The present invention is an improved drum mechanism for use in combination with an automatic photographic processing system which includes a housing, a bi-directional motor that has a shaft and that is mounted on the housing, a control unit for controlling the bi-directional motor and a drain tray that is mounted on the housing. The automatic photographic processing system also includes a fluid injector unit for injecting fluids into said improved drum mechanism that is electrically coupled to the control unit and that is mounted on the housing. The improved drum mechanism includes an elongated, cylinder-shaped member which is adapted to receiver photographic print materials and which is fluidly coupled to the fluid injector unit and a drum mounting that includes a set of four rollers, one of which is mechanically coupled to the shaft of the bi-directional motor and which is mechanically coupled to the elongated, cylinder-shaped member, and that is mechanically coupled to the housing adjacent to the drain tray so that when the elongated, cylinder-shaped member is placed on the set of four rollers it can be bi-directionally rotated by the bi-directional motor. The improved drum mechanism has a draining apparatus which is a slot which travels longitudinally along the sidewall of the elongated cylinder-shaped member and which may be disposed parallelly above the drain tray.