Does this have any photo application?

[Flotsam]

I was watching one of those home shopping shows and they were selling a device that sucks the air out of partially used bottles of wine and seals them to keep them fresh. I am wondering whether something like that would be useful to prevent oxidation of photographic solutions.

Any thoughts?

 

[Ed Sukach]

I was watching one of those home shopping shows and they were selling a device that sucks the air out of partially used bottles of wine and seals them to keep them fresh. I am wondering whether something like that would be useful to prevent oxidation of photographic solutions.
Any thoughts?

I'm wondering as well. It should ... but???

 

[Sean]

Some gum, a soda straw, and lung power is all you really need. KIDDING!

 

[clogz]

Well, to remove oxygen from bottles of dev. etc. the best you can use is Tetenal Protectan spray. If this should not be available in the US just put in some drops of ether on top of the solution. Old trick, works fine.

 

[Sean]

Does anyone use those bottles that compress down in size? They seem ok but I wonder if they collect junk in the cracks?

 

[photomc]

Sean, I used to use those bottles (made by Falcon, I think), but you are correct - They worked really well, but over time I did start to see a build of junk in the cracks. Still have them, just prefer the old brown plastic jugs. Have heard of someone using nitrogen gas to evacuate the air? Does anyone know how much difference this makes? If so what difference with dev. vs fix (stop bath and toners?)???

 

[Jorge Oliveira]

Tetenal Protectan = Propane+butane -> gas lighter refuel.
It works, I use it.

Jorge O

 

[jbj]

Bubbling nitrogen (or argon) through a solution works well. I regularly use this method. Both are very cheap.

 

[Sean]

What about bladder style bags? Seems like they would work well?

 

[Aggie]

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[Donald Miller]

I was watching one of those home shopping shows and they were selling a device that sucks the air out of partially used bottles of wine and seals them to keep them fresh. I am wondering whether something like that would be useful to prevent oxidation of photographic solutions.

Any thoughts?

To evacuate the air from a container would bring about a vacuum of some depth. Plastic containers would tend to collapse inward from the greater air pressure on the outside wall of the container. Glass would probably be more effective for this. It would require a fairly adequate seal to prevent atmospheric pressure from reintroducing air into the container.

I use the Evac containers for some of my chems. They are more prone to leakage (in my experience) along the ribs that flex. The dirt consideration isn't too big a problem. Fairly easy to rinse them off with running water.

 

[jbj]

Dry ice is frozen carbon dioxide. This could alter the pH of the because carbon dioxide is in equilibrium with carbonic acid in solution. But it would give a nice effect

 

[photomc]

Aggie, Big problem with dry ice would be if the cap were placed on tight, good chance that the bottle would explode. We use to do this while I was in the Army..worked in a medical lab, one of the guys placed some dry ice in a bottle like the ones we all use our photo chemicals and BOOM!!! Not so much a danger, as it would create a heck of a mess.

 

[glbeas]

One sour note with the collapsible jugs, especially the bellows type is the plastic is slightly permeable to oxygen and for long term storage is less than ideal. Also I've noted complaints about the pleats cracking when the jugs get a bit on the old side.
As a side note some buddies of mine used to play with the dry ice putting it into a soda bottle with some water and capping it. The bottle was placed on the ground and everyone left the vicinity in a grreat hurry to watch from a safe distance as the jug exploded with enough force to take all the grass off the spot the bottle occupied.

 

[Flotsam]

I just thought that those wine accessories would be a handy, ever-ready way to evacuate air from bottles in the darkroom... if they do the job.

Sean,
I used those compression bottles in the Gallon size. They worked fine and as far as I know repeated hot water rinses between uses kept them clean inside. One problem was that they tended to slump over (like a Slinky) making storing them on a shelf a bit ungainly. No big problem though.

Jorge,
How do you get the butane into the solution bottle? Do you use a tube? I assume that if you invert the refill can, it will spew liquid butane into the bottle.

Gary,
Now that is just childish.
(Can't wait to try it )

 

[photomc]

Neal,
Good point and good comparison to a Slinky...Hah! had forgot about that, even the smaller ones would do that...seems like the fuller they were, the problem was.
Mike

 

[Aggie]

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