Looking for brown bottles

Reinhold · Aug 19, 2009

Another source for brown bottles, with high quality polycone caps is:

Dead Link Removed

They also have raw chemicals, photo grade, just like the big sky people...

Reinhold

www.classicBWphoto.com

Mike Wilde · Aug 19, 2009

I have bought mine from a few sources - an environmental testing chemical supplier - wide mouth with steel lid and good gasket. I use these for dry chems like developing agent that can oxidiase off, and tend to store them in the freezer. I let them warm to room temperature before openning.

Formulary a case of - 125mL
Essential Oil Supplier - 250mL and 1L, as well as some empty 500mL units that once held essential oils. A strong sulfuric acid rinse cleaned them out.

fotch · Aug 19, 2009

Photo Engineer said:
May I suggest that you use clear glass bottles or clear thick plastic? If kept in a dark or dim space that is cool, this is as good as brown glass or plastic bottles.

PE

Just curious, how long does does it take for light exposure to have a measurable effect on the chemical mixes (those that are light sensitive)?

I am guessing that light intensity matters so the questing would be for what you might find when room light is on in a darkroom.

What chemical mixes are light sensitive, developer, stop, fix, color chemicals?

Photo Engineer · Aug 19, 2009

There is actually no photochemical reaction that I am aware of in any solution. At Kodak, we used clear glass bottles with cork or rubber stoppers. The bottles were 1 gallon or larger and were stored on open shelves under fluorescent lighting. So truth to tell, IDK why there is such a fuss about brown bottles.

However, some light has a lot of UV and many organic chemicals decompose quickly with UV. So, if daylight is a main light source in your room, then by all means go to brown bottles to filter the UV, as that is what they do for the most part.

PE

Steve Mack · Aug 19, 2009

Many thanks to all of you who took the trouble to reply to my post!

With best regards,

Stephen

dancqu · Aug 20, 2009

JCT said:
I've ordered Boston Rounds from Specialty Bottle
(be sure to get the polyseal caps), very reasonable
and quick shipping. JT

Amber or colorless available from many sources.
Narrow and wide mouth with a variety of caps.

Polyseal or Polycone, as sure a seal as can be.
Clear glass, so easy to inspect. Dan

Kirk Keyes · Aug 22, 2009

Make friends with someone that works in a chemistry lab. You'll be amazed at how many bottles they go through and they just end up recycling them.

alexmacphee · Aug 22, 2009

My source of brown bottles is the local pharmacy. I don't know if you have it under this name where you are, but the antacid Gaviscon comes in 600ml and 300 ml bottles, and my wife uses that a lot. Usefully, the different Gaviscon flavour bottles of the 600ml size come in two shapes, one more 'squat' than the other ; that's handy because I use the squat bottle for fixer and the more slender bottle for developer, so I can tell which is which by the shape as well as the label.

Other medication bottles come in 200 and 150 and 80 ml sizes. I transfer my Rodinal stock into these bottles, filled to the brim to minimise oxygen, since Rodinal is only used in very small quantities and lasts a long time.

The handy thing about medication bottles, too, is that they usually have childproof caps. I keep my photostuff well out of the way, but it's extraordinary just how many places a twenty-month-old granddaughter can get to.

Venchka · Aug 22, 2009

I've tried several pharmacies in the US, chains and locals. No emtpties worth having anymore.

I found an alternative in the grocery store: Arizona Tea amber plastic bottles in 1/2 & 1/3 gallon sizes. They work. Keeping developer and fixer just fine for 6 months plus.

yardkat · Aug 22, 2009

"What I use is old wine bottles -- just about any restaurant comes up with a bunch of empties every night. I find the 1.5 liter size especially useful, but I really like the new 1.0 liter size. Keeps the math simple.

With the wine bottles I use the Vacu Vin system to seal the bottle and pull a vacuum over the chems. Storing the chems in a thick glass bottle under vacuum is hard to beat.

Recommended shelf life of XTOL stock is supposedly six months. I easily get 12 months from XTOL stock stored using the above system. Just sayin'."

This is fascinating, I don't know why I never thought of using that vacu-vin...I think I'll have to try this. Thanks!

As for brown bottles, I tried a couple pharmacies, and they claimed they hadn't used glass in years. I looked around grocery stores and there were no brown glass options that I could find, I also tried a local chemistry company, but there was some reason I couldn't buy them there either although I can't remember why now. Maybe I had to have some sort of license? I really don't remember, but in any case I decided my time was worth something and ordered from Photographer's Formulary. They practically arrived overnight.

Morry Katz · Aug 22, 2009

A viable alternative to glass bottles are small (1 gal.) plastic gasoline containers. They have a very positive seal, an air lock and a spout. Available from hardware stores, automotive stores, etc. They also transmit heat very well so bringing chemicals up to temperature is very easy.
Cheers
Morry Katz - Lethbridge, Canada

Francis in VT · Aug 22, 2009

Try Specialty Bottle Co. All sizes, types, colors.
Quick service. Good prices .

http://www.specialtybottle.com/amber.html

Francis in VT

Venchka · Aug 22, 2009

Food grade plastic is air tight. The bottles have a hand grip molded in.

Empty wine in a box bladders work for Xtol.

fotch · Aug 22, 2009

How about an old shoe? :rolleyes:

What ever container you choose should last nearly forever.

It should protect the chemicals from any contamination, air or otherwise.

It should also protect people, pets, and the environment.

Using food, drink, gasoline containers are just begging for a mix up or accident.

For example, in an emergency, if the fire dept. has to come into your area, should be able to tell within a second what the hazard may be. Reading a label is a lot to expect when quickness of action by an emergency person is expected.

Better safe than sorry. The proper containers are less than a hundred dollars. Probably half that nearly anywhere.

Venchka · Aug 22, 2009

You think?

fotch said:
How about an old shoe? :rolleyes:

What ever container you choose should last nearly forever.

It should protect the chemicals from any contamination, air or otherwise.

It should also protect people, pets, and the environment.

Using food, drink, gasoline containers are just begging for a mix up or accident.

For example, in an emergency, if the fire dept. has to come into your area, should be able to tell within a second what the hazard may be. Reading a label is a lot to expect when quickness of action by an emergency person is expected.

Better safe than sorry. The proper containers are less than a hundred dollars. Probably half that nearly anywhere.

"Good grief, Charlie Brown."

Looking for brown bottles

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