Ansco 81 isn't bad. It doesn't have the rapid 'infectious' action
of Kodalith AB, but it doesn't require any formeldehyde or lye,
either. It keeps for months.
Per liter:
35. gm Hydroquinone
55. gm S. Sulfite
80. gm S. Carbonate
5.5 gm Citric Acid
10. gm P. Bromide
Use full strength, developing time not longer than 3 minutes.
Save for the citric acid and bromide the formula is similar to
that of Wall's. Wall's cuts right to the lith phenomenon itself
with no extras. Both Ansco 81 and Wall's use a carbonate
to activate the hydroquinone.
With low sulfite levels infectious development will occur as
the byproducts of development produce even more energetic
development and exponetionally more of the byproducts.
A carbonate provides the high ph needed for reasonable
development times. I've processed with a 50-50 blend of
carbonate and bicarbonate with increased time. The
generation of very high ph byproducts through the
interaction of additional chemistries is beyond
the needs of a lith developer.
Formaldehyde is included as a slow release agent which
maintains the necessary low sulfite level while at the
same time increases the longevity of working
strength lith chemistry. Dan
