Reusing EDTA PT/PD

[mexipike]

As per Bostick and Sullivan's and many other's recommendations, I've switched from Muriatic Acid to EDTA for clearing PT/PD prints. So I have a simple yes or no question. After clearing can the EDTA bath be reused? I know muriatic acid can not be. I'm just curious as I just bought some EDTA from B and S and a tbsp per liter per print sure does make it go fast.

Thanks,
John

 

[Monophoto]

Simple answer: yes.

I use a plain water rinse followed by three clearing baths. When the first bath starts to look a bit dodgy, I dump it, move the second bath and third baths in to the first and second bath positions, and mix a new third bath. As a practical matter, that roughly translates into mixing one new bath for each printing session.

 

[RobertP]

Why was the suggestion made to go away from hydrochloric acid?

 

[Jeremy]

I use a plain water rinse followed by three clearing baths.

Just a note that if you're going to use a plain water rinse first to make sure that your water is neutral to acidic because if it's basic it can be hell to clear the print afterwards. Where I used to live the tap water was basic so I added a couple of grams of citric acid to get it acidic.

 

[mexipike]

So if I say print two prints and decide to pack up for the day as there's no longer sun, I can store the solution til next time. Thanks for all the answers.

Robert P-from what I understand Hydrochloric acid tends to bleach the print a little and from experience it's not very fun to work with.
Thanks,
John

 

[Vaughn]

I been having success using Kodak Hypo-clear (at regular working strength) with a slug of EDTA added (about 8 oz of EDTA in 60 oz of HCA). This clears Crane Weston diploma parchment very quickly (using Potassium oxalate developer).

Like Monophoto I end up making one new tray (sometimes 2) per session. I will usually bottle up the last tray of clearing solution at the end of the session and use it as my first clearing bath for my next session.

For awhile I was using Citric acid (30gr/1.5 liter water as per Arentz's book) as my first clearing bath, then HCA/EDTA for the next two. That worked well with Fabriano Aristico and COT 320.

Vaughn

 

[RobertP]

Single tray process with hydrochloric acid. Buffer with ammonia. Rinse and then you never need to touch the print until it is ready to go to the final wash. With some of the more fragile papers going from bath to bath of EDTA can be a pain. I just add 200ml of hydrochloric acid to 5 gal of RO water and I'm good to go for multiple ULF prints. No need to even lift it out of the tray until it goes into the final wash.

 

[RobertP]

If it is bleaching the print then your mixture is to strong.

 

[mexipike]

When I go back to Mexico I'll probably go back to that way as EDTA is scarce (if you can even get it anywhere). Right now I'm in Texas and thought I'd give it a try as everyone has been talking about it.

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

I'm space challenged, so I just use a single bath of combination EDTA and Perma-Wash. I get about one batch per printing session, unless it was a very short printing session. I typically go ten minutes in the one tray of clearing bath, then back into the water wash.

 

[Joe Lipka]

Rule of thumb I have used on dumping EDTA is when the first clearing batch starts to take on the color of weak iced tea, it's time to throw it down the drain.