Mixing Temperature

[Via Suksantinunt]

Hi all,

last night I mixed a fuji super prodol for the very first time (also my first time mixing developer). I followed instruction found on internet by mixing it at 40 degree celsius. However, after a long long stir i still found some tiny speck of powder floating (not much and seen only when stir). Clueless, I decided to use the funnel with filter to pour the developer into a storage bottle which i hope will help.


My question is am i screwed? And should I or is it possible to change temperature to 50 degree or more to get it completely dissolved?


Thank you.

 

[Raghu Kuvempunagar]

Isn't it easy to find out? Shoot a small strip of 5-6 frames, develop as per manufacturer's instructions and see what you get.

 

[Via Suksantinunt]

Well, yes it sounds easy, and I know my question is kind of a shortcut. Ideally, I should be doing trial and error by myself.
But I unfortunately I have very limited budget. I'm quite a newbie and I was hoping if anyone has encountered the same situation could please educate me.

 

[Mick Fagan]

I have never heard of that developer, so I did a search and found out what I think it is. A powdered Fuji developer similar to Ilford Microphen, although I have no way to find out if that is true.

Essentially, the idea is to dissolve the developing chemicals, which in this case is in a powder form, in the correct sequence as marked. This is usually marked Part "A", Part "B" and so on. Meaning you would dissolve part "A" first, followed by the next and so forth until you have no more parts to dissolve.

Generally speaking, you would place part "A" in the water, stir until there is no more solids. Sometimes there are really tiny bits left over, even after say 10 or so minutes. That being the case, I just add the next component, stir and mix until that is dissolved and so on.

I use a Patterson chemical stirrer, or chemical mixer. Very simple and works very well. One can use the flat bottom to crush bits of solid to help the powder to dissolve, the flat part of the shaft with the slotted holes really mixes and/or stirs the solution very well. I've had one of these for probably around 40 years. They only cost a few dollars, but I do realise you may not have access to one in your country. The internet could be your friend here.

https://www.google.com/search?q=pat...AUIDygC&biw=1536&bih=710#imgrc=VTipq7uoMWF3WM:

I then place the mixed developer, often called a "Stock Solution" into some glass jars, using glass marbles to reduce or eliminate air at the top. I place the stuff on a shelf until I wish to use it.

When comes the time to use it, I always filter the stored solution(s) via a coffee filter.

I then mix my filtered stock solution with the correct amount of water straight from my unfiltered tap and away I go. I've been doing this more or less for the last 50 years, although I didn't have coffee filters in the early days.

I would say that you are perfectly alright.

Sounds like an interesting developer, please tell us how it goes.

Mick.

Edit: The glass jars I use are in fact old jam jars from the grocery store cleaned with some very hot water; these work very well and essentially cost me nothing.

 

[Via Suksantinunt]

I have never heard of that developer, so I did a search and found out what I think it is. A powdered Fuji developer similar to Ilford Microphen, although I have no way to find out if that is true.

Essentially, the idea is to dissolve the developing chemicals, which in this case is in a powder form, in the correct sequence as marked. This is usually marked Part "A", Part "B" and so on. Meaning you would dissolve part "A" first, followed by the next and so forth until you have no more parts to dissolve.

Generally speaking, you would place part "A" in the water, stir until there is no more solids. Sometimes there are really tiny bits left over, even after say 10 or so minutes. That being the case, I just add the next component, stir and mix until that is dissolved and so on.

I use a Patterson chemical stirrer, or chemical mixer. Very simple and works very well. One can use the flat bottom to crush bits of solid to help the powder to dissolve, the flat part of the shaft with the slotted holes really mixes and/or stirs the solution very well. I've had one of these for probably around 40 years. They only cost a few dollars, but I do realise you may not have access to one in your country. The internet could be your friend here.

https://www.google.com/search?q=pat...AUIDygC&biw=1536&bih=710#imgrc=VTipq7uoMWF3WM:

I then place the mixed developer, often called a "Stock Solution" into some glass jars, using glass marbles to reduce or eliminate air at the top. I place the stuff on a shelf until I wish to use it.

When comes the time to use it, I always filter the stored solution(s) via a coffee filter.

I then mix my filtered stock solution with the correct amount of water straight from my unfiltered tap and away I go. I've been doing this more or less for the last 50 years, although I didn't have coffee filters in the early days.

I would say that you are perfectly alright.

Sounds like an interesting developer, please tell us how it goes.

Mick.

Edit: The glass jars I use are in fact old jam jars from the grocery store cleaned with some very hot water; these work very well and essentially cost me nothing.

Thank you, Mick!
Yes, I do have some tiny bits leftover that's I couldn't get dissolved no matter what and that's why I panicked.
But reading your comment, I think using filter again when I'm going to develop will help (at least it will help calm me down). Thanks again!

 

[koraks]

Let it sit for a while. The remaining stuff may dissolve fine. Higher temperatures speed up the process, but a few days of patience may do the trick as well. Some stuff dissolves a little more harder; phenidone in the form of small flakes for example. You don't want to filter much stuff out as it means your developer isn't balanced the way it should. Particularly phenidone is present in small amounts so filtering even a little phenidone out may have consequences.

 

[Via Suksantinunt]

Let it sit for a while. The remaining stuff may dissolve fine. Higher temperatures speed up the process, but a few days of patience may do the trick as well. Some stuff dissolves a little more harder; phenidone in the form of small flakes for example. You don't want to filter much stuff out as it means your developer isn't balanced the way it should. Particularly phenidone is present in small amounts so filtering even a little phenidone out may have consequences.

Hi,
Just to clarify, can I let it sit inside the storage bottle? Maybe for 3-4 days before use?
Or you mean i should let it sit in the mixing jug for a while (like 1 hour) before putting it inside the storage bottle.
Thanks!

 

[koraks]

Ideally in a container that can be closed airtight with not much air above it if it's going to be several days.

Letting it sit for an hour in the mixing jar isn't likely to do much if the stuff didn't dissolve immediately in the first place.

 

[Via Suksantinunt]

Ideally in a container that can be closed airtight with not much air above it if it's going to be several days.

Letting it sit for an hour in the mixing jar isn't likely to do much if the stuff didn't dissolve immediately in the first place.

Aha! Got it. I'll wait to see the result. Thank you so so much!

 

[eatfrog]

I've mixed and used super prodol. Don't worry, you can use the developer at once. The specs will dissolve.

 

[darkroommike]

Mix at the recommended temp then let it sit overnight in the bottle before using. A speck or two is not a lot and may be an inclusion rather than a bit of developer.

 

[john_s]

I've mixed and used super prodol. Don't worry, you can use the developer at once. The specs will dissolve.

The specs are possibly phenidone which isn't fast to dissolve. So the comment above about not filtering sounds like good advice. For what it's worth, the following was a guess at the composition based on MSDS by Ryuji Suzuki some years ago:

Super Prodol (SPD) is a rapid processing, push process developer provided in
dry powder package. The developing agent listed is hydroquinone (3.9%) which
is probably augmented with phenidone or its derivative. The developer contains
70-90% of sodium sulfite, and buffered with metaboric acid (3.4%) and sodium
carbonate (3-7%). This formula resembles Crawley's FX-37. This developer is
likely to contain bromide restrainer or possibly other antifoggant.