• Welcome to Photrio!
    Registration is fast and free. Join today to unlock search, see fewer ads, and access all forum features.
    Click here to sign up

Getting place for 1 gallon amber or brown bottles

Recent Classifieds

Forum statistics

Threads
201,818
Messages
2,830,626
Members
100,970
Latest member
Gonew/thewind
Recent bookmarks
0

nsurit

Subscriber
Allowing Ads
Joined
Jan 27, 2005
Messages
1,809
Location
Texas Hill Country
Format
Multi Format
Any suggestions for where to get amber/brown 1 gallon bottles with good sealing caps for storing chemicals. My assumption is that amber/brown is the preferred color and glass the material. Open to suggestions. I'm not looking for the cheapest, unless that happens to also be the best. Bill Barber
 

GregW

Member
Allowing Ads
Joined
Dec 10, 2012
Messages
319
Location
East Coast
Format
Multi Format
Brown glass beer growler. From a place that sells brew your own stuff.
 

ArgentixCa

Advertiser
Advertiser
Allowing Ads
Joined
Jun 9, 2013
Messages
56
Location
Racine, QC,
Format
35mm
Hi nsurit!

Up here in Canada, I use to get my 1-gallon bottles - and of smaller size - from the home beer- and wine-making stores.
The caps are phenol-type, and tight enough for my liquid stuff.

May not be the cheapest, but the best for sure.
 

Loren Sattler

Subscriber
Allowing Ads
Joined
Dec 25, 2005
Messages
384
Location
Toledo, Ohio
Format
Medium Format
Bought a one gallon amber glass bottle from B&H recently for about $18.
 

bvy

Member
Allowing Ads
Joined
Jul 22, 2009
Messages
3,285
Location
Pittsburgh
Format
Multi Format
If you order from Specialty Bottle, you have to ask for the polyseal caps. They don't show up on their website or online store as options (even though they do have different caps available). This means you have to call the order in, or correspond with someone via e-mail. A minor inconvenience, but they're worth the extra effort. I've kept C-41 developer in (full) bottles as small as 60ml for six months or longer with no degradation. Also, I've found the folks at Specialty Bottle very nice to deal with.
 

mgb74

Subscriber
Allowing Ads
Joined
Jan 24, 2005
Messages
4,783
Location
MN and MA US
Format
Multi Format
Mine came (many years ago) from a university chemistry department. Not sure if they still use glass for most chemicals now.
 

chrisaisenbrey

Member
Allowing Ads
Joined
Jan 9, 2011
Messages
154
Location
Kehl/Strasbo
Format
Multi Format
Mine came (many years ago) from a university chemistry department. Not sure if they still use glass for most chemicals now.

Oh yes of cause.. many solvents still come in glass bottles and they end up in the glass waste when they are empty. However I guess even in the US they are rather in metric size (1l and 2.5l)

I use empty acetonitrile bottles from Sigma. I just leave them open in the hood for some days to remove the last traces of acetonitrile, but we do this anyway before we put them to the glass waste.
 

darkroommike

Subscriber
Allowing Ads
Joined
Mar 22, 2007
Messages
1,738
Location
Iowa
Format
Multi Format
I've bought brown glass bottles from Zoro here in the USA, free shipping on orders of $50 or more last I checked. They list on Ebay from time to time, too.
 

Maris

Member
Allowing Ads
Joined
Jan 17, 2006
Messages
1,594
Location
Noosa, Australia
Format
Multi Format
I reckon one gallon bottles are too big. They are heavy, hard to handle, and the consequences of breaking a full one are dire. The contents of a big bottle can spend a long time in contact with air if you are just drawing portions from time to time. I make up gallon quantities of processing solutions but I store them in many small full bottles; easy to handle, safer, minimal oxidation.
 

JunkyardJesse

Member
Allowing Ads
Joined
Aug 17, 2016
Messages
7
Location
Palmer, Alaska
Format
35mm
I agree with the beer growlers. Often around here you can find them in a liquor store with a "growler bar" which is becoming very trendy. $5 a pop. I don't know if they're the best but it's a glass bottle with a lid, how much can you improve on that?

I keep my 1L solutions in empty PBR 40's but then again I don't use a stop bath so ya'know.
 

kreeger

Member
Allowing Ads
Joined
Jun 21, 2009
Messages
207
Location
Missouri
Format
Multi Format
I have been recycling - I use the 1 Gallon Arizona Tea jugs made of extra heavy duty plastic. Going strong 4 years, and they work great.
When they are empty the first time, I use hot water to let them soak overnight when they are empty to get any remaining product out. Tea won't impregnate the plastic at all.

They are too nice to toss away and they have a nice strong handle and cap that won't leak with some paper seal on it.
I use them for premixed stop bath, F6 and Kodafix fixer, Hypo Clearing Agent, and Tmax RS developer.

They are way nicer than the bottles I have seen at photo stores.
 

Arklatexian

Member
Allowing Ads
Joined
Jul 28, 2014
Messages
1,777
Location
Shreveport,
Format
Multi Format
Any suggestions for where to get amber/brown 1 gallon bottles with good sealing caps for storing chemicals. My assumption is that amber/brown is the preferred color and glass the material. Open to suggestions. I'm not looking for the cheapest, unless that happens to also be the best. Bill Barber

I have only kept developers in amber/brown bottles. Clear "white" glass has always worked for me to keep "hypo", etc. in. As one of this group recommends, I had rather keep my developers in 1 qt/1000 ml amber glass bottles than in gallon size containers. With fixer, I do use gallon size containers. Do you think Shiners would have "growlers" for sale? I would not mind having to empty the growler from there before converting it to darkroom use...Regards!
 

silveror0

Member
Allowing Ads
Joined
Dec 3, 2007
Messages
364
Location
Seattle area, WA
Format
Large Format
If you order from Specialty Bottle, you have to ask for the polyseal caps. They don't show up on their website or online store as options (even though they do have different caps available). This means you have to call the order in, or correspond with someone via e-mail. A minor inconvenience, but they're worth the extra effort. I've kept C-41 developer in (full) bottles as small as 60ml for six months or longer with no degradation. Also, I've found the folks at Specialty Bottle very nice to deal with.

I'm in the process this week of putting an order together with Specialty Bottle, and communicating with them via email so far they've said that the largest polyseal caps they can provide are size 33/400; they fit the 32oz Boston round glass bottles. The polyseal caps must be requested with the order. Larger size bottles take the metal plastisol lined cap; they've never had a customer complaint about these caps leaking. It's nice having them close enough for a walk-in order and avoid shipping costs here in Seattle. I've used them before and have been very pleased. For the 32oz and 64oz sizes I prefer the ones with the handles near the neck to allow a good hold and lessen the chance of a drop.
 
Last edited:

Paul Howell

Subscriber
Allowing Ads
Joined
Dec 23, 2004
Messages
10,104
Location
Scottsdale Az
Format
Multi Format
I get mine at a local water store. We have few in my area, not all carry the glass, the one I go to carries both glass amber and plastic brown. Not cheap, but last just about forever. I use the 1 and 1/2 glass for developers, clear for fix and stop.
 
OP
OP
nsurit

nsurit

Subscriber
Allowing Ads
Joined
Jan 27, 2005
Messages
1,809
Location
Texas Hill Country
Format
Multi Format
I'm thinking of mixing 1 gallon of dektol at a time. Split into 4 quarts should work. Clear gallons for the stop and fix and mix the hypo clear as needed. Thanks to all. Bill Barber
 
OP
OP
nsurit

nsurit

Subscriber
Allowing Ads
Joined
Jan 27, 2005
Messages
1,809
Location
Texas Hill Country
Format
Multi Format
I'm thinking of mixing 1 gallon of dektol at a time. Split into 4 quarts should work. Clear gallons for the stop and fix and mix the hypo clear as needed. Thanks to all. Bill Barber
 
OP
OP
nsurit

nsurit

Subscriber
Allowing Ads
Joined
Jan 27, 2005
Messages
1,809
Location
Texas Hill Country
Format
Multi Format
I'm thinking of mixing 1 gallon of dektol at a time. Split into 4 quarts should work. Clear gallons for the stop and fix and mix the hypo clear as needed. Thanks to all. Bill Barber
 

Old-N-Feeble

Member
Allowing Ads
Joined
Feb 22, 2012
Messages
6,805
Location
South Texas
Format
Multi Format
I'm not sure I'll ever build another darkroom but I'm preparing for it nonetheless. I bought quart, pint and half-pint bottles... all wide mouth amber glass. I also bought glass marbles to add to partially filled bottles to displace the air. As I empty the larger bottles the liquids will be moved to smaller ones. The marbles wash clean in hot water. Not that it's important but I always keep used marbles separated to reuse with the same chemistry. This is what I always did before and it works well. The wide mouth bottles are easier to clean and the marbles go in and come out easier than the narrow neck versions.
 

Paul Howell

Subscriber
Allowing Ads
Joined
Dec 23, 2004
Messages
10,104
Location
Scottsdale Az
Format
Multi Format
Depends on what develop and how much film you shoot. Now the summer is coming to an end I will be shooting 4X5 I can go through a gallon of D76 in a few weeks. (right now I have MCM in a 1/2 gallon bottles, but due to cost will move to D76).
 

scheimfluger_77

Member
Allowing Ads
Joined
Mar 21, 2006
Messages
839
Location
mid-Missouri
Format
Pinhole
Photrio.com contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links.
To read our full affiliate disclosure statement please click Here.

PHOTRIO PARTNERS EQUALLY FUNDING OUR COMMUNITY:



Ilford ADOX Freestyle Photographic Stearman Press Weldon Color Lab Blue Moon Camera & Machine
Top Bottom