How do I do a wash with a dry darkroom?

BSAP · Oct 27, 2011

This is my first time posting.

I'm in the process of setting up a darkroom in a closet in my apartment. The closet has no running water, so I'm trying to figure out the best way to go about doing a wash. My first thought was to just put my prints in a tray in the bathtub, but I'm not sure if that would cause the bathtub to stain. I'm renting, so I really can't leave developer stains in my tub.

So, would the chemical residue on the prints leave stains in the tub?

If so, what other way could I wash my prints?

Any feedback is much appreciated.

tomalophicon · Oct 27, 2011

I do mine in the tub and have never seen a stain.

bsdunek · Oct 27, 2011

When I had a dry darkroom, I used a plastic washtub full of water to put my prints in. When I was done, I took them to the laundry room for washing. Never saw any stains. Hypo shouldn't stain. Try it and see. You can always use some bathroom cleaner if there is anything.

Worker 11811 · Oct 27, 2011

I don't have running water in the darkroom either.

I fill a 5 gallon full of water for use in the darkroom. Another, empty bucket serves as waste.
I keep two trays of water on the table. One is to rinse prints in as they come out of the fixer/hypo-clear. The other is a holding bath until I get a batch of prints that can go out to the laundry room to wash under running water.

After I get a batch of prints into the wash, I empty the two trays, using the waste bucket, and refill using the supply bucket.
This is also a good time to refill or replenish any chemistry on the table that might need it.

That's my system. It works for me.

Rick A · Oct 27, 2011

I work in the utility room off the kitchen. I pop my prints into a tray of water until I'm finished, then it's into the kitchen for a wash. I also load my film into tanks in the utility room and process in the kitchen.

Ian Grant · Oct 27, 2011

At times I've been there and I wash in the bath tub, I do have a sipon fitting for the plug hole.

Ian

cjbecker · Oct 27, 2011

I wash in a tray in the tub. My darkroom is down stairs.

BSAP · Oct 27, 2011

Thanks

Wow, thanks for replying so fast. I'll start printing right away.

Roger Cole · Oct 27, 2011

I have no running water in my basement darkroom yet either. I got a seven gallon container with a spigot that I fill up just outside the door (basement opens to the outside, house is on a side hill) with the garden hose as needed. This is the one I use and it's pretty convenient, as convenient as it can be without running water:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001QC31G6

I took keep a five gallon bucket for waste water and harmless waste solutions, empty as needed.

For washing I do much what others do but have an additional challenge in that I don't have a sink anywhere in the house large enough for an 8x10 much less 11x14 tray. I suppose I could use the bathtub but that's low and very awkward. For prints, I soak in successive trays of fresh water. It's a PITA but proven to provide an effective wash. Film tanks come upstairs where they fit under the faucet in the bathroom sink, except for the Jobo 2553. When I use that, I just take the two or more (two 4x5 2509n, up to 5 35mm) reels out and put them in one of my 2523 tanks and wash in that. I can do two of those at a time with a dual vanity which handles all the film at once. It would not handle the 5th 35mm but that hasn't come up yet and if it does, the last roll can wait until one of the first is finished.

Marvin · Oct 27, 2011

I did similar when I had a closet darkroom and did the wash in the kitchen.
Marvin

Blighty · Oct 27, 2011

I have no running water in my darkroom so I have to pelt down stairs carrying the print in a tray and lobit in the wash. It does keep you quite fit however.

pinhole_dreamer · Oct 27, 2011

I'm working with a dry darkroom. After the developer and fix, I end up putting the photo face up, on a sheet of paper towel...and then run it upstairs to the bathroom and sometimes, kitchen sink where I keep my wash tub. I use one of those heavy duty plastic ones from a dollar store. So far, so good.

Rick A · Oct 28, 2011

You needn't be in a rush to wash prints after fixing. Placing them in a holding tray or bin with fresh water until finished with a session works well. If you are printing RC paper, then you may not want to keep them soaking for longer than 15-20 minutes as they might start to delaminate. RC paper usually needs only a 2-3 minute wash in running water, or the equivalent using fill and drain every 30 seconds(4-6 fills) using cold water, not hot. Fiber paper requires much longer washing times, that can be reduced with a two minute soak in a hypo clearing solution. Kodak recommends a water flow rate the equivalent of 12 complete changes of water per hour for washing. This works out to a fill and drain every five minutes.

MattKing · Oct 28, 2011

Roger Cole said:
For washing I do much what others do but have an additional challenge in that I don't have a sink anywhere in the house large enough for an 8x10 much less 11x14 tray. I suppose I could use the bathtub but that's low and very awkward.

If you have a bathtub with a flat topped rim, an inexpensive wire shelf laid on top can solve this problem:

Roger Cole · Oct 28, 2011

MattKing said:
If you have a bathtub with a flat topped rim, an inexpensive wire shelf laid on top can solve this problem:

Good suggestion but it doesn't really work with the garden tub in my master bath, I think. It's not that it isn't flat topped, rather that the front of it has a step and is too wide - it's a LONG reach back to the water unless you are in the tub. The "normal" tub in the guest bath would work, but my fiance has pretty well commandeered that bath room. I'll get running water in the basement within a year, I hope.

The other comment about RC papers de-laminating with long soak times is valid, plus if you print RC glossy (which I don't, preferring pearl and similar) the finish tends to dull with excess wet times. For RC paper I just rinse quickly in the holding bath then squeegee off and lay on a towel or similar. It won't hurt them to dry then wash later in a batch.

An Le-qun · Oct 29, 2011

About stains: most of your chemicals won't stain, but two things to watch out for: undiluted Kodak stop bath (as well as a couple of other brands) is pretty strong acid, and will do worse than stain--it'll eat up porcelain pretty good. And Selenium toner stains like crazy, so watch it if you're toning; you need to rinse any of those splashes right away.

Ronald Moravec · Oct 30, 2011

Two trays is the most water efficient way and can be done in the kitchen.

interleave prints in one tray while filling a second . Move the prints to new tray one at a time draining a each before transfer. Refill first tray while interleaving prints in second. Use 4 trays for RC, 8 for fiber.

This works well because you use fresh water rather than diluting old water. Stains from wash water are not a problem. Developer is removed/neutralised by SS and/or fix.

ezwriter · Oct 30, 2011

I too just set up a darkroom in my apt. I cut a plywood board, with slats UNDERNEATH otherwise the whole thing falls in the tub! ;>
8x10 trays fit nice on it. 11 by 14 u have to put two sideways. Drill holes in it so the water runs out the spigot side. and put doorstops under the wash tray so water runs to the left.
I keep rinsing down the tub as i'm working but any stains u can wipe off. Develper will be brown found out this am.
I cut a plastic hose over the spigot and put hole in it so a big droom thermometer stays there.

Even w/ the fan on it gets hot in there tho. wow. Wear a bandana!

walbergb · Oct 31, 2011

MattKing said:
If you have a bathtub with a flat topped rim, an inexpensive wire shelf laid on top can solve this problem:

Love the clock on the wall

MattKing · Oct 31, 2011

walbergb said:
Love the clock on the wall

Only possible because of the magic of battery operated clocks, suction cup hooks (and $1.00 thrift store finds).

A word to the wise - black second hands are good for darkrooms with safelights - red second hands not so good

Richard Jepsen · Nov 1, 2011

I work in a dry dark room located in the utility room. After the print has been fixed, I move the print out of the DR into the kitchen to a H20 hold tray. At the end of the DR session prints are washed in a 14 x 18 tray using the fill and dump method. Exchange water every 5 min. Easy, cheap, effective & convenient if your print production is low.

How do I do a wash with a dry darkroom?

BSAP

tomalophicon

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Worker 11811

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Ian Grant

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pinhole_dreamer

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How do I do a wash with a dry darkroom?

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