freezing developer?

jnovek · Oct 29, 2009

I have occasionally had Dektol stock precipitate out below 45F or so, but never anything else. I just toss the bottles in a bucket of hot water for 20 minutes or so and everything dissolves back in.

But I might be doing it wrong, because like some of the other posters I reuse my mixed developer for multiple printing sessions .

Jason

brianmquinn · Oct 29, 2009

brianmquinn said:
My Xtol long term test has gone over 3 years now will no noticable loss of activity.

By this I mean I made up fresh Xtol and stored it in full glass bottles. I use 330ml bottles so I get 15 from a 5 liter packet. Kodak says Xtol is only good for 6 months after mixing. I set some bottles aside and every 6 months test one to see if it works as good as fresh (under 6 month old) Xtol. So far the stuff I mixed up 3 and a half years ago is still good. Four year test coming soon. Sadly I do not think I will live long enough to do a 50 year test like was done with FX-1.

Alexander Ghaffari · Oct 29, 2009

brianmquinn said:
By this I mean I made up fresh Xtol and stored it in full glass bottles. I use 330ml bottles so I get 15 from a 5 liter packet. Kodak says Xtol is only good for 6 months after mixing. I set some bottles aside and every 6 months test one to see if it works as good as fresh (under 6 month old) Xtol. So far the stuff I mixed up 3 and a half years ago is still good. Four year test coming soon. Sadly I do not think I will live long enough to do a 50 year test like was done with FX-1.

Interesting...I have been debating if I should put my unopened plastic 1L bottle of AGFA Studional in a glass bottle...I need to find a decent glass bottle of perhaps 1/3L or 1/2L.

Dave Krueger · Oct 30, 2009

naugastyle said:
Oh yes, I should mention I'm only making 5x7s for the most part, so using even less developer than you are. Maybe I'll buy a soda this weekend before heading to the darkroom just to have somewhere to save the used developer .

naugastyle,

I looked at the chart I have on my wall last night and it puts the capacity of one gallon of working strength Dektol at 97 8x10s. I tend to throw it out before I do that many prints, though (especially if it's old). It also says the shelf life is 6 months, but I use it well past that if it's been sitting there unused. I made the chart a long time ago and couldn't tell you where I got the info.

naugastyle · Oct 30, 2009

Excellent, Dave. Thanks so much. Considering I usually mix 600ml at the most and each long session produces so many prints including tests/mistakes, I might only be able to save the solution for one additional session...I'll give it a try.

Anon Ymous · Oct 30, 2009

Murray Kelly said:
I have some FX-1 stock 'A' done up in glass sealed ampoules in 1960 that work fine with fresh stock 'B'.
That's 50 years next year. I made them up when I read and used the Crawley series on his FX developers.
Murray

Is that the part containing Metol, sulfite and potassium iodide? If so, it's amazing!

clayne · Oct 30, 2009

naugastyle said:
Excellent, Dave. Thanks so much. Considering I usually mix 600ml at the most and each long session produces so many prints including tests/mistakes, I might only be able to save the solution for one additional session...I'll give it a try.

Additionally if you're not sure that the print you're working on is going to be what you want, don't waste a sheet of paper on it. Cut it up and use strips to gauge contrast/exposure. Easier on the developer/fixer and less wasted paper.

RalphLambrecht · Oct 30, 2009

clayne said:
Additionally if you're not sure that the print you're working on is going to be what you want, don't waste a sheet of paper on it. Cut it up and use strips to gauge contrast/exposure. Easier on the developer/fixer and less wasted paper.

Good advise. Test strips are undervalued!

Murray Kelly · Oct 31, 2009

Anon Ymous said:
Is that the part containing Metol, sulfite and potassium iodide? If so, it's amazing!

Yes. The ampoules are sodium glass and not as strong as most commercial ones so a few broke in the box over the years but the survivors' contents when mixed with the carbonate work fine. I calculated how much in 10ml it would need to dilute to 250ml in my tank. A quick guestimate now would say about 2 and a half times stronger than the given formula?
These filled ampoules are put in a jig and a flame from the side heats the long neck and the operator lifts off the excess and the glass collapses/closes over the gap. After that nothing gets in/out unless you crack it open. All part of being a medical student and engaged to a lab tech in the Path Dept. She still cooks my dinners.
Murray

freezing developer?

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