OK, then how about these stainless sinks?

[nsurit]

Another alternative I had looked at for sinks, was those made by rosyproducts.com. I will have two sinks. One primarily for prints and the other toning and a wet place for film developing. Rosyproducts sells on eBay, however I'd probably order direct in a specific size that wouls suite my needs.

These seem to be reasonably priced (for new sinks). I would be interested in hearing about any experiences folks have had with rosyproducts. Specifically, my original question when inquiring about the plastic sinks and their ability to support a 16X20 washer, remains a concern.

Are their any concerns about these or other sinks draining properly to the drain, rather than pooling in the bottom of the sink? Bill Barber

 

[resummerfield]

I’ve only seen flat bottomed stainless sinks, and any slope to drain is in the stand. I bought a California Stainless sink and built a bank of wooden base cabinets to support it. This cabinetry is very strong and able to support any weight I might place in the sink. The sink has a flat bottom, and I made the cabinet bottom flat with no slope, so that trays in the sink would be level. It drains well, down to about one gallon, which I squeegee out. I still prefer the flat bottom for the trays, and don’t mind the last squeegee effort.

I looked at the Rosy Products sinks, and compared them to ones I have used. One difference is the steel type—the Rosy sinks are 304, while other manufacturers use 316. Type 316 is more resistant to long-term exposure to corrosives, but as long as you don’t leave chemicals in the sink for an extended period, and flush the corners with water during cleanup, there should be no concern with type 304. My sink is 316 and my back splash is 304, and I can see no difference.

Another difference is the gauge of steel—Rosy doesn’t mention the gauge, and some manufacturers go as thin as 24 gauge. I had a 24 gauge sink once, and I didn’t like it—it was always “oil canning” or deflecting with a pop when any load was applied to the spot. And the bottom would form ripples to impede water draining. I hated it so much that when I ordered my current one from Cal Stainless I specified 16 gauge, the heaviest available. It has a perfectly flat bottom.

Finally, consider the corners—most have square corners that trap moisture. If possible, have your sink made with coved corners.

To support a washer, any sink, plastic or steel, would be acceptable, provided the stand is sufficiently strong. You may find the best solution is to build your own stand for whatever sink you choose.