I finally picked solvent welding over threaded PVC for my darkroom sink

Every plumber I talked to said threaded is easier to fix later, but I went with solvent welding because I wanted zero leaks behind the sink. After 8 months of daily developer and fixer use, I haven't had a single drip. Did anyone else here make a plumbing choice for their darkroom that the pros warned against?

2 comments

2 Comments

tara_palmer1mo ago

Doesn't it feel like every time you try to do something smart for the long haul someone tells you you're doing it wrong? I went with a single basin deep sink for washing prints instead of a two basin setup, and my mentor swore I'd regret it. Two years later and that deep basin is the best thing ever for rinsing big fiber prints without splashing everywhere. I think most pros are just used to doing things the old way and forget that sometimes the "wrong" choice just works better for you.

paul_morgan1mo ago

That deep basin thing rings a bell. My buddy built his own enlarger stand out of oak and used carriage bolts instead of welding the frame, and everyone told him it would wobble. Ten years later that thing is still solid as a rock and he can take it apart to move it. Funny how the "wrong" methods sometimes end up being the most practical once you work out the kinks in your own space.