Photographic Developing Tray
Developing Tray with Glass Bottom
Plates developed in an ordinary tray must be removed from the bath occasionally for examination. The film when in a chemical-soaked condition is easily damaged. The tray illustrated herewith was made for the purpose of developing plates without having to take hold of them until the bath had completed its work, the examination being made through the plate and the bottom of the tray.
A pocket is provided for the liquid developer in one end of the tray when it is turned up in a vertical position. A tray for developing 5 by 7-in. plates should be made 8 in. square inside. The side pieces with the grooves for the glass are shown in Fig. 1. Two of each of these pieces are made with mitered ends. The short groove shown in the top piece of the illustration is for inserting the plate covering on the pocket end of the tray.
Two blocks, one-half the length of the side pieces, are put in between the glass plates to hold the plate being developed from dropping down when the tray is tipped up in a vertical position. The glass bottom of the tray is 8-1/2 in. square, which allows 1/4 in. on all edges to set in the grooves of the side pieces. The wood pieces should be well soaked in hot paraffin, and the mitered corners well glued and nailed.
Contributed by J.A. Simonis, Fostoria, Ohio.