Liquidol Developer

I'm here looking at one liter of Liquidol, still unopened, poised to do some Stouffer tests to see how it performs with Ilford MG Classic. I'll take PE's word for its shelf life, which sounds almost like HC-110 (my go to film developer). It should be much more cost effective compared to dumping unused Dektol stock down the drain when it goes bad. I appreciated PE's info via PMs that it's not necessary to decant the Liquidol concentrate into smaller bottles.

Photo Engineer said:

There is a whole thread with photos on this here on APUG. Basically, I tested it in open trays against Dektol for 24, 48 hours out to 120 hours or 5 days. The Liquidol far outlasted Dektol. But, since I am involved and profit from this, I hesitate to go further with more discussion. I was warned before to limit the "advertising" on my own behalf. Since it is now the property of the Photographers Formulary, I highly recommend that you try it yourself. It was formulated with my best knowledge of developers when I retired. And I leaned heavily on what I learned from Grant Haist, Dick Henn, and Bill Lee.

In fact, as I write this, I have the ingredient list (not the formula) for Microdol-X sitting in front of me, as given to me by the inventor, Dick Henn.

PE

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The recipe for Microdol-X has always puzzled me (as you probably remember). I wish I was a little mouse on your desk right now or on the back of your chair. I use, like and mix my own Perceptol, but it's just not the same as Microdol-X. I miss that brown tinge the negatives had when dunked in Microdol-X. Is there a clone to Microdol-X out there that imparts the same brownish tinge?

APUGuser19 said:

Use home-made Microdol. I use it 1:3 and can't tell a lick of difference between it and the official "X" commercial stuff. Helps to have some of that sweet Verichrome Pan stuff. The good die too young.

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My homemade Perceptol is probably exactly the same as your homemade Microdol, but it's not the same as Kodak's Microdol-X. Very, very good, but not the same.

Liquidol - stuff is the shizz, as the kids say.

Pre-mixed liquid. Lasts ages. Gorgeous deep blacks. After a printing session, I bottle the tray contents with a spray of freon. The stuff just goes and goes.

I do a test strip and fixer test at the start of a session, and I can tell when the mixed is aging too much, as the blacks get weak. If I'm experimenting or testing, I just splash a little more concentrate in. But it will deliver deep blacks even when it looks like the urine of a dehydrated yak.

I had a bottle of concentrate with a couple ounces left, probably 2 years old. Didn't seem to beef up the tray soup, and there was a big crystal of something rattling around in there. So, it doesn't last forever, but dang close.

Just an excellent product and beyond-excellent in the value department.

APUGuser19 said:

Well, we make do in hard times. At least we're on the right side of the ground. Be happy you've got that much. Lot of people in this world don't have any.

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Yes, I thank my lucky stars when I wake up sucking air. Many of my friends are on the underside of ground level.

With air oxidation, the Sulfite changes to Sulfate which is less soluble and forms crystals. E6 FD does the same. No problem, just a slightly shorter life time. Warm it up to dissolve crystals or go ahead and use it as-is.

PE

Holy crap! I gotta get some

Question. ..why does the direction from the formulary recommend distilled water with liquidol? ?..

So far, I'm very impressed.

Mixed 12/1/16, keeping in a bottle with a shot of Tetenal Protectan on top, so far 12/15/16 still working great.
Edited to add: Not quite. I started just last night to have a severe drop in contrast and didn't realize that my Liquidol had went brown-tea-color.

I mixed up a fresh batch and it's back to working great so for me, about 2 weeks is max time.

I've recently started using Ansco 130 Photographers Formulary (130) and I am quite pleased with the results and storage life.

Any observations on how it compares with Liquid?