Print washing woes.

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I am getting sick of print washing using a pool pump to circulate the water. And I refuse to pay hundreds of $’s for a print washer that only has $50 of plastic glued up.
So I am thinking of making my own, I can Tig weld so stainless steel construction would be easy. Aluminum would be a good idea but it’s very pricey at the moment. Next obvious option is perspex or something like that and somehow gluing it together.
So has anyone made one or something similar that works and would share their setup please. Print washers seem to be the only old photographic tool that has not come down in price.
So come on chaps, help an aging man out please.
 
Maybe see if you can find a used Kodak tray siphon? I used one of those for years before getting one of those archival $$$$ washers and I swear the tray siphon worked as well or better for a lot less money. It just required regular attention whereas the costly washer required no attention at all.
 
Fiber or RC?

I wash in tray. 8x10 in 8x10 tray and so on. I have extra trays to use. I only wash a couple at a time. I don’t let water run continuously, rather change it a few times. I use two trays as I continue to process, moving the washed prints to a second tray.

Large prints, 16x20 and larger I only do 1 print at a time.

Info to maybe help:

https://www.ilfordphoto.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Reducing-Wash-Water.pdf

It’s not a strict time number or changes of water for me. It seems to work just fine. Maybe it’s because I only use RC paper now.
 
Agree, the big $ “archival” washers are nice but the Kodak siphon and a couple of trays work fine, just takes more attention. I finally got one of those plexiglass washers. Kept an alert on CL, took about a year and got one for $100. They do turn up once in awhile.
 
When using FB paper, washing is very important, at least half an hour in running water (that can be a very thin trickle) of about 20 degrees C. Washing the prints in ice cold water is useless.

Rinse well is important for the shelf life of the prints.

Erik.
 
I'd strongly suggest ponying up and getting a good print washer vs manual fill/dumps (which works but there's your time...) I'd be looking at the Ecowash type print washer (from Freestyle). Incredibly spendy but same principle as Summitek washers. Guess you can keep an eye out for a used Nova washer over there.
 
jmpgino said:
(1) I am getting sick of print washing using a pool pump to circulate the water.

(2) And I refuse to pay hundreds of $’s for a print washer that only has $50 of plastic glued up.
Click to expand...

(1) Please explain why that makes you sick. That is the method I use. In a tray large enough that prints can freely move around. Uses much less water than continuous flow.

10min pump circulate - dump/fill - 10min pump circulate - dump/fill - 10min pump circulate
The most time-consuming is dump/fill, not such a big deal compared with processing of test strips, as an example.

Room for improvement: sometimes prints get jammed in corners. Plan to modify tray(s) with 45° baffles in corners, that don't even need to be water-tight.

(2) I've thought myself about DIY vertical washer, but only superficially. Based on other projects, I suspect that the material costs will be more than 50$. Just some elements for a 6-slot washer 30x40cm (12x16")
- 5 dividers, 2mm thick PMMA, custom cut: 35€
- 2 main sides, 4mm thick custom cut: 29€
Why custom cut, because the shop has invested into equipment that can make far more accurate and clean cuts than me.

Already 64€, before counting the bottom and small sides, tubings, etc; and still need to manually fill/empty unless you are ready to waste xx gallons/minute, or you want to invest into an arduino, relays, solenoid valves, etc. And the design risks: e.g. the prints stick to the dividers, or the enclosure leaks/bursts under hydrostatic prssure, or...
 
I got the Versalab 11x14 before the price went up a couple of times;
washing in a tray is real drag because after a printing session one
craves relaxation
 
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