Lifting large paper from tight trays

M Carter · Feb 3, 2015

3 of my 4 11x14 trays are very tight as far as extra space around the paper goes... one of them has an extra half inch or so. I've found it hard to get tongs under the paper when pulling 11 x 14 prints.

Grabbed a stainless palette knife from the art supply box... it now lives with my tongs. It's the bent sort of trowel-shaped kind. Lift a corner of the print, and grab (in fact I hardly use the tongs anymore, except for fix... don't like fixy fingers...)

Happy camper - there's your free idea for the day!

darkosaric · Feb 4, 2015

If is tight - then use hands with glows, to be sure that paper will not be damaged, and to have more control.

EDIT: and also more liquids in the trays is good to have, easier to handle the paper.

tkamiya · Feb 4, 2015

I have exactly the same situation. Some of my trays are tight fit. I saved wooden Popsicle sticks for this purpose. Works pretty well....

Rick A · Feb 4, 2015

darkosaric said:
If is tight - then use hands with glows, to be sure that paper will not be damaged, and to have more control.

EDIT: and also more liquids in the trays is good to have, easier to handle the paper.

If it's a tight fit to get tongs in, it would be even harder to get fat fingers in to lift the paper. 11x14 is the maximum size I use tongs for, above that it is gloved hands. My 11x14 trays have about an inch extra space in both directions.

wildbill · Feb 4, 2015

Patterson trays suck. Not enough room. Seems like they are quite popular though.
My generic white trays are the perfect size.

M Carter · Feb 4, 2015

I have one Cesco tray that's 11x14 but really an extra inch+ - love those trays. when I do 11x14 Lith that's my go-to since snatching is so critical.

Been buying up 16x20 and 20x24 trays when I can find them - nine or ten bucks if you're patient.

I do prefer fingers to tongs unless I'm doing test setups on 8x10 RC. Those blue rubber gloves are handy in the 100 pack.

Next - I want an old enamel tray for bromoil soaking, hard to get random ink splotches off the plastic trays. Enamel trays (to me anyway) are kinda gorgeous.

AgX · Feb 4, 2015

Bend from from a petite stainless steel profile a kind of U-shape, that fits tightly in the tray.
By Lifting it up you can raise the paper lying on it enough to grasp it above the tray walls.

M Carter · Feb 4, 2015

Something like this?? I'd buy one.

AgX · Feb 4, 2015

Yes, something like that.
Actually I thought of an "U" that sits vertical in the tray with the vertical parts protruding upwords at corresponding walls.
If you bend the horizontal, immersed part in a wavy line, the whole thing would sit stable and would hardly harm the paper when lifted.

Alternatively to steel one could heat-bend the same shape from a plastic rod.

brian steinberger · Feb 4, 2015

wildbill said:
Patterson trays suck. Not enough room. Seems like they are quite popular though.
My generic white trays are the perfect size.

I'm surprised to hear this about the Patterson trays. I have them in all sizes and love them. I use the 12x16 size for 11x14 paper. Nice to have the extra room. But even their 16x20 trays have generous amount of room around. But then again I don't use tongs.

M Stat · Feb 4, 2015

Instead of transferring the paper from tray to tray, you can use one tray and transfer the liquids instead. This is how I do platinum printing so as not to damage the delicate prints. I keep three beakers with the appropriate solutions in each, then pour them back into each beaker when the time is right. When doing platinum work, I also use the same tray for washing.

Old-N-Feeble · Feb 4, 2015

Are your trays ribbed or flat? Ribbed helps.

Lifting large paper from tight trays

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