now use digital cameras and many will have unused darkroom items they might be willing to dispose of.

 

[tyred]

I've confused myself now by buying a safelight from Ebay which has come with two different filters, one for colour and one for B&W but I don't know which is which. I emailed the seller and he doesn't know either.

Also, the photo on the description on Ebay showed a bulb but the cheapskate must have kept it Does a safelight require a special bulb or any bulb of the right wattage do?

 

[swee'pea99]

Safelights take a regular (low wattage) bulb - it's the filter that makes them safe. As to which is which, I'd simply test. My guess would be that the more dense of the two (assuming there is one) would be for colour, the more transparent for b/w. But it's easy enough to test. Just put one filter in, leave a bit of paper out for a few minutes with a coin resting on it, then develop. If there's a white circle on it, you need t'other one.

 

[gregsid]

Also, the photo on the description on Ebay showed a bulb but the cheapskate must have kept it Does a safelight require a special bulb or any bulb of the right wattage do?

Commonly 15w pygmy

 

[Flyer5]

normally a 15w pygmy bulb, red or brown light for b&W and usually dark green for color.

Flyer5

I've confused myself now by buying a safelight from Ebay which has come with two different filters, one for colour and one for B&W but I don't know which is which. I emailed the seller and he doesn't know either.

Also, the photo on the description on Ebay showed a bulb but the cheapskate must have kept it Does a safelight require a special bulb or any bulb of the right wattage do?

 

[tyred]

Thanks. I figured I'd just have to test the filters (there is very little difference to my eyes when holding them up to the window) but I wasn't sure about the bulb.

 

[Klaus]

I've confused myself now by buying a safelight from Ebay which has come with two different filters, one for colour and one for B&W but I don't know which is which. I emailed the seller and he doesn't know either.

Also, the photo on the description on Ebay showed a bulb but the cheapskate must have kept it Does a safelight require a special bulb or any bulb of the right wattage do?

Filter for B&W is red - you used to be able to get a red safelight bulb - but it needs to be one specifically manufactured for that purpose (Philips used to do them). That one you could just put into the normal light-fitting.

 

[Klaus]

For all things Darkroom I would subscribe to your local FREECYCLE and/or FREEGLE mailing lists - in my area there are regular offers for darkroom bits, surprisingly also a lot of takers ....