Home-made Rodinal?

I'm into making my own processing chemicals from bulk materials.However the process of making Rodinal is rather complex and not as easy as mixing chemicals.My question is:Is Crawley's FX37 a close enough substitute for Rodinal or is there a better formula in the public domain?:confused:

Ralph, I have been experimenting with TMAX 400 in Beutler's developer, as well as a Beutler's-inspired version of Barry Thornton's two bath, with a lower sulfite content and Sodium Carbonate in the B-Bath. 20" prints from 6x6 negs show a very tight grain pattern (not excessive by any standards) with superior sharpness, even compared with Pyrocat HD.

I know it's not Rodinal, but you might find it to be a good substitute. Only three chemicals needed.

I'll see if I can post some samples.

I've not heard fx37 described as a rodinal substitute before.
Making a "rodinal" isn't hard. I've regularly made the paracetamol version with excellent results. Though whether a professional photographer would want to rely on it is another matter.
Search the forum for "Kalogen" if you want a rodinal.type made with common chemicals. Perhaps Gerald Koch will direct you to his formula for it if he sees this thread

Gerald Koch posted this optimized version of Kologen. It's not Rodinal, but is Rodinal like. I use it because it's pretty cheap to make and lasts forever. Gerry said he has had one on the shelf for over 7 years. I use it for reversals, so I can go through quite a lot of it.

Kalogen

Distilled water 750ml
Metol 12.5g
Sodium Sulfite 150g
Potassium Bromide 7.5g
Benzotriazole, %1 50ml
Hydroquineone 45g
Sodium Hydroxide 22.5
Distilled water to make 1l

Expect undissolved chemicals until lye is added.

Let stand 4-5 days to cure. Filter out impurities and bottle.

If any crystals form during storage, warm and shake to redissolve.

Film dilution 1:49, 6-11 minutes
Paper dilution 1:11

May I second the suggestion to use Kalogen. It was formulated to be a substitute for Rodinal and like it is based on the use of very stable phenolates as developing agents.

Rodinalv is not hard to make. However the developing agent p-aminophenol does not keep well. The hydrochloride salt keeps better but oxidizes quickly and requires an additional step. This limits one to buying small amounts of either at higher cost.

I never seem to have Benzotriazole on hand so I just up the amount of Potassium Bromide to 9g.

mrred said:

I never seem to have Benzotriazole on hand so I just up the amount of Potassium Bromide to 9g.

Click to expand...

That is what the previous formula called for. I adjusted the amount of bromide and added some benzotriazole because I use the developer also for prints and wanted a neutrol black tone. Then too the Rodinal Wolfen recipe called for both potassium bromide and an antifoggant.

I will give that a try but 'm also temptedto try FX37 by Crawley according to the film DevCookbook. many thanks for the eply. I'm always very hesitant to alter published formulae as I know how sensitively they were developed by people who know so much more about it than I.Oh ,I wish I had paid better attention in chemistry class;regrets...Those teachers would have my full attention now.Well,maybe,they should have ecouraged us to start photography then?

FX-37 was developed specifically for T-grain and Delta type films. It really has no relationship to Rodinal other than they are both developers. FX-37 is similar to such developers as Microphen.

Ralph,
FX-37 is just about the only formula that is wrong in the FDC! There is too much benzotriazole.The correct formula is in APUG articles section.

Yes, but the benzotriazole amount is correct in the latest version of the FDC.

Sent from my D6653 using Tapatalk