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How to develop large dark room prints?

Photography Asked on June 11, 2021

I want to make some large dark room prints (40×50 or larger). However the dark room I have access to, does not have room for 40×50 trays. So before I go and make a whole bunch of mistakes, working out how to do this, I would like to know if there any tried and true methods that someone can point me in the direction of.

I am happy with how I am going to set up an enlarger sideways to make the exposure, it is just how to develop the print which I need to work out.

Half baked ideas I have:

  1. Use a 20l ‘poly-pail’ (bucket with a sealing lid) and use it like a rotary tank
  2. Make a thin vertical tank out of acrylic sheet
  3. Hold the exposed print vertically above the sink and use a aquarium pump to hose the print down with dev fix etc.
  4. Use a wall paper wetting bucket and carefully dunk the paper in and out (under the wire).

Any suggestions?


Poor photo of the dark room. You can’t really see the sink (bottom right). It’s long enough to fit 4-5 8×10 trays. I would like answers which are also useful to others with a different (smaller) darkrooms; not just the one I have access to.

Darkroom I use

3 Answers

No need for all that, you lay the un-developed print on a plastic drop cloth. Have the developer, stop and fixer in a plastic pail. Using a large brush, such as wallpaper's use to apply wall paste. Soak the brush in the developer, apply to the print. You can also use a paint roller. This is all done under safelight. Next stop with stop bath or use plain water. Follow with the fixer. Wash outside using a garden hose.

Nothing to it! Nobody said this stuff was easy. Don't forget to make small test prints if you what to keep the waste down by avoiding re-makes.

Answered by Alan Marcus on June 11, 2021

Soft kitchen sponges and plastic gloves (the kind you use for dishwashing). Expect longer times than when submerging.

Answered by user95069 on June 11, 2021

It appears that you have the counter space but not the sink space, to put three large trays side by side.

Think outside the sink.

You do not necessarily need a sink large enough for all the trays, you could bridge the sink with a board or boards and place your trays on them. Paint the board with an epoxy floor paint. The board could have a cut out for the sink so when it is time to pour the chem's out to the trays you do it over/in the sink without having to do a lot of full tray juggling.

If you wanted to Get your DIY on, you could make a waterproof board or trough or sink, that way you can spill then wipe it all to the hole over the sink.

Perhaps it is time to get/build a proper wet side darkroom sink. I built a ten foot long sink with 10 inch high sides out of 10 foot long piece of cabinet grade plywood, i then had it sprayed with truck bed liner, I had them smooth down the liner before it cured so there is no texture. Waterproof, chemical proof and possibly bomb proof. (i know its earthquake proof, at least 7.2 magnitude - I can be hired.)

I am confident given the space you have to work with that you can make it work.

Answered by Alaska Man on June 11, 2021

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