Chemicals and Large Trays

[Henry Yorke]

Hi, everyone.

I have some 20x24" trays that I'd like to start using more often. The thing is, pouring the chemicals out at the end of a darkroom session can be tricky - the trays are heavy (even with a small amount of chemicals) and ackward. Right now, I pour the chemicals into a large bucket and from there into the container.

Anyone have any suggestions or interesting work-arounds for this? Someone I know drilled a hole and put a stopper in his trays - but it always seemed to leak no matter what.

[Alan Curtis]

How about a siphon into a bucket or storage container on the floor?

[dsphotog]

I use a very large funnel and both hands on the tray, since the trays are in a sink, a bit of spillage is no big deal...
The used dev. I just dump into the sink. I might just leave stop bath in the tray for the next session.
Flexible trays can be a challenge.... My 20x24 trays are stainless steel, 16x20's are Patterson, all quite rigid for easier pouring control.

[bob carnie]

Henry I use graduates to take out the bulk of the chemicals and put into a big bucket then lift when I feel comfortable the tray fill the bucket , then take the whole bucket over to the silver recovery.
So basically your method is ok.

Hi, everyone.

I have some 20x24" trays that I'd like to start using more often. The thing is, pouring the chemicals out at the end of a darkroom session can be tricky - the trays are heavy (even with a small amount of chemicals) and ackward. Right now, I pour the chemicals into a large bucket and from there into the container.

Anyone have any suggestions or interesting work-arounds for this? Someone I know drilled a hole and put a stopper in his trays - but it always seemed to leak no matter what.

[lfpf]

A fluid siphon pump and tube is simple, quick, inexpensive, light, easy and have worked spill- and splash-free for years. Many are readily available either online or at most any hardware store. Piece o' cake.
Steve

[lfpf]

They're often called Emergency Siphon Pumps or "insert favorite state" credit card.
Steve

[ROL]

Anyone have any suggestions or interesting work-arounds for this? Someone I know drilled a hole and put a stopper in his trays - but it always seemed to leak no matter what.

Yeah, none of that seems to work very well. Are you talking film or print developing chemicals, BW, or color? No matter.

FWIW, for B&W I always use one shot developers for film – that gets dumped down they drain after development. Working print developer (mostly Dektol) gets dumped after each printing session since it oxidizes so quickly, Ansco 130 being an exception. Film fix gets poured back into a gallon jug (labeled with a films count) from the tray with funnel. A little is lost there. Print fix is left out in a covered 30x34" tray until exhausted. Selenium toner same as fix. Everything else is normally water. To sum up, fix and toners are the only "saved" chemicals.

[Henry Yorke]

Yes, I should have been clear - I was thinking about print development work rather than developing negatives. Hadn't thought about discarding Dektol after each use - I've been mixing it up 1:2 and re-using it - I'll have a look at one shot use.

Thanks, everyone, for the thoughts.

[ROL]

Dektol isn't "one shot" like film developers, it's just that in my much-larger-than-your-trays, it goes off (e.g., becomes inactive) after about 5 or 6 hours. DR chemicals, if used judiciously, are the cheapest part of your workflow. I keep stock Dektol in 5 gal. floating lid containers for 6 months or longer.

[WayneStevenson]

I would put on a plastic spigot or 1/4" brass pet cock with rubber seals to go on either side of the container. Shouldn't leak when tightened. And you can control the flow while pouring.

[jamesaz]

I've used siphon hoses from marine supply places. The kind with a squeeze bulb that go from fuel tank to outboard motor.

[Jac@stafford.net]

I have two drains in my sink. One is the usual that drains out of the house.

The other has a plug and drains into a big bucket to trap chemicals dumped from trays.

If I were more ambitious I would put a T pipe with a valve in the main drain.

[Andrew O'Neill]

I do what Bob does (except for the silver recovering part), then pour remaining into a large 23 litre bucket I found in a skip, where it evaporates over time.

[Tony Lakin]

I keep my stop and fix in covered 24x20 inch trays until exhausted, developer is used in the appropriate tray for the largest print size I expect to make during the life of the developer, I find that by using a floating cover as well as a top cover when not in use partially used developer can be used over a 2 or 3 day period.