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J Ney
24-May-2010, 08:32
I'm trying to set up a budget darkroom in my bathroom and am working on building a sink that would fit over my bathtub where I could (a) develop 8x10 contact prints and (b) tray-process 8x10 / 4x5 film.

The sink needs to accomodate at least 3 11x14 trays and should be somewhat easy to move around in case the land lord comes knocking. I'm using PVC for the frame so the final dimensions of the sink are somewhat flexible, but I am having a tough time finding an affordable sink. The closest one I've found was <http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/15729-REG/Delta_62430_4_Foot_Econo_ABS.html#specifications> but I was hoping to find something < $100.

Does anyone have any creative (read: cheap) ideas for DIY sinks?? Or should I just suck it up and buy the sink from B&H??

One possibility that I was playing with was using metal gratings cut to my specifications but I don't feel to strongly about that idea.

photographs42
24-May-2010, 08:48
I would cut 4 1x12’s the width of the tub and put the trays on the boards. The 4th board is for a water bath tray. Glue rubber to the bottom where the boards touch the tub and you’re set. It won't get much cheaper than that.
Jerome

PS You might also want some knee pads.

Peter Mounier
24-May-2010, 08:49
A sink is nice in a permanent darkroom, but since your setting up a portable darkroom, why not just keep your processed prints in the tray until you're ready to wash them, then take the tray to a sink?
I did darkroom work for several years without a sink in the darkroom.
Peter

Shadowtracker
24-May-2010, 08:54
Plywood and Cabot polymer work well too. You can cut the plywood to size, if there is no lip on the other side of the tub to put the edge of the plywood, you can make legs. Run a 1x3 or 2x3 along that edge or some other way to attach the legs to hold that side up. You can make another lip on the near side to contain any spills from going on the floor. Then, when finished, just pick it up and put it in the basement or behind the couch or whatever. It's flat so it can be stored. 1x12s will do the same thing.

eli
24-May-2010, 11:29
You can go the the Home Depot or other home-center and buy "ClosetMaid (Storage)", white coated wire shelving and cut it to size to fit over the tub, as needed. A strip of wood molding can act as a spacer to keep things level, if needed.

Use some "Plasti Dip (http://www.plastidip.com/home_solutions/Plasti_Dip)" to coat the exposed wire ends from cutting so it doesn't scratch or leave rust stains on your tile.

Buy extra shelving and suspend it well above the tray area for drying prints.

Eli

Robbie Shymanski
24-May-2010, 11:42
A sink is nice in a permanent darkroom, but since your setting up a portable darkroom, why not just keep your processed prints in the tray until you're ready to wash them, then take the tray to a sink?
I did darkroom work for several years without a sink in the darkroom.
Peter

This is exactly how Aaron Siskind worked.

Rick A
24-May-2010, 12:50
You can go the the Home Depot or other home-center and buy "ClosetMaid (Storage)", white coated wire shelving and cut it to size to fit over the tub, as needed. A strip of wood molding can act as a spacer to keep things level, if needed.

Use some "Plasti Dip (http://www.plastidip.com/home_solutions/Plasti_Dip)" to coat the exposed wire ends from cutting so it doesn't scratch or leave rust stains on your tile.

Buy extra shelving and suspend it well above the tray area for drying prints.

Eli

They sell caps to cover the cut ends of the wire shelving.

CG
24-May-2010, 14:32
LA Craigslist should have used sinks on occasion.

Jon Shiu
24-May-2010, 14:40
Instead of a sink, you just need a flat surface that is easy to clean up. One idea is to get a sheet of that styrofoam with foil facing at home depot and cut it to make a double layer. Then lay it over the tub. You can put the trays on newspaper which soaks up any spills, then throw the newpaper away after processing.

Jon

ac12
24-May-2010, 15:11
A surface made of side by side 1x12s going from front to back on the tub. Easy to setup, take down and store.
Or make the surface out of 1/2" plywood. This would be harder to setup and store than the 1x12s.
You can make a temp drip lip on the front edge with a piece of 1x1 clamped to the wood surface.
Then cover the surface and the drip lip with 6mil plastic sheet to prevent chemical getting into the wood.

eli
24-May-2010, 15:22
[QUOTE]They sell caps to cover the cut ends of the wire shelving./QUOTE]

Good to know; IMO these should be sealed in place with a good adhesive or silicon product.

Ari
24-May-2010, 15:36
I'm packing up my darkroom as we speak, and despite being a sizeable room (11'x11') I never had running water in there.
I took a square bucket, about 12"-15" high on the sides, and half-filled it with water before each printing session. Each acceptable print went straight from the fix to the bucket of water.
When I was done printing, I brought the bucket to the kitchen where I washed everything, either in a tray siphon or archival washer, depending on the number of prints I had made.
The darkroom before that was the same idea, except I had 3'x4' for my enlarger and trays; I did the washing in the kitchen.
Basically, you need a flat, strong surface for your enlarger, and another flat surface large enough to accommodate your trays; almost anywhere will do, doesn't need to be the bathroom.

Wade D
24-May-2010, 19:38
I use the spare bathroom as a semi permanent darkroom. I cut a sheet of 3/4" plywood to fit over the tub and sealed it with varnish. Short 2x4 legs brought it up to a comfortable working height with room to get underneath to the tub where I keep the wash tray. 3 11x14 trays fit comfortably on this setup. 16x20 is a bit of a squeeze but doable. The 4x5 enlarger lives on the sink vanity but hangs over a bit.

J Ney
24-May-2010, 21:10
Thanks all for the great ideas! It is nice not having to sit around and re-invent the wheel.

I think I'll use the 1x12s on top of a PVC framework (as I need access to the bathtub for washing) and coat the 1x12s with polymer to keep them water-resistant.

Once again, thank you all for the great advice!

-J

Doremus Scudder
24-May-2010, 23:58
Years ago I had a darkroom that fit into a medium-sized bathroom.

I built a sink out of a sheet of 3/4" marine plywood built to fit exactly in the space above of the tub. It had 1x4-inch sides screwed and glued to the sheet. I painted the whole thing with white epoxy paint and then caulked with silicone sealer. The drain was simply fit into a hole cut in one corner with a hole saw(the closest to the drain) and led with a hose into the tub.

Legs were made of galvanized 1" o.d. pipe. I screwed pipe fittings on to the bottom of the sink to screw the pipes into. "Feet" were constructed from pipe caps with holes drilled in them and standard rubber suction cups (the kind with a threaded bolt built in) attached with nuts and washers. I made the drain leg a bit shorter and the leg on the diagonal corner a bit longer to tip the sink slightly toward the drain.

I removed the shower head and pipe and made a galvanized set-up that consisted of a short 3" section, an elbow and then a longer length extending down to just above the sink. Onto this went a plastic thermometer well and a plastic splitter. Hoses led to the holding tray and the washer.

Voilá, a homemade sink complete with "plumbing," easy to set up and take down. The legs and plumbing unscrewed by hand and the whole thing went up/down in less than a minute and stored easily in the back of a closet. I've still got the thing in storage somewhere; I used it for years. It held four/five 11x14 trays plus my 11x14 washer. I even did 16x20s in it with a tray stacker (the 16x20 washer fit in the tub underneath).

The enlarger (Beseler 45MX) was mounted on a rolling cabinet that held paper, easels, etc. I rolled in and out easily as well. I could convert the bathroom for a printing session in 20 minutes or less. (I left two safelights permanently mounted.) When functioning, this darkroom was as comfortable and efficient (although a bit smaller) as anything I have used since.

Maybe some of my ideas will be of help to you.

Best,

Doremus Scudder

J Ney
25-May-2010, 06:32
Maybe some of my ideas will be of help to you.


Doremus... Thanks so much for the detailed specs! I'll definitely use some of your ideas.

Time for a trip to Home Depot!! :)

Drew Wiley
25-May-2010, 13:10
Just find a used darkroom "ladder rack" which stacks three trays above on another. Then put the whole thing in a bigger tray, either in the tub or on top of a board.

Jim Noel
29-May-2010, 21:47
Build a sink using plywood. Coat it with 3 or more coat of West Systems Epoxy. Mine is 20 years old and sows nos signs of leakage. It is plain exterior plywood,not marine.