D76 variant (un-named

Ian Grant submitted a new resource:

(there was a url link here which no longer exists) - D76 variant (un-named

Buffered Borax Developer

This is a variant of D76 I'd not seen before, it came from the Kodak Research Laboratories and was published in 1934 in Camera, Philadelphia and the BJP 26th Oct 1934 page 638-9 (and the BJP Almanac 1935).

Metol 2 gm
Hydroquinone 5 gm
Sodium Sulphite (anhyd) 100 gm
Borax 2 gm
Boric Acid 14 gm
Water to 1 litre

(The formula was published to make 500ml, figures doubled to make 1 litre for comparative purposes)

Ruyuki Suzuki, Sliver...

Click to expand...

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

I have seen this published before, but the only name I have seen for this formula is "Buffered Borax".
I like the original D-76 (ID-11) formula, DK-76, Adox M.Q-Borax and an M.Q developer that I recently designed for one-shot use which is diluted 1+4 from stock and uses carbonate + bicarbonate instead of borates.

Keith Tapscott. said:

I have seen this published before, but the only name I have seen for this formula is "Buffered Borax".
I like the original D-76 (ID-11) formula, DK-76, Adox M.Q-Borax and an M.Q developer that I recently designed for one-shot use which is diluted 1+4 from stock and uses carbonate + bicarbonate instead of borates.

Click to expand...

It was in the BJP Almanac I lent you in Cornwall

My preference out of all the variants is Adox Borax MQ which I used commercially for a number of years and also used to supply to 2 coomercial studio's.

Crawley adds Carbonate & Metabisulphite in some of his formulae, this forms a Carbonate/Bicarbonate buffer according to Henn.

Ian

Ian Grant said:

It was in the BJP Almanac I lent you in Cornwall

My preference out of all the variants is Adox Borax MQ which I used commercially for a number of years and also used to supply to 2 coomercial studio's.

Crawley adds Carbonate & Metabisulphite in some of his formulae, this forms a Carbonate/Bicarbonate buffer according to Henn.

Ian

Click to expand...

Yes, which is why I included it in my M.Q one-shot developer for consistency.
I prefer using developers one-shot. It is similar to D-76/ID-11 diluted 1+1, but with a bit more `bite`.

Keith Tapscott. said:

I have seen this published before, but the only name I have seen for this formula is "Buffered Borax".
I like the original D-76 (ID-11) formula, DK-76, Adox M.Q-Borax and an M.Q developer that I recently designed for one-shot use which is diluted 1+4 from stock and uses carbonate + bicarbonate instead of borates.

Click to expand...

I use the carbonate / bicarbonate version as my standard developer. It gives similar tonality to standard ID11/D76 but a bit more sharpness that accentuates grain a little, which I like.

Try it with HP5+ (if you haven't already!)

What would be the 'real life' benefits of the boric acid buffered version?

Rob

The Buffered Borax version will gives better stability, Kodak published a number of variations. The commercial version of D76 is thought to be D76d which uses 8g Borax + 8g Boric acid as the buffer. A higher level of buffering will help maintain the pH particularly in replenished developer and also when used at 1+1 & 1+3.
,.
Ian

Ian, is there any evidence that the Borax-Boric acid buffering in D-76d has an effect on shelf life or maintaining a more stable level of activity with respect to storage duration?

I doubt it Brad but that doesn't mean it might not help.

D76 & D76d were designed for heavy use initially as cine developers. the buffering will make it more stable in any use., but will have little effect on it's shelf life.

Ian

Thanks Ian. I've always kinda wondered about that...but, not enough to actually devise and conduct an experiment.

Rob Archer said:

I use the carbonate / bicarbonate version as my standard developer. It gives similar tonality to standard ID11/D76 but a bit more sharpness that accentuates grain a little, which I like.

Try it with HP5+ (if you haven't already!)

What would be the 'real life' benefits of the boric acid buffered version?

Rob

Click to expand...

I`m glad that you`re getting getting good results with it Rob.
I am finding that it works well with all the B&W films I have used so far, from ISO 50 up to the ISO 400 speed group. I haven`t tried it yet with any films faster than ISO 400.
The development times as a guide are those for D-76/ID-11 when they are diluted 1+1, then adjust the times for the desired contrast if necessary. I see that you are getting results that you like with the development times extended around 10% longer than Ilford provide for ID-11 diluted 1+1.
The developer is already buffered and stores well.

'I haven`t tried it yet with any films faster than ISO 400. '

I'm part-way through a roll of 35mm Delta 3200 (rated 1600), I'll develop it in this and report back!

Rob

Rob Archer said:

I'm part-way through a roll of 35mm Delta 3200 (rated 1600), I'll develop it in this and report back!

Rob

Click to expand...

I look forward to seeing the results Rob.
If there is enough interest, I will post the formula on apug.

Ian Grant said:

Buffered Borax Developer

This is a variant of D76 I'd not seen before, it came from the Kodak Research Laboratories and was published in 1934 in Camera, Philadelphia and the BJP 26th Oct 1934 page 638-9 (and the BJP Almanac 1935).

Metol 2 gm
Hydroquinone 5 gm
Sodium Sulphite (anhyd) 100 gm
Borax 2 gm
Boric Acid 14 gm
Water to 1 litre

(The formula was published to make 500ml, figures doubled to make 1 litre for comparative purposes)

Ruyuki Suzuki, Sliver Garin.orb lists a D76x variant which is quite similar, but contains 0.125 gm Potassium Bromide & 15 gm Boric Acid.

Ian

Click to expand...

I have found this formula in "THE FOCAL ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PHOTOGRAPHY" on page 414 under the name of D-76a.

Aah Kieth I knew I had D76a somewhere, thanks

My copy's rather airline baggage unfriendly, so I gave my spare cpoy away on APUG, and the others in storage in the UK.

Ian

Ian Grant said:

Aah Keith I knew I had D76a somewhere, thanks

My copy's rather airline baggage unfriendly, so I gave my spare copy away on APUG, and the others in storage in the UK.

Ian

Click to expand...

Perhaps you could compile a list of the many D-76 derivatives one day Ian, along with their history and applications, perhaps a bit more in depth the Ryuji`s research on the Silver-grain site.
That should keep you busy in between the Windisch and Rodinal researches.
Interesting research you did on those developers by the way.

Keith Tapscott. said:

Perhaps you could compile a list of the many D-76 derivatives one day Ian,

Click to expand...

Ian Grant said:

Click to expand...

You have a fine collection of formulae Sir.
I have something to say about the replenisher for D-76d, but I will do a bit of research myself first, just to confirm my suspicions.

I still owe you the 1947 & 35 BJP Vintage as promised

But I've been sampling the 1910 and it's intoxicating

Ian

Ian Grant said:

I still owe you the 1947 & 35 BJP Vintage as promised

But I've been sampling the 1910 and it's intoxicating

Ian

Click to expand...

I`m glad you`re enjoying YE OLDE BJP`s, they are well worth having in your photographic library.

AFAIK, there is no official replenisher for D-76d, only the standard D-76R replenisher. There is also a modified replenishing method recommended by Kodak for use only with T-Max films which is made by taking 5 part of D-76 developer to 1 part of D-76R replenisher. A higher volume of this modified replenisher is used, compared with the standard replenisher. (Kodak Publication J-78).

Using a Modified Replenisher.
Prepare the modified replenisher by mixing D-76
Developer and D-76R Replenisher according to the
instructions on the packages. Then combine 5 parts of D-76
Developer with 1 part of D-76R Replenisher, and stir until
the solution is completely mixed. To determine the amount of
modified replenisher solution to mix, estimate the amount
you will need for 3 to 4 weeks. Then select packaged
developer and replenisher to mix this amount of replenisher
solution. For example, if you determine that you need 45.4 litres
(12 gallons) of modified replenisher solution, prepare a 38-litre
(10-gallon) package of D-76 Developer and two 3.8-litre
(1-gallon) packages of D-76R Replenisher, and then combine
these solutions. For consistent results, don’t store the mixed
modified replenisher solution for longer than 4 weeks. With low
utilization (when it takes longer than 1 month to turn over the
tank solution), discard the developer after 1 month.
The starting-point modified replenishment rate is 70 mL (2 1⁄2
fluidounces) for each 135-36 or 120 roll or 8 x 10-inch sheet (or
equivalent) processed. Monitor the developer activity with
KODAK Black-and-White Film Process Control Strips and
adjust the starting-point rate, if necessary, to keep the contrast of
the film within the required range.
Discard the developer after processing 9600 square inches of
film 3.8 litres (per gallon). Capacities in numbers of rolls or
sheets for various film sizes follow.

Using the Original Replenisher.
Add 22.2 to 29.6 mL (3⁄4 to 1 fluidounce) of replenisher (mixed
according to the instructions on the package) for each 135-36 or
120 roll or 8 x 10-inch sheet (or equivalent) processed. (This
rate is usually sufficient to compensate for normal carry-out of
developer from the tank, as well as chemical depletion.
However, if much more of the solution is lost in processing than
is replaced by replenishment, make up the loss by adding fresh
working-strength developer.) Stir or recirculate the solution
thoroughly after each addition of replenisher. Monitor the
developer activity with KODAK Black-and-White Film Process
Control Strips and adjust the starting-point rate, if necessary, to
keep the contrast of the film within the required range.

I think that so called D-76d replenisher might have came from Ryuji Suzuki who believed at the time as others did back then (including myself), that the commercially sold Kodak product was in fact the same formula as D-76d, which I now totally disagree with.

It appears to me, that Ryuji came up with that replenisher formula by calculating the weight of constituents required for 5 parts of D-76d developer to 1 part of standard D-76R replenisher to make 1 litre of stock modified replenisher according to Kodak`s suggestion for replenishing T-Max films.

Ilford also had a fact-sheet specifically for ID-11 where I find the replenishment volumes required confusing.

ID-11 Replenishment.

I`m not sure what to make of Ilford`s recommendations for replenishing ID-11 developer, as they give a table for so many millilitres of ID-11 replenisher for (Film-Formats X10). Does that mean a specific volume of replenisher for every 10 rolls or sheet sizes of a specific film format? As an example, they say 90ml of replenisher for 135-36 and 120 film rolls. :confused:

Speaking from experience we never replenished D76/ID-11 with anything close to the Kodak/Ilford recommendations.

The developer once seasoned has it's own dynamics, we replenished after roughly every 100 rolls of film, we never kept a roll count, it was all by instinct but it worked.

Until recently with my 2.5 litre stock I'd only replenish after every 10-15 films and my negatives were always very consistent.

I can't comment on Ryuji's recommendations, his website is one of the worst on the internet for listing incorrect formulae. He quotes from L.F.A. Mason yet still lists Ilford formulae with incorrect weights, wrong levels of Bromide in a warm tone developer etc, & then says it must be the paper

Ian