There it sat for 10 years, patiently waiting for me to get the urge to dabble with it again. I had used only 20ml of the precious fluid within, and in a curious moment I decided the time was right to break out the Rodinal...
(Having only used 1:25 dilution with Tri-x @ iso 400 before, with obvious grain and a few problems getting the right feel to suit my work). It was my standard dev with APX 100 for years, but I just could not make it work well enough with Tri-x, and settled on HC-110, and lately Ilfosol.
Despite the legendary keeping properties, I was a little nervous in using 10 year old vintage dev, but as there was nothing of an unrepeatable nature on my latest roll of Tri-x I mixed up a batch at 1:50 and, encouraged by the postings of a few notable Rodinal addicts, I gave it my best guestimated shot... Greater dilution so why not reduce agitation as well ??? Not the full monte stand, or semi stand, but 30 seconds to kick start it, then only 2 inversions at the start of each of minute. (9 minutes in all ). I had rated it at ISO 200 as is my norm with HC-110, and hoped to be within the ballpark for my Kaiser enlarger on grade 2 or 3 Multigrade Warmtone r/c.
The Resulting negatives are better than I could have ever hoped for, and with a nicely controlled grain, and the best tones I have got from Tri-x ever !!!!!!!!!!
Just need to thank some of you guys for the invaluable and inspiring info you freely share. It goes to show that if it does not work first time round, there is no need to give up!!!!!!! just get another 10 years experience, and it could make all the difference........ Just take more water with it and it will be O.K.
(Having only used 1:25 dilution with Tri-x @ iso 400 before, with obvious grain and a few problems getting the right feel to suit my work). It was my standard dev with APX 100 for years, but I just could not make it work well enough with Tri-x, and settled on HC-110, and lately Ilfosol.
Despite the legendary keeping properties, I was a little nervous in using 10 year old vintage dev, but as there was nothing of an unrepeatable nature on my latest roll of Tri-x I mixed up a batch at 1:50 and, encouraged by the postings of a few notable Rodinal addicts, I gave it my best guestimated shot... Greater dilution so why not reduce agitation as well ??? Not the full monte stand, or semi stand, but 30 seconds to kick start it, then only 2 inversions at the start of each of minute. (9 minutes in all ). I had rated it at ISO 200 as is my norm with HC-110, and hoped to be within the ballpark for my Kaiser enlarger on grade 2 or 3 Multigrade Warmtone r/c.
The Resulting negatives are better than I could have ever hoped for, and with a nicely controlled grain, and the best tones I have got from Tri-x ever !!!!!!!!!!
Just need to thank some of you guys for the invaluable and inspiring info you freely share. It goes to show that if it does not work first time round, there is no need to give up!!!!!!! just get another 10 years experience, and it could make all the difference........ Just take more water with it and it will be O.K.
