Bill's darkroom timer, safelight, and easels

I sometimes get asked about some basic darkroom equipment. Here is a simple page showing some of the items I use in the darkroom...

Timer

This is my Gralab model 300 timer from the 70's.  I believe they are still made, but are now plastic instead of metal. Note the toggle switches on this model. A newer one I have over my sink has plastic rocker switches instead, but the case is still metal.

Also shown in the picture above is an accessory for my enlarger's cold light head called a Cold Light Stabilizer (pictured on the left). This model is no longer made. Cold lights change brightness with varying temperature (as when the bulb heats up when illuminated). This unit has a photocell in the enlarger lamphouse (not shown) that monitors light change. The stabilizer unit then adjusts the amount of voltage to keep the light output constant.

Safelight near enlarger

This is a cheap plastic safelight I use next to the enlarger. It is a plastic shell that is attached to a metal base (wall side) and contains a dim lamp (20 watts?). The light shines through the colored plastic for a safe color.

I bought it new in the 70s, and don't remember what I paid. It wasn't much though.

Fluorescent safelight above sink

Here's a view of the "bridge" over my sink. The underside of it has white lights (daylight blue) as well as a fluorescent tube covered with a safelight sleeve. The plastic sleeve fits over the tube, and safely colors the light. These are surprisingly expensive for just a colored plastic tube.

Saunders 11x14 inch 4-blade easel

This is my best easel, a Saunders 4-blade adjustable 11x14 inch unit. These were somewhat expensive (I paid $150 back in the 80's when it was new).

Premier 4-in-one easel

This easel is a Premier 4-in-one. It has fixed sizes for 8x10, 5x7, and a couple smaller sizes I don't remember. This is one side of it. The other side, pictured below, is for 8x10 prints.

The Premier 4-in-one easel (I've heard of them being called a "flip easel" too) didn't cost too much when new, and was my first easel. It is quick to set up because it has no adjustments to worry about. However fixed sizes rule out custom crops or full-frame 35mm shots with clean, cropped edges. I never worried about that much because the edges would be cut off when dry mounting the photo afterwards.