Making developer and fixer from scratch.

[salan]

Can anyone point me in the direction of any threads/articles on how to make your own B&W developer/fixer from scratch please?
I had a look but only found threads talking about it and not actually making it?
It is not something I want to do all the time, but I would like to be able to make these.
I have started to use caffenol (and similar) with some success.
But where (in the UK for example) would I get the base chemicals from without having to buy 50KG!.
Fixer is something I have no idea how to make.
Thanks
Alan

 

[pinholer]

Go up to the top row an this page and click on Articles, then go down the left side and click on Recipies. From there you can go through many formulae on both developers and fixers. As far as step by step instructions on weighing, measuring, and mixing are concerned try to get hold of Anchell and Troop's book "The Darkroom Cookbook". It also has many formulas and a through discussion of the chemicals involved.

 

[jm94]

For fixer you can use pure hypo (sodium thiosulfate), it can be obtained online cheaply. Pure hypo degrades quickly when mixed so it should be used quickly once mixed up. Adding sodium bisulfite solves this problem.

Hope this helps,
Jacob

 

[pdeeh]

In the UK, Silverprint and Process Supplies can both provide photo chemicals in "sensible" quantities, but you do have to make up a decent sized order otherwise the carriage costs are proportionately rather steep (one order for a couple of £s worth - 100g of something, say - will result in same carriage cost as buying £50s worth - a few kg )
I've bought recently from both and Silverprint in particular had really excellent customer service. No doubt there are others.

PS I tried to post this once before from my 'phone but it just disappeared - into the spam filter maybe?

 

[PhotoJim]

Get The Darkroom Cookbook - but pick up a copy of The Film Development Cookbook (Anchell) as well. It adds nicely to the former book's contents and will help you to really understand film developers.