Is there a lightproof room somewhere at DMS?

A new member wants to know if there is a lightproof room where I can load 4x5 film holders? A sealed off closet of sorts, anything?

None that I know of. I used to have blackout bags your hands fit into when loading film.

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You could use the unisex bathroom. That’s where I have previously made screens for the screen press when they needed dark rooms

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Take whatever chemicals with you when you are done. Please for the love of God don’t dump it down our drain. Last thing we need is the city or TCEQ banging on our door.

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Those are both good solutions I will consider.

No chemicals involved @TBJK. Just loading film.

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Do NOT use a restroom as a darkroom. Use the janitor closet, if anything.

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The reason I asked is because I thought I read somewhere that there was a DMS darkroom long ago, and I was hoping that maybe that room still sealed off when you shut the door.

We had one at our last location, but it only had two regular users (out of 300 at the time) so the Board did not allocate space for it at the current location.

Totally understandable.

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Just wanted people to be aware. They can track items dumped down sanitary sewers. Ultimately leaving us holding the responsibility.

Brooks thinks he can tell people what they can do in a bathroom, but the fact is he can’t. And he can’t prove you did anything in the bathroom unless he wants to admit to having installed unauthorized cameras in there.

The unisex bathroom is a good fit because it has room, can be light sealed, doesnt cut off any tools (we have other toilets) and can be locked while you are working. The last one is especially important for darkroom work to prevent people from busting in and saying “HEY WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON?” And potentially ruining your darkroom work.

the janitors closet is too small and can’t be locked, cuts off all the supplies and the sink used for cleaning up when coming in from the workshop.

The next best option is the small conference room. But please be careful with anything spillable since it’s a carpeted area.

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No, we don’t have other toilets if you happen to be over six foot tall, male, and need to sit down. There are two rooms for the ladies (three if you count the unisex room), two rooms for men that can stand up to do their business, but only one room for those of us who shop at “Big and Tall” stores.

A pair of “film crew” were using the Unisex bathroom to do some filming one day, and after waiting for over 30 minutes, my needs were getting urgent, so I resorted to pounding on the door to get them to vacate. Not cool.

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After saying thanks @PearceDunlap, let me just put everyone at ease by saying I have zero plans to do anything but put sheet film in sheet film holders. That is not a chemistry-related task. Finally, please know that I will not lock anyone out of anything. I can feel your pain @StanSimmons ! I think I will either modify a room at home or go with @Photomancer 's suggestion of a blackout bag, or find a salt mine with a mile-deep elevator, or rent a submarine from Putin. I don’t know. I’ll figure something out.

Or buy a retired ICBM silo. :smiley:

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Those damn things are expensive nowadays. The newer ones are imploded from what I have read.

I only have security clearance for salt mines and submarines.

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