Wet Plate Darkroom Trailer Innovations

 Some innovations or maybe a better term would be BASIC upgrades on the darkroom trailer, and other things. I am preparing to complete mammoth size ambrotype in the field, in remote Canadian locations. A one-person operation. Hope to do 20x24 plates this year, and 35x35 inch plates in 2 years' time. Hard sledding ahead!

The black pump is used to pull wastewater from the sewage tank under the sink (too big and heavy to move out). I might also be using it to draw water from streams etc. Still figuring stuff out. Going large requires lots of thought. The timer is a new idea also. I start it at 30 seconds, then pour the developer, it gives me a better reconning on how much time as passed (audible sound) and how quick or slow the development is. I think it helped a bit.

20x24 washing tray with pump set up. I plan on having an external tent with tables and large 20x24 trays set up for plates this year. In the future if things go well will have the same set up for 35x35 trays. Each tray will have its own agitation pump with battery power supply. I need to be able to make the plates from start to finish, in the field while traveling Canada. Have not figured out the water supply issues yet.

$10.50 Exhaust fan set up, that actually worked. Very homemade but the 2 fans exhaust air through a 3-inch tube in the back, to outside the trailer. Air quality within seemed better. It ran off my batteries with no issues for 10 plus hours. I store my collodion in the blue Coleman coolers.

4 new 12-ply tires on the darkroom trailer FREDDY (named after Frederick Scott Archer). Also got a TPMS for the 4 tires. This will allow me to monitor air pressure from the cab of the RV while driving. I wanted to be extra careful after the blowout last year on the RV tires.