General Darkroom Tips/Tricks Thread

[samcomet]

also forget to mention in my earlier post ... now that Tetenal is no longer with us and their Ag-Fix not available any more (in Australia at any rate) ...... I found a fair few similar on that usual auction site from China and at an incredibly cheap price (⅓ the price) by comparison. They do not however measure ph only silver concentration. Ph kits are easily obtained from any pet shop that sells fish if need be.
cheers,
sam

 

[craigclu]

I was just organizing some old files and stumbled into this tally/analysis sheet for shutter testing. I may have posted this before at some point but in case it's of use to you.... It assumes a sequence test from slowest to fastest, then from fast to slow and a third test from from slowest again. This analyzes the consistency of the shutter speed at each setting. Not perfect but it might save you some grief and time in setting something up for yourself.

 

[KenS]

Recovering Silver from used fixer
Rather than dumping used fixer down the drain and into either the local sewer system, or to your septic tank, I pour it into a large 'carboy. Adding 'used'- but not dead 'print' or 'film' developer... agitate (and I don't mean being mean or 'shouting' at it) leave it to 'stand" for a while, Carefully decant... or syphon off as much of the liquid as possible.. maybe a further was 'wash' (or two) with clean water let it settle again, The precipitate at the bottom of the container is what is known as "Black silver" probably the 'purest of silver you will find....
Have it melted down in a muffle furnace.... after it cools down.... to a 'lump of pure silver, you could probably sell quite readily it at your 'favourite' jewellery repair shop.

Ken
[Who will gladly accept a small $$ percentage... ]

 

[Robbas]

also forget to mention in my earlier post ... now that Tetenal is no longer with us and their Ag-Fix not available any more (in Australia at any rate) ...... I found a fair few similar on that usual auction site from China and at an incredibly cheap price (⅓ the price) by comparison. They do not however measure ph only silver concentration. Ph kits are easily obtained from any pet shop that sells fish if need be.
cheers,
sam

Do you have any links or further information on cheap silver test strips?

I tried finding them, but unfortunately with no luck. Keywords like silver test strips, silver tester, ag-fix, silver concentration, etc on AliExpress and eBay didn’t show any results for test strips which show the actual silver concentration (and when it’s time to discard the fixer)

Cheers
Robert

 

[John51]

Recovering Silver from used fixer
Rather than dumping used fixer down the drain and into either the local sewer system, or to your septic tank, I pour it into a large 'carboy. Adding 'used'- but not dead 'print' or 'film' developer... agitate (and I don't mean being mean or 'shouting' at it) leave it to 'stand" for a while, Carefully decant... or syphon off as much of the liquid as possible.. maybe a further was 'wash' (or two) with clean water let it settle again, The precipitate at the bottom of the container is what is known as "Black silver" probably the 'purest of silver you will find....
Have it melted down in a muffle furnace.... after it cools down.... to a 'lump of pure silver, you could probably sell quite readily it at your 'favourite' jewellery repair shop.

Ken
[Who will gladly accept a small $$ percentage... ]

What ratio of developer to fixer?

 

[KenS]

What ratio of developer to fixer?

John

I'm sorry but I don't have a clue .. I just know it works well enough for me.... I don't really know of any "how'' to measure' the efficacy of either but I have proven it works well enough for me. If its not 100%... its is still better than having all that silver in used fixer going 'down the drain' with no 'financial' return for so doing.

When you have 'tried' it and proven to yourself it 'works' please let me know

Ken

 

[samcomet]

Do you have any links or further information on cheap silver test strips?

I tried finding them, but unfortunately with no luck. Keywords like silver test strips, silver tester, ag-fix, silver concentration, etc on AliExpress and eBay didn’t show any results for test strips which show the actual silver concentration (and when it’s time to discard the fixer)

Cheers
Robert

Hiya Robert,
Sorry that I didn't see your message earlier, I guess that my "subscription" to this thread is not working. This is the link to the test strips:

https://www.ebay.com/p/100-Strips-SSS-Fixing-Bath-Fixer-AG-Silver-Test-Paper-j568-YH/874188792

Good luck and I do hope that you are as pleased with the results as I am.

cheers for now,
Sam
P.S. I have noticed that there are others out there on the same site but this is the one I used.......

 

[Pieter12]

I have a couple of sheets of graph paper cut to 8x10 and 11x14 that I put in the easel after focusing to help square up the horizon, buildings, etc.

 

[abruzzi]

I have a couple of sheets of graph paper cut to 8x10 and 11x14 that I put in the easel after focusing to help square up the horizon, buildings, etc.

Great idea!

 

[David Brown]

I have a couple of sheets of graph paper cut to 8x10 and 11x14 that I put in the easel after focusing to help square up the horizon, buildings, etc.

I do this as well. Plus, I use graph paper to set margins on 4 blade easels.

 

[Patrick Robert James]

Instead of flashing your paper under your enlarger, which is inconsistent of course, put a small nightlight wrapped in ND up near the ceiling. Test it once and it will always be good. No more tests! It makes flashing a whole lot more convenient. I have the night light wired to a second timer I use for timing development so I just need to switch the channel and hit the start button. One of the easiest, cheapest, best things I've ever done in the darkroom. I used to loath flashing paper.

 

[Neal]

I'm glad this thread made a comeback.