Sink Depth?

MenacingTourist · Sep 14, 2008

I'm building a sink and when I set it up to see how it all fits the sides seem a little high. Right now they are 8" and I'm wondering if that's deeper than usual. I know that most of this is how it feels to me but I can't help but wonder if there's a starting point with sink depth.

Thanks in advance.

Alan.

richard ide · Sep 14, 2008

Starting point would be 0".

I have had sinks from 4" to 12" deep. I guess it might depend on what you want to use it for. I would feel comfortable with 8" for general purpose use. If I was using them for hand processing prints, I would use about 5" sides, with a deeper one for washing.

Regards

MenacingTourist · Sep 14, 2008

I should have added that I process film in Jobo tanks and the sink is for developing prints and washing/toning. I'll see if I can grab some photos...

Ian Grant · Sep 14, 2008

My darkroom sink is a bit less 5"-6" but that's more than enough. 8" sounds fine, it's the other dimensions that really matter.

Ian

MenacingTourist · Sep 14, 2008

photos

Here are the photos...

canuhead · Sep 14, 2008

For me, 8" is too high. The front of my sink is about 4" and the back about 8. If you plan it right, you can rest your forearm on the edge, esp if you add a wide,rounded lip on it, while rocking your trays during a printing session. One other thing I may try add to my sink stand is a foot rail for putting a foot up during long developing runs. ymmv of course

btw, that's a nice long sink you're building, lots of room for everything.

David Brown · Sep 14, 2008

I have another suggestion, one that I don't see discussed too often. I built my own stand for a "store-bought" sink. This was because the EOM stands placed the top edge of the sink at counter height, and so the trays were low, causing me to stoop over. By making the stand so that the bottom of the sink is at a comfortable height for the trays, it has worked out much better. And, the "comfortable height" for the trays (bottom of the sink) will vary by person.

This will, of course, probably then figure into your desire for how high the front wall of the sink is. (In my opinion, the back should be as high as practical, but that's another matter.) Just a thought. As always, YMMV.

Maris · Sep 14, 2008

After using a number of sinks in various friends darkrooms I figured the main problem was that they did not drain properly.

So I made a sink with a sloping bottom. It is 12cm deep at the back left hand corner and 18cm deep at the front right corner where the drain is. The top edge is level all round. Welding this together out of 1/4 inch PVC was tricky because every panel was a different trapezoid. But it was worth it for a sink that drains dry in less than a minute after a darkroom session.

The top edge is 1100mm above the floor and seems to suit me at 183cm tall.

resummerfield · Sep 14, 2008

Years ago I had a sink with 4" sides. After a few years I realized that was too low for me. My current sink has 6" sides, and I feel that is ideal for me.

CBG · Sep 14, 2008

I'm building my sink now. I wanted a sink with sides that I could rest my forearms on while tilting trays and waiting for processes to complete. I tried the height of my studio workbench as a sink base height, 36" above the floor, and found a good leaning depth was about 3 1/2 inches above that, to make 39 1/2 inches. That's the average height. I sloped the sink base so it should drain well. So the sides run from about 2 1/2 at the far end to about 4 1/2 deep at the deep end.

As an aside, I'm in the process, right now, of epoxying the sink together, a bit more of a job than anticipated, but it's coming together. I have discovered I am very good at creating bubbles in the fiberglass. They look horrid. I really hate grinding and shaping epoxy, but, darn it, I'm going to get it faired out well.

I suspect it's a pretty personal decision about sink side height. Some folks like very deep sides and some people put trays on a table.

C

nworth · Sep 14, 2008

Mine in seven in the front and eight in the back (drain and all that). You want it deep enough to contain the splashes. The more important factor is the height. Try to customize it to your height and reach so that you are always comfortable working in it.

jeroldharter · Sep 14, 2008

4 inches.

MenacingTourist · Sep 15, 2008

Thanks for the input everyone. I know this could easily turn into a case of over-thinking trivial details and nobody wants to see that played out on the forum
I'm anxious to keep moving on this thing (I will relish my mistakes) and not loose my momentum with the darkroom project. I have prints to make after all.

Alan.

Dan Dozer · Sep 15, 2008

Here's something else to consider. I built mine so I could sit at it using a tall stool - I'm too lazy to stand all the time. That meant that the depth couldn't be too much such that I couldn't fit my knees under it. So - mine is about 6" - 7" deep. Note that the height above the floor is also the same as a counter top on top of some cheap base cabinets(35" high) that I got at Home Depot to use as a side counter. Also consider a piece of foam pipe insulation on the front rim of the sink to rest your elbows.

Ian Grant · Sep 15, 2008

Your sink looks very practical Dan, pretty much ideal.

Ian

GeorgesGiralt · Sep 15, 2008

Hi Alan !
For the sink, I've used the design given in the darkroom building books available.
The sink, once made, is fitted onto a stand which is unusually high in order for me to rest the two arms on a rail at the front.
By design my sinks are not flat. There is a slope from left to right. The exhaust is at the right hand, at the bottom. the slope from front to back is made with the stand. this way, the sink empties perfectly.
If you want to have plenty of time for the fiberglass resin to liberate the air bubbles, you should spread it as soon as possible. The heat is making it cure faster and it produce heat when curing. So if you keep it in the mixing vessel, the resin auto accelerate it's cure in an exponantial way. If you spread it on a large surface, the wood and fiberglass tissue will cool it and it will stay liquid as long as it should, letting the bubbles to explode.
Hope this helps.

Reinhold · Sep 15, 2008

I just posted some sink design ideas on the ULF forum at:

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

Reinhold

www.classicBWphoto.com

brass majestic · Sep 15, 2008

Alan,
This link my help a little. I personally prefer 8 or 9 inch sides. Mainly because of splashing which can result in stained shirts.
Russ
http://hubpages.com/hub/Photography_DarkroomPrintingTipsTechniques

Dead Link Removed

dancqu · Sep 16, 2008

Quite some years ago I, over a period of a few years,
worked in a few darkrooms. During those years in those
labs there were no sinks such as this thread has as subject.
Sinks were of a size for washing up, mixing chemistry, etc.

Counters were used; my current has a 1/4 inch rise at
front with sink on left. For myself, I would not have sink as
is being considered. An expanse of multi purpose counter
is my choice. Dan

MenacingTourist · Sep 23, 2008

Just another thanks to all who voiced opinions. I ended up going with the 8" depth as I had in my original plans. I put the trim molding on this weekend and am now ready to sand/caulk/paint/seal.

My wife commented that, "it looks like a darkroom sink". She seemed a little suprised but did her best to hide it So I guess I did OK.

Alan.

ic-racer · Sep 24, 2008

dancqu said:
Quite some years ago I, over a period of a few years,
worked in a few darkrooms. During those years in those
labs there were no sinks such as this thread has as subject.
Sinks were of a size for washing up, mixing chemistry, etc.

Counters were used; my current has a 1/4 inch rise at
front with sink on left. For myself, I would not have sink as
is being considered. An expanse of multi purpose counter
is my choice. Dan

I also like the utility of a simple counter top.

Sink Depth?

MenacingTourist

richard ide

MenacingTourist

Ian Grant

MenacingTourist

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canuhead

David Brown

Maris

resummerfield

CBG

nworth

jeroldharter

MenacingTourist

Dan Dozer

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Ian Grant

GeorgesGiralt

Reinhold

brass majestic

dancqu

MenacingTourist

ic-racer

Sink Depth?

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