The Complete Handbook of Print Trays, Washers & Dryers

I've been running a small darkroom for fifteen years, and I wish I'd had this book when I started. The chapter on understanding how washers actually work—the difference between tray-based and true archival circulation—finally made clear why my old setup wasn't consistent. The author explains the mechanics without padding, and the troubleshooting section caught a water-temperature problem I didn't even know I had. Exactly what a serious darkroom worker needs.

Solid reference material if you already work in a darkroom. The specifications chapter is thorough, and the glossary is genuinely useful. That said, some sections assume more existing knowledge than I had coming in—I had to re-read the circulation-rate explanation, and I wished there were more worked examples of sizing a washer for a specific print volume. Still, it's the most practical book on this topic I've found.

Finally—a book that treats print trays and washers as actual equipment with real trade-offs, not just commodity products. I was trying to decide between manual and automated equipment for my studio, and chapter three laid out the actual cost and workflow implications in a way no salesperson ever did. No marketing nonsense, just mechanics and honest comparison. Highly recommended for anyone serious about darkroom work.

Good reference, but I wanted more on the business side. I'm thinking about offering darkroom services to local photographers, and chapters 6 and 7 touch on that, but I would've appreciated a full section on equipment lifecycle costs, lease vs. buy analysis, or how to price print finishing services. The core equipment knowledge is solid though, and worth having on the shelf.

Useful for what it covers, but the scope is narrower than I expected. The handbook focuses on traditional darkroom print finishing—trays, washers, dryers—and doesn't really address alternative workflows or hybrid analog-digital setups. If you do straight darkroom work, this is thorough. If you're mixing methods, you'll need other resources too.

I bought this to troubleshoot a drying problem in my darkroom, and the maintenance chapter solved it in about ten minutes. The diagnostic flowchart and explanation of how heat-plate dryers distribute temperature were exactly what I needed. That alone was worth the price, and the rest of the book is solid reference material that I keep within reach.

This is the handbook I'll recommend to anyone setting up a darkroom or upgrading equipment. No fluff, no marketing speak—just clear explanations of how print trays work, what really matters in a washer, and concrete guidance on choosing between options. The author clearly writes from experience, and it shows in the practical examples and the honesty about trade-offs. Exactly what the analog community has needed.