Portable darkboxes, tens, and rooms deserve a page of their own. Submit the plans/description/link to yours to share with others via the Contact Form below.
Examples of Contemporary Darkboxes (via Luminous Lint — Thanks to Tom Persinger for link!)
Examples of Historical Darkboxes (via Luminous Lint — Thanks to Tom Persinger for link!)
Secret Jardin Dark Propagator as Darkbox (Thanks to John Fink Jr.)
Tony Richard’s Suitcase Darkbox
The BastardBox™ (Gerald Figal)
Credit for the basic concept of this design — cardboard box, rubylith window on top, film changing bag arms on side — goes to Brian Cuyler. I innovated with a collapsible 32-gallon Bin Warehouse Storage Box because I wanted to be able to pack a darkbox in a suitcase for trips and to strap on my back for hikes. Others (Mark Voce, Sam Reed, Andreas Reh) have improved upon the design by sandwiching the changing bag arms between thin plywood rather than simply duct-taping them to the inside of the box, adding a side window, and adding lights. Depending on ambient light, you can use it without red lights (battery-operated red LEDs) affixed inside, but have to contend with reflections. If you have lights within it you need to throw a darkcloth over your head. Both ways have pros and cons and I use mine both ways depending on circumstances. The box interior itself is already black and light-tight, so all you really need to do is to cut out a window and arm holes. I used a Dremel with a circular saw bit to do mine. I originally built the BB™ for my 35mm work, but have used it up to full plate and intend to use it for 6.5×15″ plates with a specialized tank and dev trough and tray I’ve built. Maybe a video of that later. (the last photo is courtesy of Borut Peterlin)
Darkbox Lighting: Using a headlamp
I’ve found that a dual bulb multi-colored (red/white/blue) LED headlamp is more convenient and eliminates having to string lights in a box or tent — just string your head! You can switch from red to white and back as need be and get a directed light at your working area. I bought mine at Target, but I think it was this one that’s on Amazon.
How to Make Eskimo Quickfish Tent Lightproof (Borut Peterlin):