Darkroom Sink

[Bruce Pottorff]

I had my plywood sink coated with truck bed liner, and it has stood up very well; in fact, it looks new. Photographer friends thought the sink was purchased retail. Best move I made when I built my darkroom.

Bruce

[Dave Langendonk]

Check out this link:

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/sink-manufacturing.html

[Eric_6227]

Hi Peter,

The book is available at Amazon and I have seen it in Borders and Barnes & Noble (where' I got mine):
Here's the link to Amazon . I'll send you a picture of the cover by email.

With the method in this book, you join the wood using wood screws, wood glue and waterproof caulking. Then you apply the Epoxy. Frankly, it comes out built like a tank. The guy who installed the air duct in my darkroom ceiling stood inside it while he worked. It's very solid, and very modular, although it does take some effort to cut the wood and assemble. The other great thing about that book is they walk you through all the tools you need and how to use them. Plus how to correctly measure the wood, etc.. I built not just the sink, but an enlarger stand with adjustable easel, drying racks built into a work table, and a 2 ft square color-balanced light table--all from plans in the book, and all with (basically) a curcular saw and Mikita drill. I just modified things to be bigger or smaller to suit my preference. The plumbing is all built into a panel that attaches to the back of the sink. It is all freestanding.

[Bob._3483]

Firstly, do you really need a sink, as such. Or do you simply need somewhere to put a row of trays that might spill a few drops of chemicals over the side as you agitate them? If the latter, you can save yourself a whole load of work by just making a flat table with 1" square wood strips around the edges to contain any small spillages and epoxy paint it. Add a drain at one end and you are done.

Have a separate deep sink, of the type used for doing laundry by hand, for washing the trays etc.

[Bruce Barlow]

I built one years ago out of plywood, and painted it with epoxy paint. I loved it. When I had the money and opportunity to have a stainless steel sink after we moved to a new house, I bought one.

If I had it to do over, I'd make my sink. The white paint brightened up everything under safelights, it was exactly what I needed, and it was horribly cheap. I miss it. Splurge on birch plywwod that's smooth on both sides. After all, it's the only sink you'll ever make, you hope.

"Build Your Own Home Darkroom" has plans that I followed, which make it easy for even a novice woodworker to be successful. I've built several things out of that book, with great results.

[Stan. Laurenson-Batten]

I fitted out my darkroom from scratch, I use all formats to 10X8 and process in-house.
My ideal is a shallow sink of about six inched in depth, made of plastic that is easy to clean, drain quickly and chemical inpregnation resistant.

The length I would opt for is as long as you can make it. When I am using the dry side of the darkroom, I often cover the sink area over with close fitting board so can use it as a good drybench as well.

[Peter Hruby]

Thanks again,

I do have a book from Kodak, Build your own Darkroom, I am kinda following this one, only they suggested to buy sink. Would be anybody interested to see my progression of building darkroom? I can do pictures, it might help somebody in the future.

Current status is 2x4 wood construction, laying down my own electricity.
Let me know I have my own website where I post pictures to see, but text will be here.

[Michael Rosenberg]

Peter,

Posted in the LF home page is an article on constructing a sink using sheets of PVC and plywood. The sink is very simple, and durable. My sink has been in use now for 6 years, and I would not change a thing. I also describe in the article how to do the plumbing. Most commercial plastic fabricators either stock or can obtain the sheeting and cut it for you. Alternatively Mc Master-Carr has it and will ship anywhere. Also posted are pictures of the sink and plumbing. If you purchase plywood make sure it is Grade A/B, which has water proof glue. Most plywoods are made with water soluble glue. And do not use particle board!

Good luck.

Mike

[Wayne]

But Mike, if the sink is waterproofed dont those water soluble glues work just fine? In my case, yes.

[Brian Ellis]

I hired a carpenter to built a darkroom sink out of plywood that I purchased at Home Depot but if you're handy with tools it shouldn't be difficult to do yourself. You might need a plumber for the water connections though. I coated the sink with three or four coats of a Benjamin Moore product called "Moorelastic" and when I used the darkroom more than I do now I recoated once a year or so just to be on the safe side. The sink was still going strong after seven years of use when I sold the house in which it was located.

One small tip if you decide to build it yourself. Make sure the drain isn't located in the center but is instead in one of the corners and that the sink is slightly shorter on the side on which the drain is located.