Vertical or horizontal plastics types, from office stores, etc; which one?

[eli griggs]

Which of the several types of plastics, in plastic drawer units, vertical file holders, etc, are best suited to compact spaces usage?

How about HPDE?

 

[MTGseattle]

Are you embarking on a 3d printing mission, or wondering about the strength/longevity of specific storage items that you may use? As-in which of these containers will actually hold up? I would think that the format and size of the item would be the primary concern for a compact space. If the item looks suitable, then look at its construction? maybe?

I think you goofed your acronym, HDPE (high-density polyethylene)

 

[eli griggs]

Thanks for the correction on plastic HDPE.

I'd probably asked that same basic question, in the past. But I'm looking to establish which, of todays plastics, including common "Office Max" type shelf top multi drawers, which can be used as small print trays in a closet space, without any damage chemically to the chemicals or paper or negatives, paper or traditional or even platinum and other alt processes.

For example, I remember that some car battery boxes can be used as washers or development tanks, safely, for sheet films, but I forget the type polymer that is.

Another possibility for using tall, thin, 3" or so, extra large mounted blueprint or my United advertising storage, but ns, could be turned into either an archival washer or small space extra large print or negative processing tanks, vertically.

Polymers can still carry active or excessive plasticizers and none of us want to have that on or in our prints, etc.

Even plumbing pipes can be used for extra large roll film washers or prints processing tubes and I'm sure some people are already experienced in these things, for good or bad.

All experienced opinions/facts are sought.

Cheers.

 

[mshchem]

Look for Sterilte bins etc. Also Rubbermaid etc.

 

[mshchem]

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/40359-REG/Paterson_PTP334_Plastic_Developing_Trays.html

For 50 bucks you can have 3 8x10 and 3 12x16 Paterson trays delivered in the US, get one of the dopey credit cards (which are best paid in full ASAP) and you are discounted up to 6% to make it feel tax free

Amazing place the USA no VAT, oh brother.

 

[eli griggs]

Look for Sterilte bins etc. Also Rubbermaid etc.

Cheers!

I've used Sterilte bins, like their shoe boxes and small shelf drawers, however, I've found them to be brittle and a chemical like ammonia will degrade their structural strength, but I'll give them another look.

Rubbermaid, is more flexible but suggest a plasticizer is partly at work here.

Again, I'll look at new production.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/40359-REG/Paterson_PTP334_Plastic_Developing_Trays.html

For 50 bucks you can have 3 8x10 and 3 12x16 Paterson trays delivered in the US, get one of the dopey credit cards (which are best paid in full ASAP) and you are discounted up to 6% to make it feel tax free

Amazing place the USA no VAT, oh brother.

I have a number of small to about 20"x30" trays that require horizontal stations, like a drop down four cable/rope shelf's unit for holding them for sessions, in a tight space/darkroom, however, buying new trays does not serve the original post and question.

Cheers.

 

[mshchem]

Well, simple fact is that no household storage bin is designed for chemistry. Rubbermaid made something called Brute, ??

Food storage bins with a NSF (National Sanitation Foundation) which is a 3rd party certification agency, they rate food handling, water filtration, plumbing etc.

If it is food storage or preparation bins for commercial use it should hold up to darkroom use.

Office depot sells cheap imported stuff. (As opposed to high quality imported stuff)

NSF certification is not always easy to achieve, nearly 30 years ago I went through this with appliance water filtration qualifications.

 

[koraks]

Which of the several types of plastics, in plastic drawer units, vertical file holders, etc, are best suited to compact spaces usage?

Usage for what? I'm confused.
Are you looking for some kind of compact tray for print processing? Or sleeves for storage of dry/finished prints?

If this is about developing trays - I use generic plastic storage boxes for that purpose. I just checked; out of the 6 types I use, only 4 have a material marking and those are all PP (polypropylene). I've been using them for years and they've gone through all manner of abuse, involving low pH, high pH, corrosive substances, aggressive oxidants and pretty much *anything* horrible I could throw at them (including etching PCB's in ferric chloride at 90C) and they're fine - although a little dirty. The one thing they don't like is being dropped from a height of a couple of feet.

 

[wiltw]

But I'm looking to establish which, of todays plastics, including common "Office Max" type shelf top multi drawers, which can be used as small print trays in a closet space, without any damage chemically to the chemicals or paper or negatives, paper or traditional or even platinum and other alt processes.

For processing, stainless steel trays are wonderful for their inert characteristics in resisting reaction to chemicals, and for their easy of cleaning, or the removal of staining. Trays made of styrene plastic have similar characteristics, but are more brittle and prone to breakage. Polyethelene plastic trays would have similar characteristics, and not as susceptible to breakage.

Chemical damage to prints (color prints) happens due to outgassing that occurs with 'vinyl' plastic, like polyvinyl chloride (PVC)

 

[MTGseattle]

Ah. Now I'm tracking what you're after. I would also head towards the clear nsf food service trays. If you're looking at office max, etc. Is it due to local constraints on off-the-shelf options? Or is it meant to be a dual function item like storage when not used for wet darkroom work?

Sterilite 3 Drawer Organizer Clear - Office Depot

Keep your space organized with the Sterilite 3 Drawer Organizer. Each drawer is removable for easy cleaning.

www.officedepot.com

This one is tiny, but I needed an example. In the "specs" tab materials family it simply says "plastics." Shrug.

6 Patterson trays for approx $54 with free shipping from B&H?

The container store might have more size/material options. A lot of the officemax products have horrible reviews.

 

[eli griggs]

Thank you all for your replies.

While I'm always interested in various possibilities for affordable darkroom equipment, I largely started this thread so that photographers, new and old, might also learn about these alternatives to traditional dark room "developing" trays, especially for those that are curious as to processing larger negatives and prints, than is usually possible in their limited space.

Many enlargers are tiltable for making larger prints by using a wall or the floor or something in-between as a easel or easel support, but horizontal large prints are an impossible proposition for those small darkrooms, so the knowledge being discussed here will, hopefully, help them as well as myself.

Let's keep exploring the possibilities and some actual products that have been proven, good or bad, for these types of developing.

Cheers

 

[MTGseattle]

I'm usually taken aback by the solutions people find for printing really big. Clyde Butcher comes to mind. I think one problem comes up in the potential "stuff" available in a large metro area vs somewhere rural.
I could pop into a tap plastics on my morning commute and pick up an order of custom acrylic parts and adhesive on the way back home.

Others may be limited to Amazon, Walmart, etc. Another potential "alternative" tray option could be pet litter boxes/trays.

The one benefit I see to using actual developing trays from Patterson and the like is that they are a tried-and-true entity, and one doesn't have to worry about weird chemical interactions.

A possible Ikea option;

TROFAST Storage box, green, 16 ½x11 ¾x4", Width: 16 ½" - IKEA

TROFAST Storage box, green, 16 ½x11 ¾x4", Width: 16 ½". Fits in TROFAST frames. Can be stacked when completed with a lid.

www.ikea.com

11x14 would be a bit tight and the shelf/box units for the Trofast trays are more expensive than I thought.

 

[eli griggs]

I suppose, if nothing else, a few marine plywood vertical paper sized slot boxes, waterproof epoxied coated and with heavy plastic, "contractor" trash bags, with stainless wire, bag holders and matching tight fiting slot tops.

This make developing even more simple, stainless wire frames with magnetic stainless wire or bars, for super magnets (or heavy duty plastic clips) to hold each sheet of paper top and bottom in tight suspension, for lowering, lifting and the agitation of the sheets, plus. If you want to drain off chemical solutions from each sheet, a companion above each slot, magnetic hanger, at a basic diamond shaped angle.

Can anyone live with this solution?

 

[Tim Stapp]

I've used cat litter trays and the gray plastic tubs that restaurants use for dirty dishes. I picked them up at a local restaurant supply store (Gordon Foods, based in Grand Rapids, MI).