From: bjs@uts.amdahl.com (Barry Sherman)
Newsgroups: rec.photo
Subject: Re: fiberglass/wood sinks for home darkrooms
Date: 27 Jul 92 20:04:42 GMT
Followup-To: rec.photo
Organization: Amdahl Corporation, Sunnyvale CA

Dave T. writes:

>Has anyone tried doing this? I don't imagine the chemicals would eat
>away at fiberglassed wood, assuming one keeps the thing in a reasonable
>state of cleanliness.

Fiberglassed wood seems to be a standard technique.

>     My questions concern construction of the beast.
>
>I was thinking of using 3/4 inch particleboard for the basic structure,

Eck!  Absolutely not!  particleboard has very little strength per se.  And
worse, if any water *does* get at it, it'll turn to mush.  I cannot recommend
too strongly that marine plywood be used.  "Marine" plywood is constructed
with water-resistent glue.  3/4" A/C marine plywood is the ticket.  (The
"A/C" part refers to the surfaces.  "A" on one (smooth and all defects neatly
patched) and "C" on the other.  (not so smooth and defects are very evident)

I modified plans in a book named "Build Your Own Home Darkroom".  It's an 
8.5x11 paperback with red-orange cover and (I think) yellow lettering.  Good
book.  Widely available in "good" photo stores and mail order.  The plans for 
the darkroom sink were for a style in which the sink itself just sits on a base 
unit and can be lifted off, yet is securely held in place.  Very practical for 
the case where one is reluctant to go whole hog and build everything in.  
(IMHO, of course, the best solution is to use kitchen cabinet bases and more 
or less build the whole thing in.  But that requires quite a commitment.)

I didn't bother with the fiberglass.  Because I anticipate moving in the
foreseeable future I didn't plumb the darkroom.  I just have a drain which
drains into a 5 gallon bucket (pickle barrel).  Operations which require
runing water have to be done in the kitchen or bathroom.  But that's
beside the point.  Since my sink only has to withstand splashes from the
trays and a rinse at the end of each session from the 3 gallon holding
tray, I just gave it 4 coats of a good ("Man o' War") marine spar 
varnish and caulked it with .  It's held up just fine.  Developer does leave 
dark brown stains but I can see no evidence that water has gotten into the
wood and no evidence of damage from the chemicals.  I've even abused it by \
leaving a JOBO set up for a couple of months and leaving all the water splashes
to dry because I couldn't physically reach them.  

Now, on the other hand, the stainless steel drain fitting that I installed is 
massively corroded after only 8 months of use.  I don't think that stainless 
steel has much of a place in the darkroom.  At least not where it won't be 
rinsed thoroughly after use.  Or, perhaps, there are higher grade stainless 
drains available for lab use.  

Anyway, my points are:  DON'T USE PARTICLE BOARD! and yes, fiberglass should
be just fine.

Barry


-- 


|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Barry Sherman, Amdahl Corp.       | "Any fool can face a crisis - it's     | 
| bjs@ruts.ccc.amdahl.com           |  this day-to-day living that wears you |
|                                   |  out." - Anton Chekhov                 |
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| Amdahl, being a corporation, is a legal fiction.  Therefore it is incapable|
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