Developing My First Prints Help

dustym · Oct 23, 2005

Tommorrow I will be developing my first prints using a multigrade paper, I will be using paterson universal developer for this. On the instructions it gives quantity for film developer but no dilution/quantity for developing the print. For example dilution of 1+ 19 15ml makes 300ml for film development but for paper development it mentions 1 + 4 but no quantities of chem to water i.e. 20 ml developer makes (x) solution for coverage in a 10 x 8 tray or would the 300ml solution be sufficient for the tray mixed to a 1 to 4 ratio to make 300 ml

Please throw some light on this for me

rgds
Dusty

Andy K · Oct 23, 2005

I usually make up a litre each of developer, stop and fixer for trays (I use 10x8 trays). You can get away with 500ml if you want, but it'll be shallow and you'll have to make sure it covers the print
. I use Ilford Multigrade paper developer which dilutes at 1+9, which is a bit more economical than 1+4. I usually get two or three printing sessions, over about 48 hours, out of that litre before I bin it.

For a litre of your developer that would be 200ml of developer to 800ml water.

Hope that helps.

Bob Carnie · Oct 23, 2005

Dusty

I would think if the bottle says 1 plus for to make a paper working solution I would take 1part chem and 4 parts water.
ie 1000ml chemical to 4000 water for a total of 5 litres of working solution.

hope this helps
bob

dustym · Oct 23, 2005

Thanks mate, real help , did not have any concept on the coverage or the rule of thumb quantity in the trays.

Chuck_P · Oct 23, 2005

300 ml is just 10 ounces, that would be 60 ml chemical and 240 ml of water for a 1:4 in 300 ml of solution (hope that math is right)-------doesn't seem like enough to me, but I don't use that developer.

I use dektol in an 8x10 tray 1:2 with 16 oz water and 8 oz of dektol; a total of 24 oz of luquid is plenty for an 8x10 tray, I think. hope this helps.

For sure 32 oz is enough. In your case I think that would be: 32 oz / 5 parts (i.e., 1:4) for 6.4 oz per part. So, 6.4 oz of chemical to 25.6 oz of water to make 32 oz of solution of your developer.

CP

dustym · Oct 23, 2005

Thankyou for such a quick reply it was the tray quantity that stumped me and the n the operation dilution

rgds

jim appleyard · Oct 23, 2005

dustym said:
Please throw some light on this for me
rgds
Dusty

I really hope this was UN-intentional! The last thing we need around here is someone with a sense of humor

Andy K · Oct 23, 2005

I would also suggest a practice run with one litre of water in a tray and then 500ml of water in a tray. so you can see the depths and amounts for yourself and decide which you're more comfortable with using.

Nige · Oct 23, 2005

I use to use 800ml of mixed solution in 8x10 trays as I found it a nice balance between not enough to sink* a print quickly and having too much in there that if your a bit careless when agitating, some could spill over the edge. I now use a bit over 1lt (1000ml) as I find filling my bottle completely make's it keep much longer. If I was turfing it after each session I'd go back to 800ml.

* actually slide the print in by poking the end you haven't got hold of, emulsion side up, into the solution a third to half way along the tray and sliding it under the solution to the end, then lift the tray to run solution over the rest of the print. No need to touch the print with your tongs to get it under the solution quickly.

srs5694 · Oct 24, 2005

Nige said:
I use to use 800ml of mixed solution in 8x10 trays as I found it a nice balance between not enough to sink* a print quickly and having too much in there that if your a bit careless when agitating, some could spill over the edge. I now use a bit over 1lt (1000ml) as I find filling my bottle completely make's it keep much longer.

I've got a collection of glass jars that used to hold liquid and semi-liquid food products. The easiest to collect this way are ~500ml, but 26-ounce spaghetti sauce jars hold close to 800ml (I don't recall the precise value, though). I've stored paper developer in these jars quite successfully. If you prefer working with this amount of developer, you might look into re-using a jar or two in this way.

Edit: I just noticed you're in Australia, where I presume most foodstuffs come in metric containers. I don't know if you'd have any readily available of a suitable size, but you could peruse your supermarket aisles next time you're there with an eye to re-using jars.

dustym · Oct 24, 2005

What a forum, thanks very much for all the info, its good to know theres always somebody to help

rgds
Dusty

gnashings · Oct 24, 2005

I am clumsy - so I found that while 500ml is more than enough in an 8x10 tray, I like to use 750ml or 1L, simply because I agitate by stirring with tongues, and that amount allows me to move the solution without touching the print. The minute I get to tipping the trays, etc... it just becomes a lot more cleaning in my bathroom after it returns to being that And dektol makes really ugly stains - I dont know about the developer you are using, but I assume it would not be nice either.

dancqu · Oct 25, 2005

dustym said:
...for paper development it mentions 1 + 4 but no quantities

I process prints by hand. I don't like tongs and have no need
for gloves. I've recently adopted a new technique for agitation;
no more moving the tray, stirring the solution, or shaking
the print.

After inserting the print, a bit of back-and-forth, and noting
the induction time, I begin a folding agitation. From the far end
I pull the paper over upon itself and toward the near end. If the
emulsion were up to start it is then down. I repeat right to left;
now emulsion up. That agitation technique continues until
the print has had enough time in the developer.

Of course a large volume of solution at some dilution will
process more prints than a smaller volume at the same
dilution. There is no magic volume, or dilution for that
matter. I think you'll find eight ounces plenty and
would suggest pre-wetting the paper and giving
four ounces a try. You'll probably be surprised
how well small volumes do work. Dan

srs5694 · Oct 25, 2005

gnashings said:
I agitate by stirring with tongues

What does the developer taste like? Sorry, couldn't resist; that typo just screamed to be commented upon.

Developing My First Prints Help

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency