Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 89.djvu/617

 Popular Science Monthly

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��A Photographic Printing-Box for Use with Electric Current

TWO of tlic cliiff (lit'fuulties confront- ing the aniatfiir photographer are getting a light just right for printing, and coloring glass a ruby which will not spoil plates or films during dc\elo|)nK'nt. To overcome these I constructed a printing-box which worked very well. Of course, it can be used only where there is electric current.

Procure four bf)artls 14 in. long, 12 in. wide and JA in. thick. (M one of these boards fasten two lamp sockets as shown in Fig. I. Make the connections as shown, letting the two cords pass through holes in the board to the under- side. In another of the boards an 8-in. square hole is cut, which is located by the dimensions given in Fig. 2. This hole is co\ercd with a ruby glass 9 in. square, glued, pasted or fastened with strips of wood to make it entirely light-tight around the edges. These two boards serve as front and back; the other two are for the sides of the finished box. All of them are nailed together with brads to form a box with o\erlapping joints at the corners.

The top consists of a board I2>^ in. square and J4 in. thick. The printing frame is placed on the center of this board and marked around the outside, making the outside line shown at A , Fig. 3. The frame is then removed and a line draw'n J^ i"- inside as at B, which is used to cut out the opening necessary for the printing window. Cut halfway through the board on the lines A to make it appear as shown in Fig. 4. This recess is for the printing frame to rest in during exposure. Secure another board I2>2 in. square for the bottom and nail it in place, as well as the top board, to form the box, Fig. 5.

Paint the box a dead black on the inside and insert the electric lamps in the sockets. Connect the ends of the wires extending from the lamps to a lamp socket with a cord and plug, and the box is ready for use. It is best to ha\e a switch in the circuit for turning the light on and off while changing papers from the frame. The hole in the top of the box is covered with some light-proof material, such as a cardboard or a book, when using it in the dark-room for

��the purpose of developing negatives.

To use the box for making prints,

jjlace the negative and ])rinting-out

paper in the printing frame in the usual

��manner and droji the frame

��the

���FIG.V-

��An easily made box for exposing develop- ing papers; also for a dark-room lantern

recess cut out for it in the top board; then turn on the light by means of the switch. The time required to expose the print is found after repeated trials. By using a timing de\'ice one print may be developed while another is ex- posing. — H.\RKV Wilson.

��A Scheme for Keeping Pictures Hanging Straight

IF two pieces of rubber are secured to the lower ends of a picture it will prevent it from assuming different angles on the wall when a jar tends to move it from its proper position. The pieces of rubber act as a frictional break and are effective in holding the picture steady.

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