Advice on seasoning XTOL-R

[Cubao]

Stock, using the agitation method from the datasheet:

Thank you

 

[Radost]

I maybe oxidation has to be taken in to an effect.

 

[MattKing]

Technically, if you are trying to convert between replenishment amounts for different lengths of 35mm film, you should make sure to include the entire length - including leader and any trailer.
So if you wanted to be really picky, you should figure out the replenishment amount per inch/cm, and then multiply by the entire length of each film.
But if you are going to be that picky, you should be using control strips and a densitometer anyways!

 

[Craig]

So if you wanted to be really picky, you should figure out the replenishment amount per inch/cm, and then multiply by the entire length of each film.

Kodak has already done that for us, they say 70ml per 80 square inches of film.

 

[MattKing]

Kodak has already done that for us, they say 70ml per 80 square inches of film.

And it is always hard to figure how much to allow for the sprocket holes

 

[Radost]

Anybody use XTOL-R at 75F?

 

[Craig]

And it is always hard to figure how much to allow for the sprocket holes

I think we can safely ignore them. Although it probably wouldn't be that hard to generate an equation for the area of the sprocket holes.

 

[MattKing]

I think we can safely ignore them. Although it probably wouldn't be that hard to generate an equation for the area of the sprocket holes.

I think the equivalency referred to in the materials - 1 roll 120 = 1 roll 135-36 = 1 8x10 sheet already factors the holes in

 

[Steven Lee]

Anybody use XTOL-R at 75F?

I develop in Xtol-R at 24C which is pretty close. Here are my times for inversion agitation Ilford-style:

HP5+	24C	8:00
Delta 100	24C	9:00
Delta 400	24C	8:30
Foma 100	24C	7:00
FP4+	24C	10:00

 

[Radost]

THANKS

I develop in Xtol-R at 24C which is pretty close. Here are my times for inversion agitation Ilford-style:

HP5+	24C	8:00
Delta 100	24C	9:00
Delta 400	24C	8:30
Foma 100	24C	7:00
FP4+	24C	10:00

THANKS

 

[Sirius Glass]

Anybody use XTOL-R at 75F?

Not if I can help it. the development time is too short. I will start earlier the next day instead or run the air conditioner for a few hours to stabilize at a lower temperature.

 

[npl]

When my room temperature was 32°c (90F) this summer, my XTOL bottle took a short trip to the fridge prior to developping. Not a good idea to forget it there, but that worked.

 

[Radost]

Not if I can help it. the development time is too short. I will start earlier the next day instead or run the air conditioner for a few hours to stabilize at a lower temperature.

Unfortunately my house has a central hvac system. Don’t want to freeze the kids and the wife.

 

[Donald Qualls]

I use a sous vide for temperature control, but no matter how low I set its thermostat, it never seems to cool the tempering bath -- however, my darkroom seldom gets above 22 C in the summer when the A/C is running, and Xtol seems to be just fine at the 15-17 C I often have in winter.

 

[Radost]

I use a sous vide for temperature control, but no matter how low I set its thermostat, it never seems to cool the tempering bath -- however, my darkroom seldom gets above 22 C in the summer when the A/C is running, and Xtol seems to be just fine at the 15-17 C I often have in winter.

My problem is that it is too hot in the winter. My wife cracks the hvac to 75-76f.

 

[Donald Qualls]

My wife cracks the hvac to 75-76f.

Oh boy. I guess opening a window isn't a great option in a darkroom. Can you close off or partially block the heat vent in the darkroom so you get less of the heated air? I've had to adjust the vent in my darkroom seasonally, though usually my partner runs the house too cold, year around.

 

[Sirius Glass]

My problem is that it is too hot in the winter. My wife cracks the hvac to 75-76f.

Close the heating vent in the darkroom.

 

[MattKing]

Anybody use XTOL-R at 75F?

For the films (T-Max 100 and T-Max 400) and procedure I use, that means a development time of 6 minutes, which is certainly workable.
If my ambient temperature is 75F, I will develop film in XTOL-R at that temperature.

 

[Radost]

Oh boy. I guess opening a window isn't a great option in a darkroom. Can you close off or partially block the heat vent in the darkroom so you get less of the heated air? I've had to adjust the vent in my darkroom seasonally, though usually my partner runs the house too cold, year around.

Everything blocked everywhere. Dark room is on the second floor. All hot air moves up. I insulated the door and will look for a small AC unit that can work without an out vent.
But this should be just for seasoning. After it is seasoned 1:1 times and temperatures apply right?

 

[MattKing]

After it is seasoned 1:1 times and temperatures apply right?

That is where I started, and the results were certainly acceptable, but I ended up fine tuning the results a bit.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Everything blocked everywhere. Dark room is on the second floor. All hot air moves up. I insulated the door and will look for a small AC unit that can work without an out vent.
But this should be just for seasoning. After it is seasoned 1:1 times and temperatures apply right?

In your case you might be better off using 1:1 times.

 

[Radost]

In your case you might be better off using 1:1 times.

I really taught so before I started waisting a lot of chems running small frame count bulk loaded film for development experimentation..

 

[Maris]

I tray develop 8x10 sheet film one at a time in Xtol-R for 3minutes at 33C (91.4F). Yes, the film has been pre-soaked so it doesn't go in dry with the chance of a "tide" mark. Agitation is continuous and as random as I can make it. And I've had lots of fail/succeed practice in quick and smooth handling of sheet film in the dark. Development comes out even although the time is very short. The short time is the point of the exercise. Developing a dozen sheets at 20C requires a time of 11 minutes 15 seconds each which would condemn me to a lot of oppressive dark time.

 

[mshchem]

This is the elusive starter. 24mL per gallon of XTOL stock to season. It looks like it is just KBr and a little NaCl. I tasted it it tastes like KBr. I ran replenished XTOL for years, before that HC-110 dilution B. Not worth worrying too much about.
I use XTOL stock one shot today with the Jobo.

 

[Donald Qualls]

Too bad Kodak doesn't seem to make this any more. I wonder how hard/expensive it would be to get at least the NaCl and KBr levels tested? I'd rather use a starter when I have to mix a fresh tank solution than season two liters with a ten to twelve rolls.