Antacid tablets and B&W developer chemistry

BradS · Aug 31, 2005

I was about to pop a couple Miralac antacid tablets when I noticed the active ingredient is Calcium Carbonate (420mg). Just below that, it says "with Glycine and mint flavor".

I'm at work and my mind started to wonder...I wonder if these would make a good developer???

What do you think? Would it work?

Nick Zentena · Aug 31, 2005

If you don't mind the price.

Photo Engineer · Aug 31, 2005

Glycine and glycin are two different chemicals.

Glycine is an amino acid harmless to people and found in foods.

Glycin is a developing agent. If you swallowed some, you would probably never have to worry about developing film again, sadly.

PE

BradS · Aug 31, 2005

Hmmm, doesn't sound too promising. So much for day-dreaming. Back to pounding out code!

Jordan · Sep 1, 2005

Yes, the Glycin and Glycine names are unfortunate.
Calcium carbonate is also not a suitable alkaline materials for making developers (it's not water-soluble!)

Gerald Koch · Sep 1, 2005

Acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol, is a derivative of paraminophenol (think Rodinal) and can be used as a developer. There was an article some years ago in one of the photo magazines describing how to use it. You might do a web search for more information.

BradS · Sep 1, 2005

Gerald Koch said:
Acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol, is a derivative of paraminophenol (think Rodinal) and can be used as a developer. There was an article some years ago in one of the photo magazines describing how to use it. You might do a web search for more information.

That's very interesting. I don't remember which movie it was, but I always think of those vietnam war photojournalist who (well in the movies anyway) wandered far from civilization and "made do" with whatever materials and makeshift equipment they could find. I often wonder if this is how they discoverd that instant coffee can be used to dev film.

Tylenol eh? who would have guessed? At least it has some use. Sure doesn't work on headaches.

Gerald Koch · Sep 1, 2005

BradS said:
I often wonder if this is how they discoverd that instant coffee can be used to dev film.

Coffee contains several compounds which are substituted catechols. If I remember rightly this was the tipoff since catechol is a developer.

There were two articles in the old Dignan Newsletter. One described the use of Tylenol and the other how to use a hair dye kit as a developer. One set of capsules in the kit contained paraphenylenediamine which is a fine grain developer.

Jerry

MattCarey · Sep 1, 2005

Are you sure that movie was Vietnam and not Cambodia? What's that movie where the journalists are hold up in the embassy and try to make a fake American passport to get their local assistant out?

Matt

jim appleyard · Sep 1, 2005

MattCarey said:
Are you sure that movie was Vietnam and not Cambodia? What's that movie where the journalists are hold up in the embassy and try to make a fake American passport to get their local assistant out?

Matt

Blazing Saddles

BradS · Sep 1, 2005

MattCarey said:
Are you sure that movie was Vietnam and not Cambodia? What's that movie where the journalists are hold up in the embassy and try to make a fake American passport to get their local assistant out?

Matt

Well, it's been an unusually crummy day today so I'm happy to have a diversion. Let's see, was it...Apocolypse Now!?

I think the photojournalist / Marlon Brando diciple at one point dev's a roll of film dip-n-dunk style in a bathroom sink. Was he using Folgers?

mmmichel · Sep 1, 2005

The film was "The Killing Fields". Great movie, but very disturbing.

BradS · Sep 1, 2005

mmmichel said:
The film was "The Killing Fields". Great movie, but very disturbing.

Ah, yes. I do believe you are correct sir. Forgot about that one. Excellent movie and, yes, I have to agree, not too easy to watch.

gnashings · Sep 2, 2005

Yep - Killing Fields - and it was Cambodia, dring the Khmer Rouge reign of terror... Pol Pot and his buddies shwing the mosre wonderful sides of human nature... very disturbing and powerful film.

As far as movies that feature photography in a prominent way, City of God has a nice vintage Nikon playing a central role.

And I also saw an exhibition of prints done by a local photographer from Toronto on urban decay and polution - the catch was, the prints were developed in water straight from Toronto harbor!

Donald Qualls · Sep 2, 2005

Well, for photography, and especially those who enjoy classic cameras, you should make a point to locate and watch "Photographing Fairies" -- set in the 1920s, it ranges from plate cameras used in studio with barrel lens and pan flash to the "latest" high speed films and miniature equipment; I seem to recall even the use of bulb flash (screw base bulbs, of course). And all in pursuit of photographs of fairies that look like decent 1920s vintage montage fakes...

titrisol · Sep 2, 2005

Those should be really helpful when you notice that the fixer went in before the developer!

Calcium Cabronate is poorly soluble in water when compared to Na- or K-Carbonate that are easy to find and cheaper

gainer · Sep 3, 2005

If Tylenol is close enough to p-aminophenol, maybe it will superadd to vitamin c. Then with a little laundry detergent for alkali, we would have a real household developer. It might cost more, but it would be fun. Coffee seems to make aspirin and tylenol work faster. A brew of coffee, tylenol and vitamin C with laundry detergent would at least make for good clean, healthy and painless negatives.

MattCarey · Sep 3, 2005

BradS said:
I was about to pop a couple Miralac antacid tablets when I noticed the active ingredient is Calcium Carbonate (420mg). Just below that, it says "with Glycine and mint flavor".

Back to this--why the antacids anyway Brad?

I just have the image in my head of this conversation:

"Honey, what if I keep the BMW and buy an 8x10 camera?"

That could possibly lead to an antacid encounter!

Matt

BradS · Sep 3, 2005

MattCarey said:
Back to this--why the antacids anyway Brad?

I just have the image in my head of this conversation:

"Honey, what if I keep the BMW and buy an 8x10 camera?"

That could possibly lead to an antacid encounter!

Matt

Naw, It was all about work. Too much coffee, too much stress, etc...

Antacid tablets and B&W developer chemistry

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