Dilute Paper Developers (Liquidol) - More Control?

Beer's at 1:7 works well. Same formula as Ansco 120 but 2/3
the strength; so Ansco 120, 1:11. Dektol, at 1:7 or 1:11 should
work well. Development times increase with increases in dilution.

Play with it some. Use minimal solution volumes with enough
chemistry to do the job and you've got one-shot chemistry.
I follow my one-shot developer with one-shot fixer, also
very dilute. Single tray processing. Dan

 

I am using VC Papers, so I have no experience with paper/developer combinations. But I have used different developers at different dilutions on ortho films, recently including Liquidol 1+19, D-23, Harmann WT, all different dilutions. It appears, that you have to find a combination of materials, that work for you in your situation. (For ortho my preference is Harman.) You might be very happy with Liquidol for Galerie paper but not so much when using another paper. For paper I use Liquidol as well, maybe I will try other dilutions. Maybe PE can chip in and say a word.
Dan: I read about your use of diluted fix as a one shot in another thread as well. I had never heard about that, but it sounds very interesting to me. How do you know for sure what dilution and time to use for archival results? (I use T-4.)
Stefan

 

I've run tests. The amount of fixer concentrate used must clear,
with some margine, within four minutes. Four minutes being
somewhat arbitrarly chosen. I use slow rather than 'rapid'
fix. A print size of 5x7 is used for establishing the base
amount. Papers vary in the amount of fixer needed.

Testing is done with unexposed paper and after a complete
wash the ST-1 drop test is used. The sulfide in the test solution
will produce a stain if silver remains in the emulsion. Gross
under amounts of fixer will produce, after short exposure
to room light, a gray or colored paper.

Test with minimal solution volumes. With 8x10s 1/4 to 1/3
liter will do. Agitate continuously. The fixer is very dilute.
To stir pull the print over upon itself back to front right
to left. For starters use 10 ml of concentrate or about
half that for 5x7s then up or down it from there.
Time, perhaps 3, maybe four minutes.

Besides fresh fix each, or a few at same time processed,
the low silver level in the fixer guarantees archival results
with one fix. Fixer volume must be a multiple of the number
of prints at same time processed. As there is no build up of
developer in the fixer I've dispensed with stop, water or
acid. No problems. Dan

 

Thank you much, Dan. I will give it a try!
Stefan

 

Matthew:

You might consider sending a PM to PE with any questions you have about diluting Liquidol .

Matt