E6 processing, arista 3 bath kit--how much to wash??

[djacobox372]

Since kodak has stopped selling their one-use kits, I've had to start using the arista 3 bath kit from freestyle.

One problem I'm having, the instructions state that you have to do SEVEN washes between steps. Specifically they state that you should fill and empty the tube seven times.

This is really annoying, I only did two washes with the kodak kit, rotating each for about a minute.

Can I use the rotary method of washing with the arista kit and get away with just two washes, or am I asking for trouble?

 

[Photo Engineer]

If the kit uses a blix, then you are combining 2 steps with some powerful chemistry. It probably requires 2x the wash than the Kodak Bleach-wash-Fix-wash-Stab sequence. So using a Blix- longer wash-Stab seems reasonable to me. And, don't forget the Stabilzer. It i essential with E6. A FORMALIN stabilizer I might add.

PE

 

[djacobox372]

The arista kit doesn't recommend a final stabilizer bath (I don't think any do in the US), instead it appears that they mix the stabilizer into the 2nd color developer and/or the blix.

 

[Photo Engineer]

The formalin in the stabilizer is totally incompatible with color develpers and ammonia containing bleach fixes (blixes). If the blix is Sodium based, it is too weak in activity to remove all of the silver from the film.

PE