Window Frame and Table for Dark Room
By JOSEPH LIMBRUNNER
The amateur photographer often has a poor dark room, sometimes made worse by the use of an evil-smelling lamp. If he wishes to use a room that has daylight, he finds it difficult to convert the room quickly for his purposes, especially if he desires to make use of the daylight for his work. Under these conditions, the arrangement described in this article was devised, and proved so satisfactory that I pass it on to the host of amateurs who find satisfaction in making part of their equipment. The table and window frame in place are shown in Fig. 1. The table is removed by withdrawing the rod, and bending up the hinged legs. The frame and window covering are removed by releasing the four small hooks. Ruby, yellow, or ground glass may be inserted in the sliding frame, as required, nearly all of the light being shut out, or light admitted without a glass, by sliding the frame.
| Fig. 1 | Fig. 2 | Fig. 3 |
| Fig. 4 |
With This Sliding Frame and Folding Table, the Work of the Photographic Dark Room can be Done by Daylight in the Home Bathroom
The general arrangement of the parts is shown in Fig. 2. The dimensions are suggestive only, being suited to a small window in a bathroom, where the equipment was installed. The table is merely a board top supported by hinged legs, which are braced by a removable round wooden rod. A frame, C, as detailed in the section at A-B, Fig. 3, is fitted closely in the window casing. It is covered with heavy cardboard, tacked on. The ways J, in which the frame for the glass slides, are fixed to the lower rail of the frame C, and to a crossbar at its middle. A 5 by 7-in. opening is cut in the cardboard to admit the light, as shown in Fig. 2. Holes D are bored in the ways to receive pins which hold the frame at various positions, as indicated by the stop holes E, Fig. 4.
The sliding frame is detailed in Fig. 4. It consists of a back frame of ¹⁄₂-in. wood, sliding in the grooves of the ways J, and a frame of 1-in. stuff, mounted on the front of it. The openings may be made to suit the size of plate to be used, 5 by 7-in. openings being indicated. The openings are provided with rabbeted edges, as indicated by the width G, and the height H, in which frames of light weight, for the 5 by 7-in. glass plates, are fitted. The frames may be made, or plain, cheap picture frames may be used. The sliding frame is raised and lowered by means of the handle F. The cardboard covering the larger frame should be painted a dull black, and the wooden parts may be shellacked in the natural color.
When developing films or plates, the frames with the red and yellow glasses should be inserted in the sliding frame, and held in place by turn buttons. The red glass will ordinarily be satisfactory for developing, but on very bright days, with the sun shining directly on the glass, a layer or two of “post-office” paper is placed over it. The yellow glass may be used when fixing, and other work requiring a subdued light, but not when developing is done. For printing, put in the yellow and the ground glasses, the latter admitting sufficient light for the purpose. To use the dark room occasionally in the evening, I set a lamp on a well-protected shelf outside of the opening in the cardboard, and proceed as in the use of daylight.
Non-Blow-Out Cigar and Pipe Lighter
