Alt process chemicals courtesy of your local pharmacy

Removed Account · May 17, 2008

I was having a prescription refilled when I remembered that in my search for glass dropper bottles I joked about buying collodion and while they couldn't get the USP collodion they could order flexible collodion. After getting my prescription done I figured I'd ask about sodium thiosulfate since I am running low on my VDB fix. Turns out that they can get it for me, at a cost of $6 CDN for 100g. Isn't this fantastic? I asked about silver nitrate as well and the pharmacist I was speaking to was pretty rushed so we couldn't discuss it much, but he said there might be an issue due to how caustic it is. I'm going to talk to my pharmacy tech buddy to see if he can grease the wheels for me a bit, but I thought I'd let you all know that if you need some hypo in a hurry try asking your local druggist!

- Justin

snallan · May 17, 2008

Ah, it used to be like that in this country too, though I doubt it now due to health and safety concerns! I remember going to the local pharmacy with my dad to pick up some ferri, and some hypo. Happy days.

Joe Lipka · May 17, 2008

Before pharmacies, they were called chemists. They had all sorts of stuff.

Aurum · May 17, 2008

snallan said:
Ah, it used to be like that in this country too, though I doubt it now due to health and safety concerns! I remember going to the local pharmacy with my dad to pick up some ferri, and some hypo. Happy days.

The old fashioned Chemists (are) were great for this sort of thing. Unfortunately most pharmacies these days are what I describe as dispensing chemists. They dispense prescriptions of pre-compounded drugs and don't have the ability to mix or compound on site. A case of either mail order, ebay, or chat nicely to people who work in the chemical industry to see what they can obtain for you.

Silver Nitrate is used in paediatric medicine for disinfecting and encourageing the remaining umbilical cord to drop off on newborns, so in theory a pharmacist should have it available, or be able to get hold of it.

Depends on what the regs are in your country about getting hold of pharma-spec materials.

rwyoung · May 17, 2008

Look around for a "compounding" pharmacy. They may have a better selection of stuff. But I've always been able to get what I needed from PF, ArtCraft, B&S and DigitalTruth.

CraigK · May 17, 2008

If you run short on pt/pd developer use Eno or Bromo-Seltzer, both are basically sodium citrate and work great. I've even used Monosodium glutamate from an asian grocery store (I made a a 30% solution) to develop pt/pd prints and Kallitypes.

Murray@uptowngallery · May 17, 2008

some swimming pool suppliers have sodium thiosulfate.

Denis P. · May 18, 2008

I was able to get all the ingredients for the Hypo-Alum Sepia toner from the local pharmacy. Took about a week from the order to delivery - and they even measured and packaged it, so I didn't have to fiddle with very small measurements (I don't have a precise scale). And yes, I got the silver nitrate, too..

But, that's in Croatia - ymmw...

Denis

removed account4 · May 18, 2008

15+ year ago i used to get collodion from my local druggist. i got it a few different times.
i called about a year ago, they can still get it for me if i want, it only takes a few days to get it from
the mothership.
they just asked what i was using it for.

Colin Graham · May 18, 2008

Isn't $6 CDN for 100g of sodium thiosulfate a bit of a premium? What's the exhange rate now? I get a 9lb pail (4 kg) for only $18 US. They claim to ship to Canada.

BTW Craig- I've used your trick of using Alka-Seltzer to develop kallitypes, works great, I've always wanted to thank you for that.

Removed Account · May 18, 2008

Well I picked up the hypo today, and with my employee discount it worked out to Sodium Thiosulfate anhydrous, 100g for $5.09, less my employee discount. That compares well to B&S, especially taking shipping in to account. Citric Acid, 100g for $5.50ish compares pretty well to B&S, and wins out with shipping. Silver Nitrate they are estimating $55ish for 25g, which is a fair bit more than B&S ask for 30g, but they do not ship AgNO3 to Canada. All that said, the place Colin gave has prices for the hypo and citric acid which beat the pants of both my employer and B&S. I'll have to enquire further...

- Justin

Colin Graham · May 19, 2008

I'm glad that was some help. I get sodium citrate there as well- the big pails of chemicals are a great convenience, especially hypo. The shipping page does says US and Canada, but hopefully there are no big surprises there.

donbga · May 19, 2008

Justin Silber said:
Well I picked up the hypo today, and with my employee discount it worked out to Sodium Thiosulfate anhydrous, 100g for $5.09, less my employee discount. That compares well to B&S, especially taking shipping in to account. Citric Acid, 100g for $5.50ish compares pretty well to B&S, and wins out with shipping. Silver Nitrate they are estimating $55ish for 25g, which is a fair bit more than B&S ask for 30g, but they do not ship AgNO3 to Canada. All that said, the place Colin gave has prices for the hypo and citric acid which beat the pants of both my employer and B&S. I'll have to enquire further...

- Justin

You need to visit the chemistrystore.com. Much better prices.

Wayne · May 19, 2008

Sodium thiosulfate is an alt.process chemical?? Have I been gone that long???

Removed Account · May 19, 2008

Wayne said:
Sodium thiosulfate is an alt.process chemical?? Have I been gone that long???

Naw, I think you're safe... but that's what I use it for. Perhaps a better title would be 'raw chemistry', but that might respark the analog is digital thread...

donbga · May 19, 2008

Wayne said:
Sodium thiosulfate is an alt.process chemical?? Have I been gone that long???

Yes, it is used for Van Dyke Brown printing or Kallitypes for example.

Alt process chemicals courtesy of your local pharmacy

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