From: Dave Rose (cactuscowboy@attbi.com)
Date: 02/07/03-11:04:40 PM Z
As others have suggested, anything larger than 8x10" really needs to be
printed in a vacuum frame....if you want high quality results.
A monster vacuum cleaner is not required. I use a very small, inexpensive
"Dirt Devil" hand-held vacuum cleaner. I had to construct a custom-made
adaptor to fit the intake on the Dirt Devil so that I could attach a
flexible plastic hose linking it to my vacuum easel. It's crude but cheap
and effective.
The vacuum must be running during the entire exposure. The noise is very
annoying, especially here in Wyoming. It's so quiet in my house that I can
literally 'hear a pin drop'.... if the wind isn't howling outdoors.
Blasting loud rock 'n roll into the darkroom speakers helps drown out the
roar.
Cactus Cowboy
----- Original Message -----
From: "Michael Healy" <mjhealy@kcnet.com>
To: <alt-photo-process-l@sask.usask.ca>
Sent: Friday, February 07, 2003 12:23 PM
Subject: Re: Homemade vacuum easel
> Is this a generally-known experience among printers of large negs? Not
just
> a problem with Wyoming altitude? When you say "large", Dave, what do you
> have in mind? Squarish, I imagine. Do you think I should I expect such
> problems when I start printing my 7x17's, or are these going to be narrow
> enough to avoid ungainliness? This very weekend, I was going to start
> collecting parts out of which to build a spring-back frame (about 8x18").
> Now your description has me thinking that instead of looking for springs,
I
> ought to be saving my money for a 4-ft shopvac. And I suppose you need to
> leave the vacuum on until you're done w/ the exposure, huh? Mine will have
> to move easily back and forth from the bathroom through the living room
past
> the dining room and out onto the patio. Could one just load in the dark,
> wrap with the towel, go outside, and then finally start the vacuum seal
out
> there?
>
> Do you use earplugs? I suppose not in Wyoming.
>
> Mike Healy
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Dave Rose" <cactuscowboy@attbi.com>
> To: <alt-photo-process-l@skyway.usask.ca>
> Sent: Friday, February 07, 2003 10:55 AM
> Subject: Re: Homemade vacuum easel
>
>
> <snip>
>
> It should be noted that a
> vacuum easel is much better for making large prints. Achieving uniform,
> intimate contact between (large) negative and paper is more difficult
using
> spring-loaded glass contact frames.
>
> Dave in Wyoming
>
>
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.5 : 03/04/03-09:19:08 AM Z CST