Beutler’s and Meine Dunkelkammer Praxis

[anyhuus]

This is a question for those of you into the Beutler formula, and that have a copy of Willi Beutler’s reference book ”Meine Dunkelkammer Praxis”.
In my copy of the book (6th edition), he first of all provides the formula for what is known today as Beutler’s high accutance developer (page 33 – ”Neue Kleinbildfilme”). In the book, the formula is provided as a certain mix of some base-solutions that he describes at the beginning of the book (page 16 – ”Stammlösungen”), but both in terms of resulting stock solution and working solution, this is identical to the Beutler’s formula described
(there was a url link here which no longer exists) in apug.org.
This is all fine. However, at the end of the same chapter (page 36), Willi Beutler described how he filled a mix of 250ml stock solution A and 250ml stock solution B on to 20 bottles of 25ml, which he then later used one such bottle to mix with 475 ml water for a 500ml working solution. My German is a bit rusty, but I cannot understand this. The original Beutler formula results in a consentration of 1 gram metol per liter working solution. Doing it the way he describes with the 25ml bottles, would result in a consentration of only 0,25 gram metol per liter working solution. Are my maths wrong (or perhaps my understanding of German), or is there some mis-typing in Willi Beutler’s otherwise good reference book?

 

[dancqu]

Doing it the way he describes with the 25ml bottles,
would result in a consentration of only 0,25 gram metol
per liter working solution. Are my maths wrong ...

Your math is correct. If he used a full liter, OK.
Half that amount and I'd have doubts. Then again
he did have very slow thin emulsion films in mind.
Surface development was an objective. Very
dilute and very active compensating
developers resulted.

From P. Dignan's Classic B&W Formulas the formula is:
1.0, 5.0, 5.85 grams - metol, S. sulfite, S. carbonate
mono. I think the trace of iodide optional.

FX-1, Ansco 120, and Beer's A are similar brews.
All, including Beutler's, can make a good print
developer and as variations on the same,
can make good film developers.

BTW, what is Calgon doing in that formula to which
you pointed. I've not ever seen that included. That
100 grams of S. carbonate I think an error. The B
solution of hydroquinone makes of Beutler's a
Beer's A & B VC paper developer. Dan

 

[titrisol]

Calgon is used to counteract hard water

 

[dancqu]

Calgon is used to counteract hard water

I'm questioning the formula referred to in an earlier
post this thread. I don't think it correct. Dan

 

[Ole]

I'm questioning the formula referred to in an earlier
post this thread. I don't think it correct. Dan

It's correct. Taken from 1st edition, checked against 6th edition.

Calgon is a "metal ion scavenger" (like EDTA), an additive to many commercial formulae. Leaving it out does no harm.

 

[dancqu]

It's correct. Taken from 1st edition,
checked against 6th edition.

My quick reading of the formula you posted was at fault.
Your posted and P. Dignan's listed formula are both correct.
To make 1 liter of working strength, Beutler's "original" calls
for a 50ml of a 100gr 1 liter solution of S. carbonate
anhydrous. The listed formula calls for 5.85
grams of S. carbonate mono.

I'd consider the bromide more easy to work with as the
iodide is used at a parts per million level. Dan