Accordian bottles?

[PeteZ8]

Anyone have a good source for air free (collapsable) storage bottles? I can't seem to find them anywhere perhaps I'm just using the wrong keywords?

Pete

 

[Alex Bishop-Thorpe]

I was recommended against using them in my early days (But for the life of me I dont remember what the reasoning actually was), but I know freestyle photo stock them, under the Air-Evac brand. Where in the world are you located?

 

[Ian Grant]

You could have mine for free but they are in the UK, and I'm in Turkey

I really don't recommend them, mine (Jobo type) came with a job lot of darkroom gear I bought in 2000, I can't see any particular benefits over regular bottles for the solutions I store.

Ian

 

[Sirius Glass]

FreeStyle has them. They also are a sponsor here.

Steve

 

[PeteZ8]

Thanks for all the links.

I don't use the darkroom frequently and I wanted some for storing paper developer and possibly C-41 chemicals to try and extend the life a little.

Since posting this thread I also found this company: http://www.2spi.com/catalog/photo/air-evac.shtml Does anyone have experience buying from them? Nothing against the forum sponsor but they are half the price from 2spi and when ordering a half dozen or so the difference adds up quick.

 

[Ian Grant]

C41 chemistry has a very limited life once made up, so it's best to process in batches.

At those prices just take a chance

Ian

 

[PeteZ8]

I was recommended against using them in my early days (But for the life of me I dont remember what the reasoning actually was), but I know freestyle photo stock them, under the Air-Evac brand. Where in the world are you located?

Thanks I'll add them to the list.

The only reason I've heard against using the collapsable bottles is they don't clean out as well. I have no idea how true that is, I would imagine some hot water and agitation would get it clean enough if the tank is not being reused for a different chemical (which I would never do anyway).

Edit: I'm in Central NJ, USA. I thought it was in my profile I'll update thanks!

 

[PeteZ8]

Just tried to cash out at SPI, $50 minimum order

I don't need that many.

Thanks for all the replies! I'll check out Freestyle.

 

[Ian Grant]

You need to mark them very well, fixer doesn't wash out very well as you get plating on the sides and sulphurising. My problem was the tops are always very good and didn't seal properly.

Ian

 

[BetterSense]

I thought they seemed like a good idea until I saw that they were made out of thin HDPE. I think glass would be better, even with the extra air space. Just my opinion. Also you can squeeze PET bottles to get pretty much all the air out of them, but then they don't stand up very well.

 

[Lowell Huff]

They are fun to play with, not any more effective than other bottles at storing chemistry.

 

[gainer]

I have one somewhere. There's a limit as to how far they can be collapsed. Mine kept leaking. I thought of joining it with a tin flute to make a sort of bagpipe, but it leaked too bad for that. I'd rather use marbles.

 

[RH Designs]

I used to have a few, I ended up throwing them away years ago. They are porous (or at least mine were) so over time they expanded and let air in, and has been said above they were very difficult to keep clean. I now use 500ml beer and and 1l wine bottles with a Vacuvin Wine Saver which works very well. I get to drink the contents first as well, which is a bonus!

 

[Ken N]

Several years ago I was researching bottles for storage and discovered that for photographic chemicals about the most stable option was just plain 2L pop bottles. I remove the labels, clean them thouroughly, place my own gaudy hazmat labels all over them and just use them. It's easy to squeeze the air out.

I replace mine about every year because when squeezing them, wrinkles can eventually spring leaks. My bottles ALWAYS sit in empty processing trays in case (when) one decides to leak.

 

[PeteZ8]

Thanks for all the replies.

I'll skip on them for now, seems they can cause more problems than they solve. Seemed like a great idea at the time
Pete

 

[fschifano]

Smart move 'cause those accordion bottles are really crap. The soda pop bottles seem to be the best compromise of cost and effectiveness. I use 1L and smaller sizes for developers. They're pretty much air tight, and plenty good enough for the amount of time a developer can be stored. Stuff like D-76 can start to go bad after 6 months even in completely full and perfectly stoppered glass bottles. I get the same thing from a 1L soda bottle so go figure.

 

[dougjgreen]

The only reason I've heard against using the collapsable bottles is they don't clean out as well. I have no idea how true that is,

It's true, they are a huge pain in the rear to clean. I stopped using them for that reason.

 

[jim appleyard]

I used to use these because I read somehwere they they were good; you could squeeze the air out of them and your chems would last longer. While you can squeeze the air out of them, the plastic that they are made of breathes and lets air in that way. If you use them for the developer (the chem that readily oxidizes anyway) , they will eventually show black crud on the inside. This is oxydized developer.

Besides the "joints" wear out and then leak.

I like to use glass. Yes, it can break, but glass never wears out and is not air permeable.

 

[PeteZ8]

Since this thread is still getting some attention, I also have welding equipment and as such, stocks of various gasses.

How about a noble gas in the bottle? Argon perhaps (pure argon, not the CO2/argon mix for MIG)? It's heavier than air and will displace it handily. Not that I would likely go that far but for discussion purposes it's an interesting thought. Unless I find myself with more time on my hands (in this economy, I might!), I really do very little darkroom printing and I would hate to waste chemistry. I may stockpile a bunch of film then do 30-40 prints, then not get to the darkroom for a month or more.

 

[AshenLight]

I used them until I collapsed one down to just above the fluid level then gently (and I do mean gently) pressed down to remove the air in the headspace. The face full of TF-4 I got made the switch to amber glass bottles easy...

Ash

 

[Bob F.]

I use argon and fizzy-pop bottles. As said above they make good storage for developers - I have had ID-11 stock in a full pop bottle for 14 months (I forgot about it!) with no detectable colour change or loss of effectiveness.

Threw my accordion bottles out years ago - total rubbish for all the reasons stated above...

 

[RJS]

The accordion bottles looked like a great idea but apparently he plastic allows air in, the lids don't seal well so I have given up using them. If made of the right, impermeable plastic with a really good lid, they would be great. However. . .

 

[Larry.Manuel]

Perhaps you could re-use a bag-in-box wine dispensing system. The bags have a layer of metal foil, to reduce gas diffusion through the membrane.

 

[PeteZ8]

Interesting Larry! I love repurposing things, not only is it the most efficient form of recycling in the world, but it's cheap!

The downside is until they come out with beer-in-a-box, I'll never get my hands on a wine box!

 

[lorirfrommontana]

I purchased some accordion bottles before I found this group. The large ones are very awkward and the ones I got lids don't seal well. The smaller ones I got had better lids and are working good right now. I was wondering if all the chems have to be in brown bottles or if it is okay to put some in clear or green wine bottles? Right now I have my indicator stop in a water bottle because I was out of brown bottles? Is this okay? My chems are all in my darkroom which is in the basement and usually dark. Just wondering!
Lori