Installation of the laboratory
In order to be used as a laboratory, the chosen room must fulfill three basic requirements:
- Easy to grow perfectly dark: even the light that enters thru the frame of the door is able to spoil the material.
- Electricity, a security light and, if it's a permenent laboratory, the enameler and some other things.
- Good ventilation: if you want to be able to use the laboratory during several hours, since the blockade of the light can prevent the free air circulation.
THE DRY PART: for all the activities that do not need water nor compounds, as the election of negatives and the enlargment; the table installed in this area must be firm, so that the enlarger does not move. Is necessary to place near it: a margin frame, a clock, a negative file, photographic paper, scissors and a blade.
It would be good to have a magnifying glass (to examine the image projected by the enlarger). If you have a paper dryer it must be placed outside the dry area, because wet copies, and humidity will be handled close to it; in addition, contact between the solutions and the equipment must be avoided. HUMID PART: this area is where the film is developed and the solutions are prepared. The black-and-white film developing includes three processes (development of the latent image, interruption of the development and fixing of the image), the three necessary buckets or tanks must be placed so that the last one (with the fixer) is next to the laundry. The security light is put upon the developing tank (also you must have table lights).