D-76H: Replacing 2.0g Borax

baachitraka · Apr 5, 2014

Right now I do not have Borax in stock. After reading Darkroom Cookbook it may be possible to replace 2.0g of Borax either with 10.0g of Sodium Metaborate or with 8.0g of Sodium Carbonate, monohydrate.

I am thinking to go with Sodium Metaborate and wonder how the tones and contrast will be when diluted (1+1) and compare to D-23(1+1).

I mix when needed, so the shelf-life or the grain is not so important for me.

Ian Grant · Apr 5, 2014

I'd use Metaborate, it'll have slightly greater activity due ti a slight increase in pH. At 1+1 it'll be barely noticeable.

Ian

baachitraka · Apr 5, 2014

Thanks. May be I have a chance to compare D-23 and D-76H of two rolls shot on similar light.

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David Lyga · Apr 5, 2014

Please see below. - David Lyga

David Lyga · Apr 5, 2014

Adding that mount (8 g) of sodium carbonate is going to make that developer far more potent than you had intended it to be. Do 'clip tests' to prevent wasting and entire roll. - David Lyga

baachitraka · Apr 5, 2014

I will go with Sodium Metaborate and see how it goes.

Gerald C Koch · Apr 5, 2014

Here in the US you can purchase borax of sufficient purity in the grocery store. It is used for washing and general purpose cleaning. The product contains just borax and no other additives. Perhaps you can find the same in Germany.

Xmas · Apr 5, 2014

It used to be available as a laundry aid in uk, but it has been withdrawn and you can only buy it as a more expensive hazchem.

Think the water treatment people did not like it.

john_s · Apr 5, 2014

I am about to try DK-76b because I need to make some very large volumes of a standard type of developer. This article encouraged me:

http://www.udmercy.edu/crna/agm/phenvitc.htm

baachitraka · Apr 5, 2014

I changed my mind and decided to stay with D-23(1+1). May be one I Will try to use DD-23 when a roll or two need some extreme contrast control. Until then it will be D-23(1+1).

Gerald C Koch · Apr 5, 2014

Xmas said:
It used to be available as a laundry aid in uk, but it has been withdrawn and you can only buy it as a more expensive hazchem.

Think the water treatment people did not like it.

If you can get it my suggestion would be to substitute a molar equivalent amount of sodium sesquicarbonate (trisodium hydrogen dicarbonate dihydrate CAS 533-96-0) for the borax. It will produce a very similar pH, pH 9.9 for a 1% solution. There should be no haznat problems. You can also make it yourself from sodium bicarbonate and sodium carbonate in equal molar amounts. It crystalizes from water as needle-like crystals. An easy synthesis.

presspass · Apr 7, 2014

Metaborate works well if the substitution is of equal quantity, i.e. 2 grams. I did that with a recent mix, using 2 g. metol, 100 g. sulfite, and 2 g metaborate. The grain is slightly greater. BTW, there is a website that lists many of the alternates to ID11/D-76 and this one is DK-76b. I would think 10 g. of metaborate would be excessive, but you don't know until you try. In the meantime, I, too, have gone back to D-23 as my standard.

baachitraka · Apr 7, 2014

I saw the formula in the link posted by john_s. But then it may end up something like D-76. Right now quite happy with D-23(1+1), incident metering the shadows at box speed with required adjustments.
I developed two rolls shot in identical lighting conditions, one with 13 mins and other with 11 mins. I could not say anything about highlight densities yet. May print this weekend and see what other adjustments are required.

I may prepare a table of development times for different lighting conditions at first for landscapes and nature portraits.

Athiril · Apr 7, 2014

I would reach for sodium bicarbonate. It reacts with both acids and bases, really useful stuff.

snapguy · Apr 7, 2014

Tres droll.

Ronald Moravec · Apr 8, 2014

Go to the laundry aisle and buy "20 mule team" borax. $2 will get three lifetimes supply. Been using it decades now.

D-76H: Replacing 2.0g Borax

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