Limited space Darkroom suggestions

[ManWithManyHobbies]

I have limited space. I've been considering using our sauna room to develop my film (medium format and 8x10). I only have 4 feet from wall to wall where the current sink is. What do you think is the ideal sink size (and type of sink, ceramic, stainless, etc.) for this particular setup, and is it feasible? It would also be nice to have a landing zone on the right side of the sink. Any suggestions from those in the know would be appreciated.

-JW:

[Ulophot]

Hi, MWMH.Hard to tell dimensions from the image distortion, but, yes, a sink-level platform/counter will be essential next to the sink. It might have to be a moveable table; just make sure it's study, steady, and chem resistant. You might wish to drape from plastic over the surface.

The problem I see is the size of the sink. You can dump chemicals, but washing a tank will be pretty snug, especially for 8x10. If you can shift that operation to your kitchen sink, great. If you need the darkness of the sauna room because you're developing in trays. that's another matter. You'll have to measure your trays to figure out exactly how much table counter surface you will need and come up with a table/counter to match. Keep in mind the importance of keeping film completely safe and dry while unloading your holders. You might need to create some sort of barrier between the trays and the unloading area. Test it all out as dry run on your dining room table and measure from there.

Will you be drying your film in the sauna also? Perhaps yo are already aware the the DUST enemy and controlling that.

[ethics_gradient]

If you're only developing and not printing, I'd look into a daylight tank and one of those changing tents for your 8x10.

I have limited space. I've been considering using our sauna room to develop my film (medium format and 8x10). I only have 4 feet from wall to wall where the current sink is. What do you think is the ideal sink size (and type of sink, ceramic, stainless, etc.) for this particular setup, and is it feasible? It would also be nice to have a landing zone on the right side of the sink. Any suggestions from those in the know would be appreciated.

-JW:

4' should be workable at least up to 8x10; that's the approximate width of Ilford's Pop Up Darkroom. Worst case, a 4' Lifetime table on some risers to get it over the sink, and three 8x10 trays should get you there.

To save space, I've used a set of plastic A4 filing drawers for doing prints up to 8x10; using a soldering iron I melted off the little tabs on the back of each drawer, which makes it easier to remove them and decant the chemicals at the end of a session. I do the developing in a tray on top, then cycle it down through each drawer. For the 5 drawer ones I'll have a tap water rinse between each step to help prevent cross contamination, so it looks like this:

[developer - in tray on top of drawers]
---------------------------------------------
[tap water - to rinse developer off] |
[stop] |
[tap water] |
[fix] |
[tap water] |
---------------------------------------------

Then I drop them into a big tray full of water to hang out until I'm heading out of the darkroom next time for a final rinse. While obviously really nice to have, you don't actually need a proper sink or running water in a darkroom as the rinse can be done in daylight.

In my old closet-based darkroom, I did make my own "off grid" sink as a quality of life upgrade. I found a $5 stainless sink at the tip and made a stand for it out of some scrap timber I had in the shed, and plumbed the train into a 15L jerrycan below for catching the waste water. On a shelf above it, I had a 10L jerry can I'd refill with tap water, which I connected to some tubing that ran over to the sink, so I could give prints or plates a quick rinse in running water before putting them in the holding tray. Not necessary, but easy and cheap enough to set up.

Probably the most valuable realisation I've gained from setting up my previous darkrooms is that it is far easier to get a door or window light-tight with two overlapping layers of "whatever" effort, rather than getting one layer perfect As a renter, I've found the most straightforward way to lightproof a door is to buy an oversize piece of blackout fabric, use a grommet punch to put some grommets into it for reinforcement, then sink screws into the top of the moulding (where nobody will ever see the holes when you remove them) to hang it from. May use painters or gafff tape on the sides if needed.

[Jim Jones]

For many years I used a second-hand wood and plywood sink. It was totally satisfactory. No plumbing protruded from it's top, so a sheet of plywood laid on it's top made a nice work surface. In your sauna, the space beneath the sink would be mostly available for storage or for developing trays in a rack. A less intrusive solution would be a sheet of plywood resting on the sink and on rails on the walls. Cutouts to clear the faucets and to provide drainage in the sink promote developing.

[xkaes]

Since you asked -- What do you think is the ideal sink size (and type of sink, ceramic, stainless, etc.) for this particular setup, and is it feasible? -- I assume that the existing sink can be removed. If that is the case, that opens up you available options tremendously. But since I'm not sure it is an option, I won't go any further. I like Jim's idea of trays on racks -- they would be easy to drain, into a new sink (underneath) of the correct dimensions.

[Doremus Scudder]

Build yourself a sink overlay out of epoxy-painted plywood that just fits in the space. Make it with splashboards and a drain that drains down into the sink. Rig up a way to get water up to it from the sink, maybe just hoses through a standpipe, but make sure you can control the temperature. Now you have yourself a 4-foot wide mini-sink that should hold enough trays to do your developing. Drag in a card table or whatever for loading/unloading. You should be able to make up chemistry, fill your trays, turn out lights, unload holders and develop the film just fine. I worked in an much smaller space with much the same set-up, albeit with 4x5, not 8x10. If you don't have room for four trays, find or build a tray stacker or get in the habit of turning on the lights halfway through the fix and dumping and rinsing the developer tray quickly so you can use it as a wash tray.

Hope this helps,

Doremus

[Duolab123]

If you use the sauna I wouldn't mess this up. Just get one of the small white plastic 2x4 ft tables from Costco. Otherwise gut it and build a proper darkroom.

[Andre Noble]

For the longest time I had my 4x5 enlarger in a tiny closet and developing trays in a tiny bathroom. I stuck the exposed paper in a special Ilford light tight cardboard print box and walked it from tiny closet to tiny bathroom.
(That set up was actually better than my current setup of adjoining rooms, because as I stepped out of closet I got a blast of fresh air conditioned air, could grab a bite to eat, etc.)

I would leave sauna alone. They have great health benefits.

[esearing]

4x6 was my smallest darkroom and I did tank developing and printing up to 11x14 and the 4x5 enlarger took up most of the width. For larger prints I had to resort to using a table in the garage on a spring or fall evening. If you don't mind doing single sheets a 5 reel tank will easily hold an 8x10 or 2 taco style and there are 8x10 plastic drums as well. Then you can use your tiny sink or the kitchen. You could even develop your prints in a tank/drum after exposure.



blog post my-tiny-darkroom/

[ManWithManyHobbies]

Thank you for the responses. I plan to use a Stearman system for my 4x5 and 8x10 cameras and scan the negatives.