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Thread: New darkroom sink options

  1. #1

    New darkroom sink options

    I have previously built 2 dark room sinks but I have a little more money now and would like my next sink to be more be more permanent. I don't have the budget for a stainless steel 10' sink but it would be nice. I have been put of the darkroom game now for about 2 years and am wondering if there are any premade sink options available right now. I print up to 20x24 so the minimum area I need (dev, fix 1, fix 2, rinse [final wash done in separate washer are]) 90” long x 26" wide. Basically 8 feet long x 26" wide. Is there anything out there that meets this? Or I would even consider 2 smaller 4 or 6 foot long sinks. Or am I stuck building yet another one from plywood?

  2. #2

    Join Date
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    Michael W. Graves
    Michael's Pub

    If it ain't broke....don't fix it!

  3. #3

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    Re: New darkroom sink options

    Search "hydroponics flood tables"...

    Sturdy/cheap...

    Steve K

  4. #4

    Join Date
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    Forest Grove, Ore.
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    Re: New darkroom sink options

    Quote Originally Posted by Michael Graves View Post
    I second Michael's suggestion. I've had the 48" for decades in my small darkroom. I seriously thought about upgrading to the 72" model, but discarded the idea after realizing I could print up to 16"x20" with what I have. (I also have a separate tank for washing prints.)

    You might consider the 72" model, which has a 33" width. That's enough width to use a homemade cradle to stack two trays. (Fixer on top?) I believe that Delta includes shipping as part of the price.

  5. #5
    Zebra
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    Asheville, NC
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    Re: New darkroom sink options

    http://www.eepjon.com/Sinks.htm

    I have used his in the past and been very happy.

    Monty

  6. #6

    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    Collinsville, CT USA
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    Re: New darkroom sink options

    When a dog kennel in our area closed shop, I offered to take away one of their stainless steel trough "sinks"... Trough was not used as a sink but it easily cleaned up fine. They actually were getting rid of four of them, but I could only fit one in the back of my SUV at the time. The sink's bottom drained into a center drain which I easily adapted to drain into a PVC drain pipe.

  7. #7

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    Re: New darkroom sink options

    If you want a good sink for not much money, then build it yourself. You can fit it exactly to your needs/space and customize things for your quirks. Pine frame, marine plywood sink bottom, marine primer and topside paint and you're good to go.

    Doremus

  8. #8

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    now in Tucson, AZ
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    Re: New darkroom sink options

    In 2020, when I was planning the darkroom in our new house, I looked at used stainless sinks, flood tables, along with building (another) wooden one. I wound up buying a 6' Delta-1 (from BH) which was a perfect fit in my available space. It's worked quite well for me. Not the cheapest option, perhaps, but it went in easily and allowed me to spend available energy on making prints. And it should last as long as I do!
    Last edited by Mark Sampson; 23-Nov-2021 at 19:58. Reason: edited for spelling and clarity

  9. #9
    Tin Can's Avatar
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    Dec 2011
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    22,319

    Re: New darkroom sink options

    I bought a barely used one ARKAY in the UP 10 years ago, it was wonderful

    I sold it to member here 4 years ago

    Wonder to have and use

    Now I use a 7' Stainless Arkay, which can just fit 3 20x24 trays

    Buy once!

  10. #10
    Drew Wiley
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
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    SF Bay area, CA
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    Re: New darkroom sink options

    Anyone checked the price of marine ply at the present? Bring your defibrillator. It's always been expensive, but due to covid-related distribution blockages, might currently be three times the price as a couple of years ago, if you can even find it. And epoxy marine sealants - ouch! Plastics are up too, but probably a lot easier to get. If you are able to make square-edge truly straight cuts, or have them done for you, thick ABS sheeting is easy to solvent weld, though for that very reason, susceptible to certain solvents, though not common darkroom chemicals. But thinner thermoformed ABS sinks like Delta can be a bit brittle, not to mention undersized. My own large sink is made with heat-welded polypropylene sheeting, highly chemical inert, but requiring special skills and equipment to do. Ordinary plywood materials, even with modern chemical resistant liners, are a bit of a gamble here in earthquake country.

    So overall, hunting around for a used stainless darkroom sink might not be so unrealistic, price-wise, after all. But they do need to be insulated on the underside to prevent condensation sweating.

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