Epoxy to seal wood for darkroom equipment?

[sully75]

So I still haven't found the sweet spot equipment wise for developing LF film.

I had an idea for a daylight tank that would sort of be like an HP tank if you laid it on its side. So it would sort of function like tray development.

Anyway, it would be easy enough to build out of thin plywood, I think. I was planning on sealing it with epoxy. Any reason why that wouldn't work?

Thanks!
Paul

[Caivman]

Dye the Epoxy (most resin two part epoxy's can be dyed fairly easily), and make sure it's chemical proof, and i don't see why not.

[Drew Wiley]

What you mainly want is a 2-part penetrating marine expoxy. This forms a slow-setting
deep-penetrating liquid, though you'll probably want to reinforce any seams of corners
with a more viscous marine expoxy. These kinds of produces are available here on the
West coast from companies like Smith Epoxy and West Marine, and on the East coast
by Abatron. Make sure the wood is coated on all sides and especially well on cut ends.
After the expoxy has cured a few days you can easily sand the surface smooth.

[Alan Curtis]

I built my sink over 25 years ago using 3/4" plywood. I screwed the joints together with silicon cement as the glue. Then I caulked all the seams with the same silicon. Then painted the whole thing with the two part marine epoxy mentioned by others. Mine is about 8' long and never leaked a drop.

[John Kasaian]

So I still haven't found the sweet spot equipment wise for developing LF film.

I had an idea for a daylight tank that would sort of be like an HP tank if you laid it on its side. So it would sort of function like tray development.

Anyway, it would be easy enough to build out of thin plywood, I think. I was planning on sealing it with epoxy. Any reason why that wouldn't work?

Thanks!
Paul
Which format? IMHO a Unicolor processor rocks 8x10. Click on the blue banner at the top of the page and look for Grey Wolf Phillip's article.

[Nathan Potter]

It'll work using marine white epoxy. Use at least 4 coats. Glue the wood joints with Titebond glue. The epoxy will gradually discolor (yellow) but can be refreshed by steel wooling the yellowed stained surface then resealing with epoxy.

Nate Potter, Austin TX.

[Jim Michael]

As an alternative, you might check into using PVC sheet and weld the joints. The PVC welders are pretty economical.

[Jim Noel]

You need West Systems epoxy. My sink is almost 25 years old and has never leaked. This epoxy is almost water thin when mixed and will soak into the wood to waterproof it. The company has ground carbon to add to the epoxy to make it totally light proof.

[Drew Wiley]

Wood would certainly not be my first choice. ABS sheet quite easy to cut and solvent
weld, and is routinely available in black. Reinforced phenolic is more expensive
but heavier duty. My own darkroom sink is heat-welded polypropylene, but that is a
type of plastics which requires special equipment and skills. A sheet of 1/4 Sintra ABS
sufficient for this type of project would probably cost no more than a 2-pt kit of epoxy
penetrant. Little strips of similar plastic can be used to solvent reinforce corners. No
trickier than gluing together plastic garden sprinkler pipe.