Going trayless

Paul Howell · Jun 20, 2019

Decided to try using my color paper drums for B&W, I've used 16X20 color drums for black and white as I dont enough counter space for trays larger than 11X14 so not a completely new idea. Just finished my first short session, a couple of prof sheets and 2 work prints, all RC. Used a lot less chemistry, like 8oz of Anso 130 mixed 1:2, small amount of stop and fix 1 and fix 2. When I print FB will need one try for hypo clear, so fix, first wash, hypo clear then into archival washer for final wash. I have Unicolor and Cibracrhome drums from 5X7 to 16X20, I need to make new gaskets for the Unicolor drums they leak, not much, enough that I used the Cibrahome drums. I'm setting up for color as well and will need to find new drums, my old ones are so old I don't trust them for color, over the years likely have been contaminated.

MattKing · Jun 20, 2019

For those of us with temporary darkrooms, this works really well.
Having multiples of each size drum makes a huge difference though. I have 4+ 8"x10" Cibachrome drums, so I can rely on a quick wipe and then air drying to move from print to print.
It is great for those contact sheet backlogs!

mshchem · Jun 20, 2019

Drums work great for black and white. I've done fiber base too. No big deal. I agree do your hypo clear out of the drum. In theory if the print is well fixed you should be able to selenium tone directly after fixing. I suspect that you might see staining. Drums with constant agitation give better more consistent processing. A nice roller base makes it slick. I sometimes use Kodak Blue Toner which is a Gold toner. I put fiber prints in Jobo drums and let it go for 15 minutes at 95 to 100 F works great. Doran tubes are same diameter as Cibachrome, at one time I had a dozen 8x10/11×14 Cibachrome/Doran tubes.

I got really tired of drying tubes, but having trays spread all over, hands wet in chemicals is a major pain.

Paul Howell · Jun 21, 2019

I will also need to a tray for toning and bleaching. I dont dry the drums, just rinse well and shake out the excess water. I take apart the Cibrchrome drums end caps and made sure they are clean. For me a Besler or Unicolor drum is easier to use, I don't have to pry the ends off, and they clean up well, then again Cibrchrome drums don't have gaskets to worry about. I have couple of Unicolor motor bases that work will drums including a Cibrachome 16X20 but with a Besler 16X20, too large to fit on the base. I have not set aside to look, does anyone still make new drums?

DREW WILEY · Jun 24, 2019

There's a risk of wet fiber-based paper sagging in a drum at a certain point in size, so you'll just have to test and see if you get away with it in 16x20.

Paul Howell · Jun 24, 2019

I've processed fiber 16X20 in a drum, what I do is take the caps off and put the entire drum in a kids wading pool that I wash 16X20 in and let the wash water peel the print from the drum. I don't have a 16X20 tray so I wash the print for an hour without using a clearing agent. If I decide to print 16X20 I will need to buy a 16X20 tray so I can tone and bleach if needed.

Nokton48 · Jun 24, 2019

I used to process 16x20 Ektalure Salon R FB paper in a 16x20 Unicolor Unidrum. Worked without any problems for me. And at the time I had no room for 16x20 trays.

Cholentpot · Jun 25, 2019

I use plastic organizing shelves from WallyMarty. They stack and are steady. I have in two sizes, works great and saves room.

DREW WILEY · Jun 26, 2019

You're describing a "tray ladder" system. Stieglitz made many of his famous prints in a closet using tray ladder.

Cholentpot · Jun 26, 2019

DREW WILEY said:
You're describing a "tray ladder" system. Stieglitz made many of his famous prints in a closet using tray ladder.

Well, I'm in good company then eh?

DREW WILEY · Jun 27, 2019

I don't know. Do you have developer stains on your mustache from working in too confined a closet?

Cholentpot · Jun 27, 2019

DREW WILEY said:
I don't know. Do you have developer stains on your mustache from working in too confined a closet?

I've got cracked skin on my fingers because I hate gloves.

Me and the Stieg, yep.

Luckless · Jun 27, 2019

I've been going back and forth over using a tray ladder system, or sorting out a reliable daylight tank system.

Fairly well set on building a sort of lab glovebox setup as a daylight mini-darkroom, and probably lining the walls with mini french cleats so I can move shelves around inside as needed. [Finding the time to get into my father-in-laws shop to actually build it, and remembering to order large enough red-light filters to use as a viewing window, have been proving problematic however.] But it would be great to be able to load a set of tanks up in the dark, and then bring them out onto a larger and less cramped work surface.

My girlfriend enjoys spending time with me while I'm home, and for some reason isn't fond of quietly sitting in a pitch dark room for long periods of time... So creative solutions need to be found.

Cholentpot · Jun 27, 2019

Luckless said:
I've been going back and forth over using a tray ladder system, or sorting out a reliable daylight tank system.

Fairly well set on building a sort of lab glovebox setup as a daylight mini-darkroom, and probably lining the walls with mini french cleats so I can move shelves around inside as needed. [Finding the time to get into my father-in-laws shop to actually build it, and remembering to order large enough red-light filters to use as a viewing window, have been proving problematic however.] But it would be great to be able to load a set of tanks up in the dark, and then bring them out onto a larger and less cramped work surface.

My girlfriend enjoys spending time with me while I'm home, and for some reason isn't fond of quietly sitting in a pitch dark room for long periods of time... So creative solutions need to be found.

Hook up a talkback mic. I did it, that way I can be gabbed to and give an occasional 'yep' 'really?' 'uh-huh' while working in the dark. She gets to hear me screwing up and laugh at me.

Going trayless

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