Ammonium Hypo from Sodium Hypo and Ammonium Chloride

athbr said:

It's definitely expensive when you account for:

- high cost of international shipping
- high cost of domestic shipping
- very high import duties
- very high sales tax

Works out to about U$35 for rapid fixer. About U$15 for a roll of HP5. This is also a conservative comparison considering the exchange rate between Reais and Dollars is roughly 4:1 now whereas historically it has been 2:1. At 2014 prices and exchange rates it was roughly U$50 for fixer and U$20 for a roll of HP5.

Scratch mixing has definitely come about as a way to (significantly) lower dev costs. Incidentally, it was searching for formulas that got me to APUG in the first place.

I definitely have stuff here already to do Sodium Hypo from scratch very cheaply. So it's not like one is without options. That said, anything that can make the process faster and less wasteful with water and that doesn't cost an arm and a leg to execute is worth an experiment in my eyes.

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athbr said:

Sure but wouldn't they get better if one could remove the ammonium sulfate?

edit: It is also much cheaper than ammonium chloride. So if it worked ok that would be kinda cool.

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Photo Engineer said:

I'm not sure how well that would work out. Sulfates are powerful anti-swell agents when used on gelatin. Even small amounts can do harm in some ways.

And BTW, Thiosulfates are not the same.

PE

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mshchem said:

Wow, yeah. Last time I was in Brazil I think the Real exchanged at about 55 cents US, it was well under 2 to 1. Import duties. I understand.
It's fun to mix your own stuff. I would check the fertilizer route? Maybe try a X-RAY supply company? Brazil makes everything, it's about finding a local source, that sells in less than railcar quantities.

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athbr said:

I did find it via dental suppliers. 500ml for about U$5. Not bad.

But 1L Ilford Rapid Fixer makes 5L of working solution. So if the dental stuff needs to be used straight then the math doesn't work out.

I'll ask the retailer. Hopefully its a way.

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