Darkroom or no darkroom

[Rockers]

Hey so our new press is going to be installed early May. But before that we have to shrink our darkroom/screenmaking room. Instead of doing that I consider having no darkroom at all and even get rid of the recycling room as we are planning to automize that department soon too.
 I`m a little worried having the Spyder in an open area un-protected but then what can possibly happen. Our shop is not overly dirty;)

[Dottonedan]

I don’t know of any other than Brant at Graphics Disorder who has no dark room. That said, there is no real reason you must I mean, you would adjust to accommodate doing so.  People often boast about not coating in a dark room, so why not.  Is it the best case scenario?  Is it how the suppliers and manufacturers say is the best case scenario? No.  but most of the majority of shops don’t operate in a best case scenario and look how we all just carry on.

[Sbrem]

In our old shop, our screen making area had plenty of daylight coming through the windows. There was plenty of time to tape positives in place without pre-exposure, just keep it moving.

Steve

[brandon]

Until that 5,000 piece Red Comfort Colors job comes through and everything is pink the next day

[ericheartsu]

i just saw this shop on IG the other day:

https://www.instagram.com/coleapparel/

the dark room set up is rad here.

[Sbrem]

i just saw this shop on IG the other day:

https://www.instagram.com/coleapparel/

the dark room set up is rad here.

That's an impressive shop for sure.

Steve

[GraphicDisorder]

I don’t know of any other than Brant at Graphics Disorder who has no dark room.

Correct we do not use a dark room at all.

See attached. Bottom left you can see our i-image peaking. Its 10ft if that from our press/printing area. Our shop is full LED highbay lighting. Around the corner from the i-image is our uni-kote, also coat in direct light. Next to the i-Image is our Starlight, also in direct light. We then carry in direct light to a wash out room.

We are working on getting quotes now to add 14,000 sqft. We'll do a dark room then probably, maybe.

[mk162]

I don’t know of any other than Brant at Graphics Disorder who has no dark room.

Correct we do not use a dark room at all.

See attached. Bottom left you can see our i-image peaking. Its 10ft if that from our press/printing area. Our shop is full LED highbay lighting. Around the corner from the i-image is our uni-kote, also coat in direct light. Next to the i-Image is our Starlight, also in direct light. We then carry in direct light to a wash out room.

We are working on getting quotes now to add 14,000 sqft. We'll do a dark room then probably, maybe.

I like one for nothing else other than it clearly defines the space...also, wall space is a great thing for shelves and cabinets.  The thought of not having a darkroom is strange to me, but hey, it works, roll with it.

Do you have much problem with lint?

[GraphicDisorder]

I don’t know of any other than Brant at Graphics Disorder who has no dark room.

Correct we do not use a dark room at all.

See attached. Bottom left you can see our i-image peaking. Its 10ft if that from our press/printing area. Our shop is full LED highbay lighting. Around the corner from the i-image is our uni-kote, also coat in direct light. Next to the i-Image is our Starlight, also in direct light. We then carry in direct light to a wash out room.

We are working on getting quotes now to add 14,000 sqft. We'll do a dark room then probably, maybe.

I like one for nothing else other than it clearly defines the space...also, wall space is a great thing for shelves and cabinets.  The thought of not having a darkroom is strange to me, but hey, it works, roll with it.

Do you have much problem with lint?

Nope no lint issues. Under the press there hasn't been cleaned in months and that's all that's there.

[Maxie]

I have a small darkroom with racks so I can dry screens, temp and humidity controlled.
Our CTS is in the a corner of the production area, I put a yellow roof above it to stop some of the light and keep the dust off it, I also hang hot house screen on two sides to stop excess light.
Works well, I am attaching photographs.

[Croft]

Have never had one as well ( over 20 years) , have a large screen cabinet that holds 50 screens , we coat in light and shoot/rinse in the shop .