Darkroom sink

[Tony M. Rivetti]

I am building a darkroom and trying to find a sink. Are there any benefits to a stainles steel sink or is a molded plastic sink better? What manufactures can yo u recommend? Any help will be appreciated.

Thanks Tony

[Chad Jarvis]

Hey check this out: http://hv.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=005xIu

[Charlie Stracl]

There are no real practical differences among the materials for a home darkroom. For a professional, SS probably holds up better for sheer abrasion resistance.

The best sink is the biggest you can fit in your darkroom that you can get at the best price.

Check Calumet, Delta, Leedal, and Arkay. Any may have overstock, or something custom that was cancelled for the best prices. Some of the bigger dealers might have stock, too, and it's been around long and hasn't sold, they'll probably give you a good price for it.

I bought fiberglass (Arkay). It fit best, and cost the least for what I got. Make sure the SS is photo-grade (usually 316L). That makes a big difference. Other grades won't hold up to the chemicals.

[Michael Feldman]

I recently purchased a 6 ft. ABS Delta sink from B&H Photo for about $225 (without the stand) and am very happy with it. If I had enough room, I would have bought the 8 ft. sink. I believe that you can also purchase direct from Delta (as well as other retailers), but Delta doesn't seem to have a web page that I can find (they do advertise in several publications). Obviously, if money is not a serious concern ($1K-2K), a high quality stainless steel sink is the way to go, bur the ABS plastic sinks seem to hold up fairly well.

[Bob Finley]

Check out salvage yards and sometimes restaurant supply for used S.S. sinks. Most are 24x whatever but some are wider. I recently picked up a 3" deep by 30 x 80 stainless steel tray with drain for $75.00. It was said to be an embalming table so now I have a small dark room in the basement with an embalming table just like Vincent Price.

[Ben Calwell]

I have a Delta plastic sink (5-foot model) that has worked well for me. Despite my utter lack of carpentry skills, I was able to build a stand for it out of 2x4s and bolts.

[Art_1662]

<b< Obviously, if money is not a serious concern ($1K-2K), a high quality stainless steel sink is the way to go,</b>

Wow, I sure haven't kept up with the prices. I bought an 8 ft SS sink about 25 y ago. It, with stand and splash guard, cost a few hundred. It still works great. It will outlast me. I have a second 3 x 3, deep sink, for washers, etc. It is fiberglass.

Art

[Bruce Schultz]

Build one, using plywood covered with fiberglass cloth and epoxy resin. You can custom build any size you want at a fraction of the cost of a factory-made sink.

[jnantz]

hi tony:

if you decide to build a sink yourself, use marine plywood. regular plywood does not stand up as well, even after fiberglass-resined. also keep in mind that every couple of years you will have to repair your sink. it isn't hard, you cut out the bad-stuff, sand it down and use fiberglass cloth and resin.

a few months ago i priced used sinks (molded plastic) vs. building my own, and the wood alone cost about 2-3 times as much as the plastic sink i ended up with. if you live near boston, i can give you the name of a pro-dealer who usually has at least 2-3 sinks on hand (used) at all times (or he used to).

good luck! john