Homebrew alternative to Ilford MG Developer

[thomsonrc]

HI

I am getting chemicals to make my own film developers and have decided to try Mytol & PCTEA. As I will have chemicals I thought I might as well make a paper developer as well, having always used Ilford Multigrade till now. I use various papers, but mainly variable contrast ones. I thought about Ansco 130 but glycin is not available in the UK. I have Steve Anchells book, has anyone tried the AGFA 100 or Agfa 125 formulas? Any suggestions?

Thanks

Ritchie

 

[dpurdy]

It is really east to mix your own paper developers and it isn't too hard to figure out how to change your developer formula from cold tone to warm tone or soft to hard. I have a book called 150 formulas by Patrick Dignan. I have no idea how obscure the book is. With just the standard ingredients you can do Kodak D72 (Dektol) or Dupont 54D or Agfa 100 or any number of other formulas. I haven't seen Anchells book but have fun with it.
Dennis

 

[dancqu]

HI, I am getting chemicals to make my own film developers
and have decided to try Mytol & PCTEA. As I will have chemicals
I thought I might as well make a paper developer as well, ...
Thanks Ritchie

I've worked a little with Agfa 100. It and at least a few others
are very similar, perhaps indistinguishable from D72, Dektol.
One to have is Ansco 120/Beer's 1; same developers.
It will deliver lower contrast.

The Beer's combinations add up to a group of contrast control
developers. A grade or better variation on any Graded paper.
Should also work well with VC papers. Dan

 

[Ian Grant]

What about ID-62, it's fairly similar to Multigrade dev. Leave out the Benzotriazole and add more Bromide it becomes ID-78 a Warm tone developer, or add more Benzotriazole and it will become much Cooler.

ID-3 is a good alternative to Selectol Soft/Agfa Adaptol.

Ian

 

[Anscojohn]

Ritchie,
Not knowing the formula for Ilford MG developer, I cannot provide specific help. For myself, Ansco 103, slightly modified, gives the cold tones I favor. I reduce the bromide in the Ansco 103 formula by one half; and replace it with benzotriazole. You'll find my variant in Anchell's book.

 

[Ian Grant]

Agfa Ansco 103 is very close to ID-20, ID-62 is the PQ variant of ID-20.

Modern commercial liquid developers such as Multigrade, Neutol NE & WA etc are usually PQ devs (or more commonly Dimezone instead of Phenidone) and the alkali is changed, so instead of Sodium Carbonate they use a balance of Potassium Carbonate and Sodium ir Potassium Hyroxide this makes it easier and slightly cheaper to produce more highly concentrates.

Multigrade developer itself is designed to ensure that there is minimal shift in image colour across the various potential grades (filtration) used. In practice it's gives slightly warm tones.

BTW there are two variants of Agfa Ansco 103, between 1938 & 41 the company revised the formula reducing the Sodium Sulphite (Anhyd) from 57g to 45g. John Cahill (Anscojohn) is suggestint the newer revised version

Ian

 

[thomsonrc]

What about ID-62, it's fairly similar to Multigrade dev. Leave out the Benzotriazole and add more Bromide it becomes ID-78 a Warm tone developer, or add more Benzotriazole and it will become much Cooler.

ID-3 is a good alternative to Selectol Soft/Agfa Adaptol.

Ian

Thanks to all for the information. I will try the Ansco 103.

Ian - the formula for ID-78 is in the Darkroom Cookbook (courtesy of yourself) but there isnt one for ID-62. How much Benzotriazole does it have and how much less Bromide?

Also is the Sodium Carbonate monohydrate or anhydrate?

Cheers

Ritchie

 

[Ian Grant]

Ritchie, rather than post the formula in the thread I suggest you (there was a url link here which no longer exists).

Hope that helps.

Ian