Making a print washer

Gabe · May 27, 2020

Hello,

I have just dove into the world of at home dark room printing, and was wondering how people here wash their prints. I’m going to mostly be doing 8x10 and smaller, so I was looking to get the Paterson 8x10 high speed print washer, but it is back ordered.

I was wondering how everyone else washes there prints or if they made their own print washer. The Paterson print washer really just looks Like a trey with two tubes connected to it. Could this not be made at home or is there a reason I should buy a Paterson? If anyone has pictures of the Paterson washer or home made washers and instructions to make one I’d be very appreciative.

removed account4 · May 27, 2020

Hey Gabe
Personally I shuffle prints back to back face to face in a tray. I let a tray ( big ) sit for a while full and fill and dump. I use fixer remover / perks wash to remove fixer after a pre wash and soak and shuffle and fill and dump. There are cheep solutions if you can get the materials.. a fish tank smallmpvc pipe and sheets of plastic sheet...
https://www.photrio.com/forum/threa...r-1-hr-vs-volume-of-water.89987/#post-1206746

have fun!
John

BSP · May 27, 2020

After a few rinses and dumps I place my prints in the tray and let fresh water trickle in from my faucet on one side, letting the tray overflow on the opposite side. I let this go on for the time it takes me to finish my next print.

Alan9940 · May 27, 2020

Depends of whether I'm washing RC or fiber paper. For RC, I just fill-n-dump a tray under running water for about 3 mins, then hang to dry. For fiber, I do a 20-30 min wash in a Zone VI print washer that I've owned for about 40 years. I do use a fixer remover to minimize wash times. IMO, a print washer certainly isn't necessary, but it does enable me to do other things while the prints get a good wash.

Paul Howell · May 27, 2020

Depends,

Ilford recommends washing RC paper

Washing times Wash for at least 15 seconds at temperatures above 5ºC/41ºF. Set the water flow so as to fill the wash tank in 4 minutes or less. Then do not let sit in water more than 15 mints.

I've always gone with a more conserivate approch.

I wash as I print, up to 11 X14, fix, wash 1 mint , perma wash 1 mint, 3 mints final wash, or tone back in perma wash, and another 3 mint wash I print in a tub, then dry on screen on my patio, in the AZ sun does not take long.

FB, I fix, then let sit in a tray of water with minimal waster flow until I'm done for the day, then do a second fix, rinse, perma wash, rinse, tone, (I dont tone all of my prints), perma wash then into an archival washer for a hour. For prints larger than 11X14 I use a plastic kiddy pool on my patio, 2 Kodak tray siphons and keep shuttling the prints. If you print RC dont need an elaborate washer, a deep tub will do. Most folks dont use a hypo clearning with RC, but I like cutting the washing down to just 3 mints or so.

Maybe I should toss caution to the wind and try the Illford approach, maybe 30 seconds.

mshchem · May 27, 2020

For RC paper follow Ilford instructions. All you need is a couple trays. A hose with a nozzle to get water moving helps.

MattKing · May 27, 2020

I have two trays, with the top tray on a rack that holds it above the other. The top one either has holes in one end, or has a controllable overflow. In either case, the water from the top tray flows into the bottom tray. The bottom tray also has holes in the end. The rack sits under the water spout in the bathtub.
Fresh water flows into the top tray. I would prefer to use a Kodak Tray siphon, but for the last several years I haven't has a practical way to hook one up to the water spout in the bathtub.
With RC prints, they send some time first in the bottom tray - at least one minute - and then at least one minute in the top tray. While I sometimes have more than one print in the bottom tray, I try to make sure that there is no more than a single print in the top.
I rarely print FB, but will generally divide the total time into two, and make sure that the top tray doesn't hold too many prints, even if it means a build-up in the bottom tray.
If there are multiple prints in either tray, I ensure water flow with some turbulence, and I shuffle.

Paul Howell · May 27, 2020

BTW for RC, from Foma Speed data sheet

Manual processing in trays Processing step Processing bath Time Temperature (oC) Development Fomatol LQN (1+7) 60–90 sec. 20 Stopping 2 % acetic acid or Fomacitro (1+19) 10 sec. 10–20 sec. 20 20 Fixing Fomafix (1 + 5) Fomafix P / Acid Fixer 90 sec. 3 min. 20 20 Washing running water 2 min. 4 min. above 12 below 12

Peter Schrager · May 28, 2020

you can certainly wash prints in a tray; but you might scratch the surface for all the hard work you do to make a fiber print.
I use an ECO wash and they are the best out there....not because I say so but because they save water
if you are at all conscious about the planet seriously consider buying one; water is integral to life and photography uses lots of it
just a thought.....
B+H and Freestyle carry them
Peter

NB23 · May 28, 2020

Just buy the proper print washer. It’s efficient and most of all, it gets the job done while being out of the way.

You can find on ebay for as low as 50$

Roger Thoms · May 28, 2020

Here’s another option if you end up buying a print washer. https://www.versalab.com/PRINT WASHER.html
https://www.versalab.com/PRINT WASHER.html
I've had one for about 12 years and am very happy with it. Very robust design, no worries about it breaking like the plexiglass ones can.

Roger

kreeger · May 30, 2020

Welcome to the brave world of home dark rooms.

Gabe if you are going to just print with RC for now, look for a used Kodak Tray Siphon on eBay. They are typically around $35 used.

When you start doing fiber based printing you can commit to wash aids and splurge for a archival washer if you want. The tray siphons are indispensable as a general darkroom helper - some of us use the siphon as a reasonable water transfer method for a holding tray in the workflow process where we have dedicated washers. I still use two of them - I use one for circulating a specific temp water bath for my sheet film processing workflow.

I have used the 11x14 Zone VI Archival washer for last 20+ years. Built to last forever - except the hoses but they are easily replaced with better newer materials.

I used the tray siphon method until I had everything setup the way I wanted it..

Making a print washer

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