Floating lid? Use another tray!

[Mike Té]

I just put another tray in on top of the developer. It floats as you'd expect...

I use the old standard Paterson trays that nest together when stored dry as most matching trays do. Popping an extra one bottom-down on top of a same-size tray that contains developer covers the surface almost completely and buys some time if you're doing close-together printing sessions and would rather not clean up in between.

You don't have to get your fingers wet when placing nor removing because of the rim that sticks above the other rim. Just have some wipes handy to wipe the bottom as you lift it off if you're not doing it in the sink (my case).

And don't forget that those 2 dry looking trays sitting there actually could cause quite a mess if you put someting in the top one or go to lift them together.

Cheers.

 

[Dave Miller]

That's a good idea Michael, although I think one would have to remember to wash the underside of the top tray when it's removed, otherwise that would be messy too.

 

[Mike Té]

...another session today so I took a closer look; not much room to allow much oxidation. Cheap, available, no fabrication. Yes, you have to wipe its bum and wash it afterwards with your other equipment... Or drop it in the sink you're working in if you have a pro darkroom set-up.

 

[Dave Krueger]

Patterson?

This was suggested in a thread I had going a week or two ago about floating lids for trays, so I added extra trays (Patterson, in cat) to my shopping list. Then today, while looking at the trays I already have I noticed that Patterson trays have channels in the bottom to keep prints from sticking to the bottom of the tray. This channels will trap air when floated on top of solutions.

Then, looking at my Yankee trays, I noticed that they are flat on the bottom. The ribs in the bottom are done differently than on Patterson trays, so now I'm thinking I will get those instead.