Q's on 1. Pyro and 2. Fixer

[waynecrider]

1. I want to try a (easy) Pyro developer but don't see myself developing more then once a month. What's my best bet for something that wll last on the shelf?

2. I've always used TF4 fixer for all my films but Ilfords is half the price? PF states that TF4 will clear the film base with Tmax. What about Ilfords?

Thanks for your insights

 

[Trask]

Bostick & Sullivan will sell you a bottle of 510-Pyro which will keep years as it is water-free — uses Triethanolamine instead. Dilutes 1:100 for most applications. An excellent developer.
https://www.bostick-sullivan.com/cart/510-pryo-developer-100-ml.html

 

[Alan9940]

Pyrocat-HD in glycol will last quite awhile on the shelf. Any fixer will clear any film given enough time. And, if your fixer doesn't totally clear the film, a treatment with Hypo Clear will.

 

[Rudeofus]

There are different opinions about pyro stain and neutral/acidic fixers, whereas alkaline fixers are commonly said to preserve that image stain. If you want to save money, use cheap fixer for everything developed with "normal" developer, and do at least a comparison between TF-4 and cheap fixer for negs developed in a staining developer.

 

[Anon Ymous]

Pyrocat-HD in glycol will last quite awhile on the shelf. Any fixer will clear any film given enough time. And, if your fixer doesn't totally clear the film, a treatment with Hypo Clear will.

Yes, Pyrocat HD in propylene glycol would have excellent keeping properties. In my experience, even the water mixed developer keeps very well. I mixed some Pyrocat HD in water, back in the spring of 2016 and it still works perfectly, 3,5 years later.

Now, TMax films may be well fixed but still retain some of the magenta dye. Fixing longer may reduce the amount of dye left, but it's definitely not necessary to so. Hypo clear will help with it, but a longer wash works just as well. There's no need for running water either, letting film soak in water will do the trick.

I've also used Ilford rapid fixer with Pyrocat HD and the stain seemed to be fine.

 

[koraks]

I've also used Ilford rapid fixer with Pyrocat HD and the stain seemed to be fine.

Same here; I've used acid as well as neutral fixers with pyro developed negatives and never noticed a difference. Neither did I do systematic side-by-side testing, so there may be some difference, so some testing may be in order for those who worry about this.

1. I want to try a (easy) Pyro developer but don't see myself developing more then once a month. What's my best bet for something that wll last on the shelf?

Pyrocat and 510 pyro have been mentioned and work quite well in my experience. I have not tried PMK, but many love it and it will also store quite well as the concentrates. In Europe, Moersch sells Finol and Tanol, which seem comparable to Pyrocat, but I think they're difficult to obtain in the US and/or prohibitively expensive. The user base of pyrocat is pretty big and it's fairly easy to find development times and experiences with this developer online, so I would suggest it as a starting point.

2. I've always used TF4 fixer for all my films but Ilfords is half the price? PF states that TF4 will clear the film base with Tmax. What about Ilfords?

Any fixer will clear the dyes in TMAX films as long as it's fresh and fixing times are sufficiently long. Residual dyes can be cleared through extensive wash and/or a sulfite bath as pointed out above, but I never found this necessary when a fresh fixer was used.

 

[Doremus Scudder]

I use PMK and Ilford Rapid Fixer or Hypam regularly. No difference in stain (and I have done the side-by-side test). Getting rid of the dyes is a matter of using fresh-enough fixer for long enough (extending fixing times slightly won't hurt film) and washing thoroughly. Don't use a sulfite bath if you use staining developers; it can remove the stain according to Gordon Hutchings. This includes Hypo-Clear and other wash-aids.

Personally, I prefer a slightly acidic to neutral fixer for film. Alkaline fixers can re-acitvate carried-over developer and sometimes cause fogging or streaking if one is not careful about turning on the white light too soon.

I had some batches of TMY that had a dark blue/magenta stain that just would not clear with the normal methods. I solved the problem by giving them a final soak in a weak sodium carbonate solution (metaborate and bicarbonate worked as well). This was a standard part of my processing for some years. Recently, however, the problem seems to have disappeared; no dye stain after the film comes out of the fixer. I changed nothing, so it was something to do with the film itself.

Best,

Doremus

 

[Peter Schrager]

If you buy pyro from a known source move chemicals to glass bottles as soon as you get
It. There can sudden death either pyro

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

As mentioned, Pyrocat-HD in glycol is your best bet if your a once a month developer... but, I mix from scratch using distilled water and keep in accordion bottle. I've had part A last up to a year. Part B keeps indefinitely. In regards to fixer, I have been using Ilford Rapid fix for years after development in Pyrocat-HD with no issues. I should add that I mix all my developers from scratch...

 

[Anon Ymous]

If you buy pyro from a known source move chemicals to glass bottles as soon as you get
It. There can sudden death either pyro

IIRC, some Pyrocat HD "sudden death" cases were actually user error and the same solutions performed normally on a second test after the alleged failure. It's not that it can't fail, but it's pretty robust and I'd expect it to lose potency gradually, not suddenly.

 

[KenS]

Pyrocat HD is now the only film developer 'allowed' in my darkroom... it is mixed from 'scratch' using my somewhat 'archaic' three beam balance for weighing the chemicals...She Who Must be Obeyed refused to let me 'borrow her small 'electronic' digital kitchen scale...probably with good reason. but the old balance scale works well enough for my needs... and it does NOT need batteries.

Ken

 

[Ian Grant]

Pyrocat-HD in glycol will last quite awhile on the shelf. Any fixer will clear any film given enough time. And, if your fixer doesn't totally clear the film, a treatment with Hypo Clear will.

Pyrocat HD keeps well made up in water. the Glycol is a waste of money

Ian

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

Pyrocat HD keeps well made up in water. the Glycol is a waste of money

Ian

I totally agree... and Glycol is way too expensive in Canada.

 

[koraks]

Aren't there suppliers of dairy farm supplies in Canada? You could try those; glycol is goven to cows to stimulate milk production. Around here it's sold in 5l or 40l tubs at pretty ridiculously low prices if memory serves.

 

[Anon Ymous]

I think I paid 4€ for 1 litre of propylene glycol. I regularly use it to dissolve phenidone in it and make a 1% solution.