IIOW TO MAKE A PORTABLE DARK-ROOM OR DEVELOPING CABINET.
in the present chapter, for the benefit of those who cannot obtain the exclu sive use of a room for the purpose of fitting it up as a dark-room on the i lines already laid down, to describe a modification of a very useful piece of apparatus which I made for myself some years ago as a temporary dark-room for de veloping collodion negatives, which can be easily made by any one capable of using ordinary tools, or, failing such skill, by any carpenter from simple materials, and at very little cost. Of course, if the reader is prepared to incur the necessary expenditure he need not put himself to even this trouble, for be may purchase one of the many very complete portable dark-rooms which are now offered for sale by different dealers. Of these, that sold by Messrs. Hough ton, and shown in fig. 16, may be taken as a type. They are all very similar in appearance and de sign, although there may be some slight variations in detail. They consist usually of a table or bench for developing, part of which is occu pied by a sink, the space underneath being usually fitted up as a rack for the reception of dishes, the upper portion of the back being utilised as a support for shelves upon which the bottles containing the de veloping solution and other accessory apparatus find a resting-place. A developing cabinet of this description is by no means an unsightly object, nor does it occupy much space ; it may therefore be placed in any ordinary apartment, such as a spare bedroom, without seriously disturbing existing arrangements. A still more recent addition to this class of apparatus is the extremely convenient portable dark-room of Messrs. Davenport, a drawing of which is shown in fig. 17. These are strongly but lightly made of wood, and only require screwing to gether. They are very completely fitted with all necessary fittings, including sink, bench, waste pipe, etc., ample pro vision being made for ventilation. When placed in the corner of an ordinary apartment the " Ever-ready " dark room, as it is cal!ed, might easily be mistaken for an ordinary linen press or cabinet. I certainly think, if the reader is unable to secure the exclusive use of a room, that the possession of either one of the contrivances which have been described, or of a home-made substitute built upon similar lines, may be regarded as essential to successful working. Not only will it allow the reader to work in comparative comfort, but, by preventing the slopping and dropping of the various solutions, and the consequent de struction of furniture and carpets, it will save him from incurring the perhaps not unjust wrath of the " powers that be." I will now, for the benefit of those who may prefer to construct their own apparatus, give a brief description of the home-made contrivance to which I have already referred. At the time when I made it, now some sixteen years ago, I contrived to do all my dark-room work within it, though the process I was then employing, namely, wet collodion, was a far more difficult one to work successfully under such conditions than that with which we are now dealing. I
merely mention the fact in order to convince the reader of its practical utility and suitability for the purpose for which it is intended.
As a basis for our operations we must procure from a dealer in second-hand furniture a common deal washstand of the pattern shown in fig. 18. Such an article should not cost more than 3s. or 4s. Its condition is immaterial so long as the woodwork remains sound. The ravages of soap and water we may easily hide with a little paint.
The first thing to be done is to convert the round hole in the middle, into which the wash-hand basin fits, into a square one, which may be easily accomplished by the aid. of a keyhole saw. We will suppose the size of the opening to be 15 in. square, and we have now to construct the sink; but unless the reader happens to be au fait in the use of a soldering iron, it will be necessary to invoke the aid of a plumber, for we require a zinc tray 15 in. square by 4 in. deep, in the centre of which a short piece of /-incli pipe should be soldered. This tray may then be fitted into the opening, and secured by means of sharp tacks. We now proceed to widen the top of the washstand, so as to give a little more table room on which to work. To do so we screw two fillets of wood at each end, as shown at AA, in fig. 19, which represents the top of the washstand, letting them project about 8 in. A piece of board (EE, fig. 19) 8 in. wide and the exact width of the washstand, is then to be screwed to the projecting fillets, which will afford it the necessary support. This will form the developing table proper. Now obtain some strips of wood about 2; in. wide by 1 in. thick. Cut off two four-feet lengths and screw them firmly to the back, as shown at AA in flg. 20. In most washstands of the kind to which I am referring a shelf will be found running along the back. This may be left in situ ; but about 10 in. above it two angle brackets should be attached to the uprights and two more above, as shown at B1 B2 B3 B4, in fig. 20, and to these should be thin boards, such as those used by picture-frame makers, to the two uprights 'AA. We now require a rack for our dishes and trays. Obtain two pieces of board 11 in, broad and 18 in. long, and mark them out on both sides with parallel lines, 3 in. apart, as shown in fig. 21. Cut out as many 14 in. lengths from the 11 in. boarding as there are parallel lines, and then nail together at top and bottom with 1 in, fine brads, aS shown. When the two end pieces, 134 B2, are nailed on, the rack will be complete. The most convenient place for it will be under the bench to the left of the sink, and it can be fixed in position by screwing with some long screws through the top of the bench.