ULF (8x20 for me) sink space

[John Jarosz]

As I get deeper into this 8x20 phenomenon, I'd like to ask how much sink space do you use? And, How do you configure it and then use it? This is mostly about printing.

And if you can take the time to answer, please say what process you are using, carbon, silver, platinum, gum, etc.


I have a big darkroom,
but it's surprising how much space this takes...........

John

 

[eworkman]

Weeeellllll
I am "working on" a 7x17. But I do print panoramics 8-10"x40"
I made the biggest sink that a 4x8 sheet of ABS would allow and then constructed two elevated trays
to sit over trays in the sink- that's four 18 x 42 and a little space between the ends for the faucets.
I got a fifth tray over the left side by resting it on extensions from the elevated tray below

So on the left , from the top
Water
Developer
Fix

on the right
from the top, but worked bottom to top
Wash
Hypo clear

I wish I had about 18 inches more beyond the sink, the 18'' I have for hanging to dry is a little tite.

If you work in 12x24 trays you have LOTS more room on one level.
The stacked trays are rather convenient for me as the print size is on the edge of unwieldy.
And I can do 16x20 but 20x24 is a pain, cuz I can't let it just sit submerged.

 

[scootermm]

I was knee deep in 7x17 for a few years (close to 8x20) and am now knee deep in 12x20.
I make due with a kitchen sized sink, counter space, and lots of trays doing platinum/palladium and gum bichrom over printing.

I have a small folding table that my developer tray and hot plate sit on for the Pot. Ox (pt/pd developer).
I use a big set of those burly steel garage shelves next to the sink for all the successive clearing baths for pt/pds and dev water baths for gum bichrom (one on each shelf).
The trays are the large black grout mixing trays you can get at homedepot/lowes for about $5/piece. Sized perfectly for 12x20 prints on 15x22 paper.
There is a big 20x24 Yankee tray washer next to the sink that I use for the final wash. I also have a 20x24 vert/slot print washer in the Laundry room that is hooked up to a "Y" on the cold water for the washer, I use a ball valve on it to regulate flow. This is used for final washing of the pt/pd prints (NOT the gums as itll mar the surface) and I use it for washing my 12x20 negs - 2 per slot makes for the ability to wash ALOT of negs

All my paper coating for pt/pd and gum is done in the bathroom on a glass topped table that sits right in front of the toilet bowl - when coating the toilet bowl becomes my coating chair.

rather minimalistic and sparse, but fully functioning.

Anyone that says you can't shoot ULF without a dedicated darkroom ... tell them "bahh"

 

[Robert Hall]

I'd like to ask how much sink space do you use?

John

All of it!



(Silver, iron processes, etc. etc.)

 

[philsweeney]

I just finished two 8 foot sinks. AZO and kallitype for up to 8 x 20. If I had room I would have made a third sink.

 

[Jim Fitzgerald]

John. I'm using the 11x23 Park seed trays for my negative developing and my silver printing. I put two boards over my bath tub and I can put 5 trays on top. If I need more room I put a small piece of plywood on top of the very small sink. I can put a tray on the toilet if I need to. I run a syphon connected to the shower head for my water flow.

Jim

 

[jp80874]

For 7x17 silver contact printing I put five trays (developer, stop, fix, fix, wash) in an Arkay stainless 8'x30" sink on an 11' wall. At the end of the sink I have a 2', half height, kitchen cabinet with two print washers going into the same plumbing. One print washer has five slots for up to 16x20. The other is a 20x24" Calumet with 12 slots. I also enlarge 8x10 negs to 20x24. When I do 20x24 the last tray sits on a Rubber Maid card next to the sink. I develop the negs in a Jobo with Rollo Pyro, and develop the Kentmere FBVC with Ilford MG.

John Powers

 

[michael9793]

I have a 8' x30" SS stink. I do 8x20. I do Azo contact print and Pt/Pd. printing. The one thing I found very important is the Zone VI print washer I got on E-Bay. I have it outside the sink and the tubes going into the sink. this saves my sink just for the trays. I also use it to make 20x24 silver prints once in a while. If you can don't cheap out on the sink make the biggest on you can. If I could have double what I have I would.

 

[Dan Dozer]

My darkroom sink ready to go for developing 8 x 20 negs with trays from Park Seed Company. Side counter is about 10' long with enlarger at opposite end for printing.

 

[Reinhold]

A few more ideas...

The corner drain in my basement forced me to adopt a right-to-left workflow; awkward at first, but I got used to it.
I'm 5'8" tall, my belt buckle/elbows are at 40", so my counter sills are 38" high. (39" would've been ok, 37" would've been too low).

My large wet counter is 26" wide x 120" long x 3-1/4" deep, and slopes 3/16" per foot toward a 26 x18 x9" deep sink. On this counter I place 5 home made styrene trays that are 11.5 x 26 x 2" deep, (with a 3/8" wood stick under the low end to keep the fluid depth level). These larger trays let me print 8x20 contacts with very generous borders.
The trays are oriented left/right, rather than front/back, (much easier to handle large prints).

There's also a 12.5 x 25 x 2.5" deep acrylic tray for a pre-toner conditioning bath of 2% sodium sulfite.
And... a 12.5 x 27 x 3" acrylic wash/hold tray with slow running water. It's overflow fills a tray which is used as a back-up holding tray when things get busy

The toning is usually done on...

The smaller 22 x 66" wet counter. It slopes 3/16" per foot toward 3 sinks that are 12" deep.
I mix chemistry in the first deep sink, wash RC papers in the middle sink on a fiberglass "Washboard" with a hose-end spray head. There's a 16-slot washer that can handle 32 11x14" fiber prints in the far sink.

If I'm printing on RC papers, the final wash is a 3 minute shower on the Washboard. (Remember, they've been in the "hold" tray for some time by now, so 3 minutes is adequate).

If I'm printing on fiber papers, I clean off a counter and re-arrange it with successive trays of water.
I could also use a home made 10 slot acrylic washer (12 x 27 x 10" wide). Not shown.

Silver printing.

A general overview of the entire darkroom is here...

http://www.classicbwphoto.com/Darkroom.html

Reinhold

www.classicBWphoto.com

 

[jimgalli]

I was knee deep in 7x17 for a few years (close to 8x20) and am now knee deep in 12x20.
I make due with a kitchen sized sink, counter space, and lots of trays doing platinum/palladium and gum bichrom over printing.

I have a small folding table that my developer tray and hot plate sit on for the Pot. Ox (pt/pd developer).
I use a big set of those burly steel garage shelves next to the sink for all the successive clearing baths for pt/pds and dev water baths for gum bichrom (one on each shelf).
The trays are the large black grout mixing trays you can get at homedepot/lowes for about $5/piece. Sized perfectly for 12x20 prints on 15x22 paper.
There is a big 20x24 Yankee tray washer next to the sink that I use for the final wash. I also have a 20x24 vert/slot print washer in the Laundry room that is hooked up to a "Y" on the cold water for the washer, I use a ball valve on it to regulate flow. This is used for final washing of the pt/pd prints (NOT the gums as itll mar the surface) and I use it for washing my 12x20 negs - 2 per slot makes for the ability to wash ALOT of negs

All my paper coating for pt/pd and gum is done in the bathroom on a glass topped table that sits right in front of the toilet bowl - when coating the toilet bowl becomes my coating chair.

rather minimalistic and sparse, but fully functioning.

Anyone that says you can't shoot ULF without a dedicated darkroom ... tell them "bahh"

My mind goes back to a time........33 years ago........when I wasn't married. The burly steel garage shelves were the give away.

 

[scootermm]

Jim, my "home" isn't a place to host a party. Thats for sure.