How do you cope with no running water in darkroom?

I've done it all, as have a lot of us. Learned in a bathroom where I had to completely set up and tear down every time. Fortunately, I didn't have to share the bath with anyone. I've used kitchens and laundry rooms. I have always had the print go directly to a wash, even if it had to be in another room. There might be a "holding" tray for a brief bit, but not hours!

One solution to not having plumbing in the room that's actually dark is to use print processing drums like the unicolor or that ilk. Expose the paper, put the paper in the drum and go to where there is water and counter space and light!

But, I have to agree with Ralph, et al, and encourage you to get plumbed if possible. When one has worked without, it is easy to be "satisfied" to some extent. But even better than plumbing is a dedicated darkroom with plumbing. The whole nine yards. I know it is not always possible, but once you achive this, you will think you have died and gone to photo heaven.

A darkroom is a tool. The right tools don't make you a better photographer, but the right tools make any job easier and more pleasant.

If one wants to work on cars, for instance, one needs more than a couple of wrenches. You need tools and space. Or woodworking. Needs a shop, even if a temporary space (read: garage) and the basic hand and machine tools. Photography really needs more than a camera if you are going to do all the processing and printing yourself. You need the tools and the space.

Just my opinion, but I've got over 40 years in this and I've seen and done both ends of the spectrum. It is worth it!

RalphLambrecht said:

Ilford stated a maximum wet time in the past. I have seen corner peel after 8-10 minutes, but this includes all wet processes (dev, stop etc). This is no issue if you trim the borders afterwards anyway but ugly and contaminated if you don't.

Click to expand...

Interesting, may have to shorten up my process.

I never asked myself why HCA is recommended for film and FB, but not for RC. Indeed why? I know the fixer in RC is only in the gelatin, not in the whole paper and baryta like with the FB, but in film the fixer is also only in the gelatin and HCA is recommended. So, why not using HCA for RC too, to shorten the washing time, and avoid swelling of corners and edges, or contamination with fixer residues inside this sandwich?

phenix said:

I never asked myself why HCA is recommended for film and FB, but not for RC. Indeed why? I know the fixer in RC is only in the gelatin, not in the whole paper and baryta like with the FB, but in film the fixer is also only in the gelatin and HCA is recommended. So, why not using HCA for RC too, to shorten the washing time, and avoid swelling of corners and edges, or contamination with fixer residues inside this sandwich?

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Maybe because with RC, the time in HCA is equal or longer than what you would save in washing time.

I have no running water but I have been very sucessful. I bring in a couple of gallon jugs of clean water. A wastewater bucket and a bucket of clean water that the prints go right into from the fixer then I go and wash them every few prints. It works very well for me.

Soldering copper pipe is very easy. I learned it in grade school shop class. A basic plumbing book or a search of the internet is bound to have it. A propane torch is a lot cheaper than a plumber. Do remember not to burn the rafters. PVC pipe and PVC glue is even easier. The guy at the hardware store can show you or worst case read the directions on the glue. If you have doubts run your pipes where you will be able to see and repair any drips.

When I built a darkroom in the basement I ran copper pipes for hot and cold adding inline filters for the well water. The drain is 1 ½” PVC back to the sump pump. It has been working well for five years now. One of these days I will add a mixer to maintain temperature.

John Powers

You can create a fresh supply of running water by utilizing a bit of physics.

One can create a siphon effect by putting a supply of water (say a small barrel of water) up on a high ledge, and routing a rubber hose inside, up, over, and down the side. As long as the free end of the hose is lower then the lowest point of the water, you can suction the water up to begin a flow. It will keep flowing untill you either a) raise the level of the hose so that it is no longer lower then the water supply, or b) place a clamp on the hose to stop the flow.

This way, you can have a flow of water whenever needed, thanks to gravity.
You can catch the runoff in another bucket etc.

Thank you every body. I'm just going to have to limp along for a while. I will shorten the time I let my prints sit in the water though.

Thanks again.

jnanian said:

my suggestion is to not wait until the end of your printing session to rinse your prints.
every 3rd or 4th print you might consider a "run" and stop printing and finish the process.
you don't want to leave prints in a weak fix bath for a long time ( your water holding bath becomes a dilute fix bath ... )
seeing that you are printing rc paper, it doesn't take very long to wash / finish them and do another few prints.

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With a large tub this is completely unnecessary. The dilution of fixer (which is already diluted) is typically of minimum concern. By "large tub" a 12x16 tray filled near the top is usually sufficient for a 10-20 prints for a couple of hours.

To further that thought...

WolfTales said:

You can create a fresh supply of running water by utilizing a bit of physics.

One can create a siphon effect by putting a supply of water (say a small barrel of water) up on a high ledge, and routing a rubber hose inside, up, over, and down the side. As long as the free end of the hose is lower then the lowest point of the water, you can suction the water up to begin a flow. It will keep flowing untill you either a) raise the level of the hose so that it is no longer lower then the water supply, or b) place a clamp on the hose to stop the flow.

This way, you can have a flow of water whenever needed, thanks to gravity.
You can catch the runoff in another bucket etc.

Click to expand...

Not sure how much water would be ideal to have on tap, but here are some components that make filling kerosene tanks much easier that could do what you're suggesting as well. If the water could be dispensed/collected in 5 gallon quantities with low flow rates then one of these would work very well.

low tech version:
http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs...50-2&AID=10368321&cj=true&srccode=cii_9324560

battery operated version with more output potential:
http://www.amazon.com/Sierra-Tools-JB4840-Operated-Transfer/dp/B000HEBR3I/ref=pd_sim_auto_1

Also, as I'm beginning to think about making my own B/W darkroom I'm wondering if a mechanics parts washer may be able to be put in service as a sink apparatus. They are designed to recycle cleaning fluid for continuous reuse. I don't see the recycling feature being useful here, but the unit rolls around, has a sink and a liquid pump. With some reorienting of plumbing from a clean water to waste water tank it seems to me that someone with the proper motivation should be able to make one of them serve reasonably for the film process. "Extreme" cleaning would be required on a used unit I'm certain.

New (affordable) parts washer (in need of fresh/waste water modifications):
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=98332

There's gotta be a way to install a standard sink (and plumbing) with a small electric sump pump in some kind of a rolling cart/cabinet to do the same thing. Maybe aquarium tanks/pumps would have some place in a DIY apparatus.