Are print drums a more practical way to print big in a bathroom?

[xkaes]

Trays aren't so bad if you are doing 5x7 and 8x10 stuff, and don't do any special processing -- like toners. But with larger prints, trays are a royal pain in the butt -- wasting space in a cramped location, dealing with spills, working always in the dark. Ridiculous.

With tubes you basically need no space at all -- even with large prints. You get to work with the lights on. You use fresh chemicals each time. I've never had a problem with leaks. I've never had a problem with fiber-based paper -- except that it sticks to the inside of the tube and requires more care in removal from the tube. There's also less fumes -- especially in a cramped space.

It's a personal choice of course. Some photographers like to work in the dark with their hands in the chemicals so they can show their blackened fingernails to their friends. "I love the smell of acetic acid in the morning." More power to 'em.

[jnantz]

some people love drums to both process their film and prints I don't like them for either. I've had a unicolor roller and both the print drum and the other one that looks like a plunger at the end (for reels)
but I never warmed up to the leaking of chemistry ( even though I have instructions, fresh gaskets and Vaseline as instructed by unicolor when I talked to them on the phone about use ). I'd put whatever amount it was/roll or sheet and
2/3 of it would spin and leak right out of the roller tube. . not a fan of using fresh chemistry ever print or every roll of film, not a fan of developing prints blind like cooking in a pressure cooker and not seeing anything until the end. There was a guy years ago who wrote an article (GreyWolfe?) somewhere, not sure if it was here in the archives or the olde apug back in like 2004, he put a thick bread of some sort of clear calk/urethane sealant or something to seal up the leaks, I wasn't up for making such an irreversible mess out of the mess that already was. I hope the system you find doesn't require you purchase cases of diapers ( to put under the roller motor to sop up the developer &c that might leak all over your counter and floor ) and I hope your are happy with whatever system you get..
I'm too broke to be constantly buying chemistry and diapers, I guess I could deal with the developing prints blind, I develop prints blind.

you might consider constructing a bench of some sort that straddles your commode it it might be large enough for a stacking or spread out tray system, (and fasting so well you don't need to disrupt your printing session with . you know )

[Tin Can]

I started developing MINOX film in a 3 X 3 ft wood box with no vent, no water age 7, 1950's

Horrible, put me off of self processing 40 years

Took a college wet film class age 47, just as DIGI began

I bought a $1000 Digi, now long gone and a F70 to do ALL assignments (my idea) with both

The DR was huge, walk in labyrinth, all chemistry and 35mm film provided, Arista aka KODAK at that time

The print trays huge and used from both side, buckets of dry chemistry under the sinks, with barrels of it in the next room

Music, women too! 24/7 access

I usually used the DR weekends overnight when it was empty. I always cleaned up first, made new chems in 3X5 ft trays all the time

Endless running water tapped directly from Lake Michigan for wash

Then they destroyed the entire college into grass where few go

So I wanted my own!

I have made it so, twice since then

My best DR was 5 years ago. Now 1/2 size in new location

11X14 Mistake Darkroom by TIN CAN COLLEGE, on Flickr

The 5 story college

Barat College by TIN CAN COLLEGE, on Flickr

My second to last DR

2013 2 by TIN CAN COLLEGE, on Flickr

DSCN3572 by TIN CAN COLLEGE, on Flickr

[Tin Can]

Here is my current tiny DR

7ft sink, 5 enlargers and Dip Tanks, Gas Burst, Temp control

I converted a small bedroom

I gathered and setup this stuff with very little cost

Pex Hot and Cold by TIN CAN COLLEGE, on Flickr

[xkaes]

Except for my Cibrachome 4x5" drum, I've only used Colourtronic drums from 8x10' to 24x36". I've never had a problem with leaking, but I can't speak to Unicolor, Beseler, Jobo, etc. And even if I did have a leak, I use the drums in my sink -- because they fit. Even my huge drum takes up little space -- in my sink. I have trays up to 24" -- which I need to use for certain processes, like toning -- but the big ones are a PITB.

[jp]

I don't really like drums for printing.. I used to have one for color printing long ago. it leaked a tiny bit. The unicolor roller was noisy. I couldn't watch the magic, and even though I don't normally appreciate the magic of it in the darkroom, I do when I'm deprived of it. The drums are not as easy to clean as trays.

For small prints, I also like to have multiple in the pipeline... I might have one in fix or rinse while another is developing, or come from the enlarger with a test strip while one previous print needs to be moved on from developer. You can only do one chemical for one print at a time in a drum. It really slows things down needlessly for small prints. For big prints if you need time efficiency, stacking trays is something I've done.. I built a wooden stand to hold a try above a tray so I have more room for trays. If volume is not needed, one tray processing is pretty easy... Drain chemicals from tray keeping the print in the tray.

[xkaes]

I don't really like drums for printing.. I used to have one for color printing long ago. it leaked a tiny bit. The unicolor roller was noisy. I couldn't watch the magic, and even though I don't normally appreciate the magic of it in the darkroom, I do when I'm deprived of it. The drums are not as easy to clean as trays.

I gave up on "watching the magic" while developing color enlargements in a tray a long time ago. I tried it several times, but it never seemed to work for me. I still think that the problem was that I couldn't find the darn tray. So I turned on the lights and switched to tubes.

[Bill Burk]

Can you show us your tiny space? Maybe there's a dry space option you haven't considered.
I can't imagine not having enough room for at least two 11x14 trays... Dev and Fix. Then take out to the light to wash.

Had a darkroom in a bedroom with shag carpet (layed down plastic to protect the carpet and carried water in from the bathroom).

Had a darkroom in a basement I could only use at night because the crawlspace vents let in light. Carried water there to the kitchen and kept quiet with the family about the pots I used to mix developer in.

There must be an option.

Of course tubes and vertical systems can really help make it possible.

[Drew Wiley]

I suspect Tin Can actually does use drums. What else would a suspended bicycle be for, suspended over a darkroom sink, if not rotating something?

[Tin Can]

Chicago has winter, I also hoisted the bike trailer up there, the hoist is made to quickly deploy bike or kayak

I have plenty of tubes in the shed and 2 power rollers

Tried the tiny floating film tubes, sold them