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WARNING: This post may sound as frustrated as I feel.
Alright, where do I start?
A couple of weeks ago I ask of ways to get a warm tone on ARISTA.EDU paper.
Lot's of people helped, and I'm very grateful for that.
Well, I found a formula for AGFA 120 (a.k.a brown tone developer), and decided to try it out. Then I found a formula for AGFA 123, which is the same developer, but with the addition of 25g of Potassium Bromide. I said what the heck and decided to try that one out.
So I mixed a batch, set up the darkroom, exposed the paper, dump it in and nothing happened. I couldn't believe it, so I exposed the paper at 5 stops more than usual, and dump it in. Still nothing; the paper's as white as a bride's dress. I then turn on the normal lights. NOTHING. The paper turns yellow, but no developing takes place.
Frustrated, I dump that batch and mix a new one, being very careful of the quantities and order of the chemicals. Same thing happens. Or rather, it doesn't.
At this point I'm very pissed off, so I dump the thing and mix AGFA 120 instead (no bromide).
I make a test exposure, and the thing works. Good, Alright, the blood's not boiling anymore. I make 3 test strips, and figure this out: (1:4 dilution)
At 3 minutes in the soup, ARISTA.EDU takes on a blue/purple tone, almost like some papers in selenium toner. At 2 minutes, it has a nice chocolate brown tone, but no contrast. Keep in mind that I'm printing problematic negatives, on full contrast (170 magenta). Increasing exposure helps with density, but not contrast (as was to be expected).
I then say screw it, and mix a 10% solution of Pot. Bromide, as suggested by Les. I add 10ml of this (about 1 gram of Pot. Bom.) to 4L of developer (it is a 1:4 dilution, but I altered the quantities to give me 4L instead of 5L of working solution). I make another test exposure and stick it in, and NOTHING HAPPENS. At this time I'm mentally cursing at everything and everyone. It seems that for ARISTA.EDU paper, Pot.Brom is a darn good stop bath.
I then repeat the 5 stops greater exposure I had done with AGFA 123,a nd stick that in. Still nothing. With the paper in the developer, I turn on the lights, and I see a trace of image on the paper, as the whole thing beggins to fog.
To make things more exciting, I some how manage to drop an entire box of ARISTA.EDU paper into my tray of stop bath. That time I actually did curse.
Moral of the story?
There is no god.
Oh, and don't try to be cheap on paper. It's not worth it.
Oh, and did I mention that the 1st floor of my house flooded this morning? Yeah, a water hose (that feeds into the fridge) broke, and turned my house into a lake. Home owner's insurance people are down there as I type....
Alright, where do I start?
A couple of weeks ago I ask of ways to get a warm tone on ARISTA.EDU paper.
Lot's of people helped, and I'm very grateful for that.
Well, I found a formula for AGFA 120 (a.k.a brown tone developer), and decided to try it out. Then I found a formula for AGFA 123, which is the same developer, but with the addition of 25g of Potassium Bromide. I said what the heck and decided to try that one out.
So I mixed a batch, set up the darkroom, exposed the paper, dump it in and nothing happened. I couldn't believe it, so I exposed the paper at 5 stops more than usual, and dump it in. Still nothing; the paper's as white as a bride's dress. I then turn on the normal lights. NOTHING. The paper turns yellow, but no developing takes place.
Frustrated, I dump that batch and mix a new one, being very careful of the quantities and order of the chemicals. Same thing happens. Or rather, it doesn't.
At this point I'm very pissed off, so I dump the thing and mix AGFA 120 instead (no bromide).
I make a test exposure, and the thing works. Good, Alright, the blood's not boiling anymore. I make 3 test strips, and figure this out: (1:4 dilution)
At 3 minutes in the soup, ARISTA.EDU takes on a blue/purple tone, almost like some papers in selenium toner. At 2 minutes, it has a nice chocolate brown tone, but no contrast. Keep in mind that I'm printing problematic negatives, on full contrast (170 magenta). Increasing exposure helps with density, but not contrast (as was to be expected).
I then say screw it, and mix a 10% solution of Pot. Bromide, as suggested by Les. I add 10ml of this (about 1 gram of Pot. Bom.) to 4L of developer (it is a 1:4 dilution, but I altered the quantities to give me 4L instead of 5L of working solution). I make another test exposure and stick it in, and NOTHING HAPPENS. At this time I'm mentally cursing at everything and everyone. It seems that for ARISTA.EDU paper, Pot.Brom is a darn good stop bath.
I then repeat the 5 stops greater exposure I had done with AGFA 123,a nd stick that in. Still nothing. With the paper in the developer, I turn on the lights, and I see a trace of image on the paper, as the whole thing beggins to fog.
To make things more exciting, I some how manage to drop an entire box of ARISTA.EDU paper into my tray of stop bath. That time I actually did curse.
Moral of the story?
There is no god.
Oh, and don't try to be cheap on paper. It's not worth it.
Oh, and did I mention that the 1st floor of my house flooded this morning? Yeah, a water hose (that feeds into the fridge) broke, and turned my house into a lake. Home owner's insurance people are down there as I type....