Got E-6 Cubes of Chemicals, now what?

AlbertZeroK

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Our local lab stopped processing film a few weeks ago, and today I scored the remainder of their E-6 chemicals, new full cubes of everything except fixer, $50 a cube. All the cubes have a 2010 manufacture date, but problem is the starters. All the cubes are Fuji-Hunt chemicals, the Bleach and Developer starter are Kodak and the starters are expired 2007 and 2008. I also received some Agfa E-6 Developer starter from 1998 which is a nice shade of red and smells like stop bath.

Questions:
- where do I get the little poor spouts to put on the cubes and what do they call them officially?
- I'm guessing I'm better off just trashing all the starters considering it's a cheap thing to buy. Can I use Kodak starters with Fuji Chemicals?
- Is their a trick to putting the little poor spouts on without looking alot of chemicals or getting too much air in the chemicals? (Gloves are odvious.)
- Fixer? I can't use B&W fixer can I? Is their a good generic fixer for color that works for both C-41 and E-6?
- The final rinse is expired, manufacture date 2008, the guy at the store said they still used it, is this going to be an issue?
- I know this stuff is normally good for 2 years after the manufacture date, bleach lasts a LONG time. Is their anything I can do to extend the life? I do happen to have a nitrogen tank and hose, I was going to use nitrogen when I mixed up bottles of chemicals.
- The Agfa starters come in nice bottles, if I remove the starter (which smells like stop bath), do I need to neutralized the bottles somehow to not effect other chemicals if I want to use the bottles for other things?

I was seriously like a kid in a candy store today! It was great!
 

brucemuir

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nice score
i cant help with any of your questions but I'd think the final rinse keeps very well
i think starters last awhile too

anyway I glad you lucked into these.
you get it straight Im sure
 

Mike Wilde

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The first developer starter is a solution of carbonate and bromide, I recall. Nothing organic that would 'expire' although mould/algae is a possibility, I guess.
It should be brand independent at the final working solution, as it is to simulate the natural by-products of processed film in a fresh tank.

The CD starter is a acetic acid based. Somewhere in the Kodak E-6 Z manual there is a suggestion on how to convert the first starter into a substitute second starter.
 
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