Substitute for expensive trays.

[jordanstarr]

I know trays come in handy for lots of other purposes than prints in the darkroom. Does anyone know where one could get some cheaper substitutes to those expensive 20x24 trays or something like that without spending $200 for a set of 4? Maybe a specialty hardware store or some kind of painters industrial outlet thing? I'll be in Ontario, Canada so please keep that in mind. It might be only a temporary darkroom, so I'm trying to keep it big but cheap (does that exist?).

...as always, thanks in advance.

 

[2F/2F]

Try a hardware store or organizational store. You may find some cheap plastic things there for less than trays.

I'd suggest looking for used trays as well. You will likely spend very little on them this way.

 

[jp498]

If home depot is in canada you can get a washer pan (sits under a dish washer or something like that) or water heater pan for that purpose.

 

[paul_c5x4]

Visit a garden centre and have a look for gravel trays - They are available in sizes up to one metre square (perhaps even larger).

 

[c.d.ewen]

What size are you looking for? For 12x20, I use a plastic box, called a Dead Link Removed, from a place called the Container Store. 22-1/2" x 14-3/4" x 5-3/8" h - US$8.99. I have no idea if they have a presence in Canada, though.

Charley

 

[Neal]

Dear jordanstarr,

I find it easier to use a single tray when developing prints 16x20 and larger. Pitchers like these make it easy, but you can use ones you find at Target just as well.

Neal Wydra

 

[nsurit]

usplastics.com is a company I have used for various stuff for my darkroom. They have what you are looking for, however they are priced at market. I have some large black tubs that that I use for soaking paper in for some of my alt processes stuff that would probably work. I have no idea what they cost or where the guy I got them from got them, however there are called "Mixing Tub" and are made by Plasgad Plastic Products. You might try Googling that name.. Bill Barber

 

[Mike Wilde]

Look up 'heylloyd' for a good write up of the virtues of using a single tray for big, particularly big FB, prints.

If you do find large photo trays for 20x24, count me in. I have been using a daylight tube, but getting the fb out of it alive after a few wash cycles is a bitch.

And I think I have about 50 more sheets of the stuff in stock, and a growing backlog of 4x5 negs I have a hankering to print big.

 

[fotch]

Build a frame out of 1x4, just sides, no bottom, line with a plastic sheet, and fill. To empty, use a hose to siphon out most of the solution then sponge out the rest, unless your in a sink, which then of course you can just lift the frame and let the side collapse. Personally, if doing this often, would get the trays.

 

[Todd Foster]

I found some rectangular trays, about 27 X 29 inches at the bottom at either Lowe's or Home Depot several years ago. These were intended to go beneath water heaters to protect against flooding if and when the heater failed. The idea is to run a drain line outside the building from these trays.

These were in the $15 to $18 range each as I recall, and I got 4. They are fairly thin plastic, but not utterly flimsy. I will use them eventually with a drain hose cemented in place so they don't have to be lifted to empty them.

Problem is I haven't seen these trays since. The ones of this type in the stores now are metal or plastic round ones. At least they once existed, so maybe they could be ordered by a hardware store like Ace or home center. No shipping that way, typically.

Best, Todd Foster.

 

[GRHazelton]

Kitty Litter pans??

Really! I'm not sure of the size, but... For small prints plastic dish pans work well, and the high sides help prevent slop. I picked up a sizeable plastic tray at either Lowe's or Home Depot in, I think, the masonry department. Makes a good print washer and was cheap.

I've heard of using a wallpaper soaking tray which is about 24x8x8 deep and see-sawing the print through it. Might take some sort of kluged-up clips at each end, though.

 

[David William White]

Jordan & Mike: In case this helps -- I was just at Burlington Camera this afternoon and they have 20x24 trays for $39.00 each. They have half a dozen downstairs.

 

[jordanstarr]

...wow, thanks for the response. I'll look into some of these. David, even at $40 each, it's still over what I can afford at the moment for trays, but thanks again.

 

[quine666]

I bought some white plastic trays at Home Depot a few weeks ago that can accomodate a 27" x 30" print. $20 each. Look for them near the water heaters.

 

[michaelbsc]

Dear jordanstarr,

I find it easier to use a single tray when developing prints 16x20 and larger. Pitchers like these make it easy, but you can use ones you find at Target just as well.

Neal Wydra

US Plastics also sells photo trays at a reasonable price, too. But I can't find the link with my mobile.

Search the site.

 

[Mike Wilde]

... I was just at Burlington Camera this afternoon and they .... downstairs.

Downstairs is my downfall at that lovely store. I know every time I go down that staircase there will be something at the very least that I really want.

I joke with my wife that I cannot get out of there for less than $100

I used to have road jobs (actually the Burlington Bay Skyway rehab and Red Hill Expressway to QEW interchange) that would take me past the place. I used to try to schedule my meetings on Wednesday, because that was the day that Burlington Camera used to be closed.

 

[nsurit]

If you were in Central Texas and wanted to pick them up, I could probably make you a deal on some as I have a few extras. I'm afraid Canada or shipping them anywhere doesn't work. Bill Barber

 

[Jerry Thirsty]

The local farm store has trays that are about 24"x24"x2" for about $7, and a larger size. I think they are intended to go under rabbit hutches and the like.

 

[Todd Foster]

The "heylloyd" idea of using just ONE tray is actually a very good idea. Thanks for bringing it up. That means paying whatever it costs for one really good tray without having to multiply that by 4 or 5 trays.

Tray rocking is the way to go with 16 X 20 and larger anyway, there's just too much damage from the usual flipping and rotating, not to mention the necessity of deeper solution, running to gallons with large prints.

I'm thinking I'll get just one really heavy tray for 20 X 24, and put in a drain tube that will drain into a gallon bucket in my dump sink that's down off the end of the big plywood sink. I was thinking a flexible car radiator hose, but better than that might be the standard 2 inch white or black plastic plumbing pipe and elbows. I'll cut a couple of rings off the ends of a molded pipe coupler, stick a piece of the pipe through a hole cut in the tray end, and use solvent weld cement to hold a ring on either side. Might have to use a heat gun to get a flat surface there though.

Then, I'll just use an elbow loose on the tube, with a short vertical pipe in it. Rotate down to drain, up to keep the chemicals in the tray. I think it will work!

Best, Todd Foster.

 

[Mainecoonmaniac]

I got a few used one at yard sale. I also got some great used darkroom gear from eBay.

 

[phelger]

I recently bought three 20x24 at a horrendous price. Then - for other reasons - I went to the local IKEA and saw exactly what needed : a polypropylene dish 73cmx55cm (29 x 22 in.). I saw there is an IKEA in your town - you could try it out.
peter

 

[phelger]

....and I forgot to tell you the IKEA price was 9 euros (13US$)
peter

 

[gmikol]

Peter--

If you have or remember the name or Ikea part # for those trays, could you post it?

The Ikea website has nearly live inventory tracking for all their stores, so you select the store closest to you, and it will tell you how many are in stock (and even what aisle or shelf it's on).

--Greg

 

[darkroom_rookie]

Marine-grade plywood, screws, oil-based epoxy, talc and polyurethane is what my three 25"x31" trays are made of. I even took the effort to make them nestable. Cost me around U$50 and a week of fun work.

 

[hpulley]

I just got 11x14 trays at Henrys for $12.99 each! They're actually 12x16 it says, Paterson. They were listed as $14.99 each but they marked them down at the register without my even asking. They aren't the best trays (plastic a bit thin, Paterson brand) so I doubt they'll last as long as the old 8x10s I use but for the price they seem OK. I got 4 at that price, just over $50 total plus tax, though thinking about it I should have got one of the 16x20 size up too as washing in the 'right' size tray doesn't work that well (I prefer to wash in an 11x14 with my 8x10 prints so they can move). Just for agitating dev, stop and fix I find the 'right' size works fine though. 16x20 is listed as $29.99 but perhaps they'll knock some off for that too? Might have to go buy one at least... I guess I'll try it first, see if 12x16 is good enough to wash 11x14.