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Hey, Tiger stadium! I grew up in Detroit!

For 4-5 years I've been doing almost nothing but lith printing. (Check out my analog site for an idea of the looks I go for, I'm most into lith for the strange way it renders contrast and the paper grain vs. color). But one thing I've found is if you get a print with warm tones you really like, chances are selenium will change them to something different (maybe great or maybe not) - so I try for a print that doesn't need any post-work like bleaching or toning if the color I'm getting works for me. Moersch Omega can boost the colors of some papers, too.

One thing is to try to amp up color in the first place - weaker or tired developer helps (if you start getting spots, a pinch of sodium sulfite can get you another print or two); lith (esp. due to the long exposures) can really benefit from flashing for highlights (non image-forming exposure - highlights suffer from intertia and an extra kick of light can push them over the edge), esp. since so much of the color comes from the high tones. it can really help hold onto delicate clouds and sky tones, etc.

Testing for non-image forming exposure is tougher for lith of course, since you don't develop to completion - so getting a print that seems good, and then choosing a highlight area on the next print and pulling the neg, sticking diffusion under the lens [I use [dura-lar, matte acetate that comes in pads](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0027AAOL6/ref=sxts_kp_tr_2?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=8778bc68-27e7-403f-8460-de48b6e788fb&pd_rd_wg=ks2EG&pf_rd_r=QJADBG6ZCPAFXN5BAEBF&pf_rd_s=desktop-sx-top-slot&pf_rd_t=301&pd_rd_i=B0027AAOL6&pd_rd_w=chBdQ&pf_rd_i=dura-lar&pd_rd_r=6059d04b-60b3-4c6d-8294-ca4ca023689b&ie=UTF8&qid=1539640201&sr=2)) and adding strips of 1-second duration to the highlight areas is a good test. Snatch for shadow detail and see how much flashing starts to beef up highs and when it's actually fogging.

(When I print, I start pretty small, like 8x10 cut in half, in 5x7 trays. Same paper though. I dial in the prints that way to save paper and dev. before going bigger, my final prints are 16x20 or even 20x24 lately. Measure the distance from the baseboard to the lens when you're ready to go bigger. New distance ÷ original distance, squared gives you a number; multiple your exposure time - or times, like dodging/burning, flashing - by this number, gets you very close). I use detailed print maps so I have all the various times handy.

Lith also really likes late-development flashing, which can be just flicking the room lights on for a second. Not enough to fog the borders - but when the shadows start getting established, try it - it can really boost color. Doing it to the point of fog can really boost color, but can give you a dull print - but you can bleach the borders with ferri-fixer and a good brush, or iodine-alcohol bleach on a dry print. Iodine is good for removing black spots from dried prints - I shave a toothpick down to like one fiber and use a loupe made for retouching with a brush opening. Then you spot the bleached spot as if it were a dust spot. Really an accurate way to bleach or retouch. I use a quality Grumbacher watercolor set to spot lith prints, my regular spotting dyes don't have the colors I need. I use gum arabic when spotting gloss prints - if you steam the print a bit after spotting, sometimes it will sort of melt the spotting into the emulsion and hide it enough to be invisible under glass.

Fixer really kills color - want to get depressed? Acid stop a lith print normally, give it a quick rinse, and turn on the room lights - the print won't fog right away since the developer is deactivated. The color in an unfixed lith print can be extraordinary, and then watch the fix bleach it away. I've tried using TF4 and TF5, and weak and exhausted fix for a few minutes, then rinsing and fixing in fresh fix - that seems to help. This is a shot of my lith setup, got it fairly dialed in. I need a cover for 20x24 trays still, big sheets of plex are kinda pricey though!

Gold toning lith prints for cool tones - you may get a color you like, but if the print is really warm, you may get more of a mauve. For neutral blue, bleach the print to completion in ferri-bromide, and redevelop in standard paper developer. (test with scrap prints of the same paper - sometimes diluting the paper dev works well too). This gives the gold toner a more neutral tone to begin with, and takes less time and exhausts that pricey stuff more slowly. (My stuff seems to work better looking cold and desolate).

The Facebook lith group is fantastic, great know-how there, Tim Rudman and Wolfgang Moersch post there. When Moersch likes your print, that's a good damn day!!!

Not sure why you're using TMaxRS developer. HC-100 Dilution B would probably be a better choice. I'd expose the Acros at ASA 50 and develop in HC-110B for about 5 1/2 min @68F.

Pretty much no film (or very few) will give you full ASA speed if you want to preserve shadow detail. (The only example I've found in he past 25 years or so was the Efke 100 which did just fine at rated ASA.) By rating the film at ASA 50, you get lots of shadow detail. Then you UNDER develop just a bit to make sure the highlights don't blow out. Hence my recommendation above - which is just a first estimate to get you going.

But you want to push - i.e., You want to severely underexpose the film by pretending it's faster than it really is. You can do this, but at a cost of grain, typically. See, development mostly affects the highlights (and exposure the shadows). So, since you are really underexposing the shadows, you REALLY have to OVER develop to get anything to show. The longer the film sits in the developer - usually - the more grain you build up. So, in this case (and I don't have times for you), I'd use HC-110 1:7 and see if you can figure out the required time.

If Kodak products are super expensive, you can get Ilford's ID-11 - which is just their own version of Kodak D-76, probably
the most used developer in film history. It can be used 1:1 for full strength (which might be a good choice for your push).

For more details, see if you can find a copy of:

https://www.amazon.com/Film-Developing-Cookbook-Darkroom-Vol/dp/0240802772


I will repeat the most important rule here:

• Shadow detail comes from EXPOSURE.
  
• Developing mostly affects HIGHLIGHTS.
  
  P.S. If Kodak stuff is expensive, you might also see if you can get the Ilford Delta films more reasonably and/or HP5+.
  

So, normal light (black body spectrum) is a Gaussian distribution of frequencies around a single wavelength. The center-point of this distribution can be moved higher or lower to alter the color of that light as we perceive it. Objects give off bluer (higher-frequency) light the hotter they become, white hot is hotter than red hot, etc. We commonly refer to color spectrums by a Kelvin-equivalent temperature as a result, hence you can buy 'warm white' 3000K light bulbs, 'cool white' 4000K light bulbs, and 'daylight' 6500K lightbulbs.

Now, although our eyes are reasonably good at automatically adjusting to differences in the colors of light sources, so unless we're looking out for it (or it's a big difference), our brain compensates and we just see 'white'. Camera film does not make this adjustment, so shooting under a 3000K light (this is the traditional spectrum of an old incandescent light bulb, so we commonly call it 'Tungsten') with a film meant for daylight (6500K), everything looks yellow. Shooting in daylight with a tungsten (3000K) balanced film, everything looks very blue.

Now, in order to fix this, manufacturers make 'color correction' filters meant to cut out the blue light when you're using tungsten film in daylight, or cut out the yellow light, when you're using daylight film indoors. These are not the same as color filters for black and white.

For using daylight film indoors you need a special blue (wratten 80A to 80D) filter.

For using tungsten film outdoors you need a special orange (wratten 81A-81D) filter.

If you're using a Nikon 50 1.8, you're almost certainly need a 52mm filter. Unlike Leica E39 or other weird sizes, 52mm Wratten filters are really easy to get, and can be had pretty cheap; and super quality is probably not critical for the look you're after.

Here's some (normal color film indoors) cheap filters in 52mm. https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B00009V356/

Paid much less from B&H but their deal seems to be over. At $300, I'd recommend maybe finding something else.

[Prime Film XE](Pacific Image PrimeFilm XE 35mm Film & Slide Scanner - One-touch scan button, 3-line RGB linear CCD sensor, 10,000 x 10,000 dpi, 48-bit https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GE1NF92/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_wjTIyb4TJ1NNJ)

Granted I really like my results, I am just comfortable with it and have learned it at this pint.

For putting under the trays, you should be able to get a shallow plastic oil drip tray like this one at your local auto parts store. I used a setup like that for a couple of years before I built a sink. Super easy to clean up when you are done.

I've had good luck using the Instant Pot version.

I also use it for cooking as well. Some of the best roasts I've made was with it.

I like to use Amber bottles. I just think they look super cool. But they also keep UV light away from the chemicals.

32-Ounce Amber Kombucha Growler Bottles (4-Pack); 1 Quart Boston Round Glass Bottles w/ 6 Polycone Phenolic Lids for Home Brewing https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0749ZWF1C/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_gXFTDbK31SN6T

May I ask what film you will be developing with the XTOL? The Film Developing Cookbook states that: " XTOL is now the developer most highly recommended by Kodak for Tmax films. It has been observed that dilution increases speed and sharpness with XTOL. Dilutions of 1:3 or more are frequently recommended. At these dilutions XTOL is effectively a nonsolvent developer, but because of its careful buffering, grain is still fine."

Michael Covington also has an informative page on XTOL including its use at dilutions higher than 1:1

10W, this is the one I used

even a huge increase in power wouldn't be enough to get anywhere near 'normal' enlarger print times

Thanks for the advice!

The basement does have a dryer vent line cut out, now that I think about it. Might be able to piggy back off that for some ventilation.

I've had the thought of using blackout cloth taunt against the joists and then strung around the area to create my own personal black box. Might be a bit depressing, but it could prevent some unexpected light contamination. And, with a good cleanup of the area and maybe pump a humidifier in there it could keep the dust controlled. No?

Lemme crunch the numbers and I'll get back to ya!

Canda doesn't have any photography stores or lab glassware retailers? These are pretty standard to store chemicals in or you can go fancy and use lab amber glass bottles

https://www.amazon.com/Delta-Datatainer-Storage-Bottle-Gallon/dp/B00009V3DO

I have a Meopta Opemus colour. I needed a transformer with a 12V 100W output and ended up using 2x 12V 50W transformers connected in parallel. Had I been willing to pay the money, I could have bought a regulated output transformer like this one https://www.amazon.com/SUPERNIGHT-Switching-Universal-Regulated-Transformer/dp/B01LATMSGS

Here is the mobile version of your link

Darkroom cookbook and developing cookbook maybe? Also Ansel Adams's "The negative" might be helpful