Tray racks?

[Mark Sampson]

Long ago I remember seeing ads for a device that let you stack print trays, so you could make larger prints than your sink would otherwise fit. As my current darkroom sink is too small for 16x20 trays, I'm looking for a set of these racks. Or information, or plans to make them out of wire or acrylic. Ideas anyone?

[Alan Butcher]

I made a tray rack with 16" wire shelving and aluminum angle. I threaded the ends of the wire shelving so that I could attach to the aluminum angle. It works well and can be disassembled for storage if necessary. On the front edge of the shelving there are two wires that I threaded and on the rear one.

So far working ok.

[Harold_4074]

Leedal makes these, and at least Calumet has them under "tray ladders" (11x14 and also 16x20). I wouldn't be surprised if B&H, Adorama, and/or Freestyle sell them as well.

[Jim Jones]

You might find a used Tray-Rak made by the Richardson Mfg. Co. of Fernandina Beach, FL.

[D. Bryant]

Long ago I remember seeing ads for a device that let you stack print trays, so you could make larger prints than your sink would otherwise fit. As my current darkroom sink is too small for 16x20 trays, I'm looking for a set of these racks. Or information, or plans to make them out of wire or acrylic. Ideas anyone?

http://www.apug.org/forums/forum216/58955-diy-16x20-tray-ladder.html

[philipmorg]

Here's how I made a tray ladder for little money: http://www.philipmorgan.net/2009/01/16/diy-16x20-tray-ladder/

It wasn't perfect, but it was easy to make and cheap!

[Vlad Soare]

I've been flirting with the idea of building or buying a tray rack, but there's one thing I'm not sure about. I can't for the life of me imagine how I would move the paper from a tray to the next. So, I grab a corner of the print with a pair of tongs and remove it from the developer tray. Now what? How can I insert that wet, soft and heavy piece of paper, which hangs limply from a corner, horizontally into the next tray? :confused:

[jeroldharter]

I've been flirting with the idea of building or buying a tray rack, but there's one thing I'm not sure about. I can't for the life of me imagine how I would move the paper from a tray to the next. So, I grab a corner of the print with a pair of tongs and remove it from the developer tray. Now what? How can I insert that wet, soft and heavy piece of paper, which hangs limply from a corner, horizontally into the next tray? :confused:

I have not used one, but I assume it would be much easier if you used your hands rather than tongs. You would work from the top down. Drag a sheet of paper from the upper tray. When the trailing edge of the paper is close to the lip of the upper tray, be careful not to let is flop out. Let the trailing edge fall into the lower tray and ease the full sheet of paper into the tray.

You could do the reverse by working from the bottom up, but would need to be careful not to contaminate the lower trays.

This thread should have a photo of Alan's DIY project:

http://www.philipmorgan.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/trayladderloaded.jpg

[Louie Powell]

My first darkroom was on the second floor of the house in a tiny closet with a sloped ceiling - if I dropped something on the floor, I had to turn on the light, open the door, and then crawl back in to find it.

I made a tray rack for this darkroom using an old refrigerator shelf. A friend welded four rods to the shelf to act as legs. In use, the shelf would sit on the counter over the tiny bar sink, providing room for two 8x10 trays on top, and one 8x10 tray on the counter itself. It worked, but eventually, I built a new darkroom in the basement with a wet side designed to hold four 11x14 trays.