Fixing, Toning, Washing

Quite often when I am through a session which produces a lot of prints, I don't feel like giving them all my usual 30 minute final wash, especially since I have only a five-slot print washer. All the prints are fixed in a non-hardening fixer and just left out to dry, sometimes for days, sometimes longer.

Is this bad for the prints or does it really not matter how long I take before finishing them off? When I get around to it, my final procedure for toned prints is:

- wash 5-10'
- tone
- HCA 2-5'
- final wash of 30'

All other prints just get the HCA and final 30 minute wash.

Not exactly sure what you are asking, but. I regularly leave prints in a holding bath for two or three days, usually partially fixed (that is, after bath 1 of the two-bath fixer method) with no ill effects. If there were problems with this method, I imagine they would show in bleaching and toning, which in my experience they have not.

If there were questions about the quality of the tap water, I would think maybe this is not a good idea. But I have had no problems leaving stuff laying around.

My MO for fiber is a 30s fix in film-strength fixer, then a holding bath. After two or three days, when printing is done, everything gets the second fix bath, then sulfite bath, wash, squeegee, dry.

Saves lots of time.

Don,

This is certainly not best practice. The residual silver halides in an unwashed print will start degrading it immediately. The real risk is that some of the soluble compounds will become insoluble before you get to the wash stage due to degradation/oxidation/whatever or otherwise become unable to be washed out, which will ruin the print in the long run. I'm not exactly sure what the "limits" are here, but I'd sure try to get all my prints washed at the end of a session. You might want to see if you can find a washer with a larger capacity to add to your arsenal. Many are cheap used...

I'd also test for residual hypo if I were you. The Kodak HT-2 test is what you need for this. For testing residual silver (which you might want to do on prints that have sat for a long time before washing...) you can use Kodak ST-1 or, as I do, selenium toner can be used. Kodak recommends 1+9 dilution for this latter, but I use it stronger since I have a 1+2 mix around all the time.

For all the tests, place a drop on the white border (better, several drops all over a fully-fixed test print), wait three minutes and rinse off. Any discoloration other than a very faint yellow means: with HT-2, you need to wash more; with ST-1 or selenium toner, you're overusing your fixer or not fixing long enoug. It's best to fix a test sheet for longer than recommended in fresh fixer(s) and wash it for a couple of hours and then test it both tests to get your benchmarks.

Best,

Doremus

Thanks for the replies. I suspected that it was not a good thing to do. I think the larger print washer is the answer.

Rich, can you really leave prints in a bath for 3 days without the emulsion lifting off?

Doc W said:

Rich, can you really leave prints in a bath for 3 days without the emulsion lifting off?

Click to expand...

Rich might be able to, in my experience 1 day is about the limit. A few hours in a holding bath isn't a problem. You may want to change the water a few times though, especially during the time you are adding new prints.

As for letting them dry saturated with fixer or partially washed, not a good idea, for the reasons Doremus mentioned.