Ilfochrome chemistry shelf life

mnemosyne · Oct 29, 2014

Hi, I recently was given two complete boxes of Ilfochrome P3 chemistry, allegedly about 7 years old. You think there is a chance that the stuff is still good to go? If the answer is yes, I might try to look out for some paper and give it a try, but if the stuff is likely dead by now, I would rather bring it to the local hazmat collection right away, before investing any time and money in search for some paper...

Wayne · Oct 29, 2014

The bleach is the only thing you can't make from scratch very easily, so its the only one you need to worry about. I don't know how long it lasts-is it powder or liquid or both (the bleach)? I think its worth a try, but...

The harder part will be getting good paper. It will have to have been frozen probably, to still be any good.

mnemosyne · Oct 29, 2014

The kit consists of liquids only (bleach is three parts). I did some (very few, in fact) cibachrome prints in the late 80s that I still have around and they have kept beautifully. But I realize that the paper is really difficult to get nowadays and searching for it is probably not worth the hassles for me, so I might just give away the chemistry to someone who still does Ilfochrome and has paper stocked. Maybe at least the bleach can be of use for someone.

... update I found the instructions with the kit and they say that the concentrates will keep for three years below 20C

Wayne · Oct 29, 2014

I suspect they are just fine...I actually have a couple of those kits laying around myself that I may try some day, but I'm not sure why. It would be like one last date with someone who already dumped you. If it turned out well it would just leave me wanting more...which is why I haven't mixed them up. I probably should though, to make a few more copies of my best prints to sell at exorbitant prices.

DREW WILEY · Oct 29, 2014

The unmixed P3 concentrates will probably be perfectly good. Finding usable paper is a different subject. If you do decide to get rid of the
chem, keep the fixer. It's just ordinary non-hardening fix that you can use for black and white work. The bleach is mostly sulfuric acid, which
you can neutralize a tiny bit at a time with baking soda - just be damn careful when I say a bit at a time! The developer is nothing weird in
terms of hazmat - no worse than ordinary black and white developers. But somebody might be willing to buy the chem too.

Athiril · Oct 29, 2014

I have a few unopened P3 kits, not sure what to do with them though, wouldn't mind making some backlit prints, but again, paper sourcing.

sfaber17 · Nov 2, 2014

ilfochrome formula

Does anyone know a formula for P3 or has mixed up a similar one?

Wayne · Nov 2, 2014

The developer and fix are easy peasy; bleach is not. Developer is just B&W developer with a pinch of hypo, and rapid fix works fine.

DREW WILEY · Nov 3, 2014

Do-it-yourself developer will perform so-so, but it's been done numerous times. The fix is just ordinary non-hardening type. But you're not going to come up with the bleach - that would be hazardous to do anyway, even if you could replicate it. But without fresh paper, this is all just an academic kind of questioning. And you'd need a bunch of paper just to get past the learning curve.

sfaber17 · Nov 3, 2014

chemicals vs paper

There seems to be a fair amount of old paper available on ebay, but the chemistry is harder to come by.
I wouldn't be afraid of making the bleach or handling sulfuric acid.

I just found the old posts on the subject from Wayne, so I tend to agree that I probably would rather work on more on my photo lab setup than try setup an organic synthesis lab at this time.

DREW WILEY · Nov 3, 2014

Ciba paper ages fast. It only takes about six months thawed before it develops incurable crossover. You can ask if it's been frozen the whole
time (which might or might not have kept it OK), but by the time it's gets listed on eBay it's probably from a paper batch used by food
photographers back when the Thanksgiving turkey still had teeth in its beak and claws on its wings.

alanrockwood · Nov 3, 2014

Interestingly, I just listed a box of chemicals for Cibachrome-A on ebay a day or two ago. It was given to me, and I don't know how old it is or if it is still good. I decided to sell it because I figured I will never use it, and someone else might as well get some use out if it.

Wayne · Nov 3, 2014

Its old, that's for sure. Maybe the 70s?

DREW WILEY · Nov 4, 2014

Those old powder kits used sulfamic acid instead of liquid sulfuric, so the bleach is still probably good. It's the developer I'd be worried about.

Ilfochrome chemistry shelf life

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