Archival Print Washer

This arrangement uses fiberglass window screen which snakes up and down between fixed rods on the bottom and rods that are allowed to slide on the top. This allows room to reach into each slot when retrieving smaller prints.  There is no solid divider between each print which means that the paper cannot come in contact with anything that blocks circulation as is the case with most commercial archival washers. The paper is loaded, the rods on the top are placed into their respective alignment notches, the irrigation device, shown above, is placed on top and water jets which line up between prints direct water down at 3 points along the width of the washer.  An internal baffle allows water to drain from the bottom of the tank so that there is a continuous flow from top to bottom.

Before loading the washer with prints I usually have it filled with warm water and run the wash cycle with colder water. That way all I have to do is measure the temperature gradient to determine when a complete water change has occurred. Then, by multiplying that time by 3, arrive at the total time for the wash. This is usually well in excess of 45 min. and more than enough to produce and archival print, considering  the generous hypo clear given beforehand. 

It is made from 1/4" PVC and will hold 18 16x20 prints or 36 11x14s. And try as I have, I simply cannot detect any imprint from the screen on the image.
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