How to develop large dark room prints?

Question

I want to make some large dark room prints (40x50 or larger). However the dark room I have access to, does not have room for 40x50 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?

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Poor photo of the dark room. You can't really see the sink (bottom right). It's long enough to fit 4-5 8x10 trays. I would like answers which are also useful to others with a different (smaller) darkrooms; not just the one I have access to.

Answer 1

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.

Answer 2

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

Answer 3

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.