Review My Grocery List?

bvy · Sep 13, 2009

I'm ready to try developing my own black-and-white film and am about to place an order with (probably) B&H. I thought I'd run this list past the experts in case of any glaring errors or omissions. The chemistry I'm looking at is:

Kodak D-76 (1 liter or 1 gallon?)
Ilford Ilfostop (Why can't Kodak indicator stop be shipped?)
Ilford Rapid Fixer (already use it for paper negatives)
Kodak Photo-Flo (Pittsburgh water leans to the hard side)

Some options I'm considering:
Hypo-Check (Do I need it?)
Replenisher (???)
Squeegee (I planned on using my fingers)
Film clips (Will binder clips work?)

Thanks to Bill Barber, I have supplies including:
a stainless steel tank
two 35mm Hewes-style reels
three one liter chemical bottles (non-collapsible)

The reels have spring clips and the inner track is bent inward where it looks like it catches the sprocket holes. I tried loading an existing 35mm film strip I have. I was able to load it with some difficulty (with the lights on) but don't want to risk ruining it (the film). I can see where some practice in the dark with exposed or developed film is in order.

I'm not sure what my volume of film developing will be (depends on how everything goes), so I want to start with small quantities. I plan on shooting Tri-X.

Any thoughts? Thanks.

Ian Grant · Sep 13, 2009

Sounds fine, the Hypo check isn't really needed.

You need to decide whether you replenish D76. My serious photography began around 1968/9 and I replenished from the outset, with few deviations while not at school

Replenishment is easy and we are just getting a few APUG members to go down taht route Working professionally that's all we did.

Ian

Anon Ymous · Sep 13, 2009

If you're unsure if you want to replenish or not, buy Xtol. No need to buy a separate replenisher, you use the developer as replenisher.

Now, for the rest of the list...

Hypo check is 5% solution of potassium iodide (KI). It's not necessary and your local pharmacy could be a source if you change your mind.

Squeegee is IMHO not needed. You can leave the film to dry as is, or use your clean and washed fingers for that job. I've done that and it works for me. I dip my fingers in the photo-flo solution before doing that.

I've never used film clips. Binder clips or clothespins do the trick.

DanielStone · Sep 13, 2009

looks like a nice list there

some things that I would do if I were you:

Kodak D-76 (1 liter or 1 gallon?)Go with the gallon,cheaper in the long run
Ilford Ilfostop (Why can't Kodak indicator stop be shipped?)use water
Ilford Rapid Fixer (already use it for paper negatives)nice stuff
Kodak Photo-Flo (Pittsburgh water leans to the hard side)good

Some options I'm considering:
Hypo-Check (Do I need it?)NO
Replenisher (???)No
Squeegee (I planned on using my fingers)Fingers only if you have too, otherwise just let it drip,drip drip to dry
Film clips (Will binder clips work?) use clothespins, much cheaper

best of luck!!!
-Dan

MattKing · Sep 13, 2009

Spring clips with rubber tips from the dollar store work well as film clips - try to get heavy ones.

If you intend to reuse your fix, then stop bath is a good idea.

Matt

Denis K · Sep 13, 2009

If I was you, I would get a gallon of distilled water and use it to mix (at a minimum) the D-76 and the Photo-Flo.

I would forget the second part of your list with the exception of clips. Here I would ditto Dan's comments. I have used binder clips, cloths pins and paper clips with suspended weights. When you are hanging film to dry, almost anything will work at the bottom. The top is the problem. In a pinch find a coat hanger made with wire small enough to easily fit through the perf's in the film. Then when you want to dry your film, simply jam the coat hanger in between the top of a closet door and the door jam with the curved hanger part sticking out into the room. Then hang your film by inserting the point of the coat hanger wire (where it would normally wrap around a curtain rod) through a perf in the film.

Denis K

Ektagraphic · Sep 13, 2009

Freestyle will ship the Kodak indicator. For black and white, Freestyle is the place to go. They have great customer service!..For drying film, I just use one closepin and I have the film hanging down.

Sirius Glass · Sep 13, 2009

Use XTOL full strength. Finer grain, better sharpness.

Some options I'm considering:

Hypo-Check (Do I need it?) Nice but not necessary. Mixed hypo goes bad after two months. Keep notebook and keep track of when you mixed chemicals, how many rolls of film, length of film for 35mm, developer strength, temperture and development time.
Replenisher (???) If you use XTOL you can either replenish or replace after 15 rolls of film. Follow the instuctions.
Squeegee (I planned on using my fingers) No and no. Not necessary if you use PhotoFlo. See the poll on squeegees and fingers
Film clips (Will binder clips work?) the metal clips from FreeStyle and others are better for hanging and they have small points for holding the film. One of the clips is weighted and the other is not. Put the weighted clips on the bottom and the film will dry straight and without streaks.

Steve

dancqu · Sep 13, 2009

bvy said:
Kodak D-76 (1 liter or 1 gallon?) Any thoughts? Thanks.

Well hind sight IS better. When I restarted my interest in
photography several years ago I loaded up on chemistry
and film and paper. Well, I wasn't at it all that much
and still am not. Much of what was purchased went
to waste.

Now I've a good scale now and have switched to Home
Brew chemistry. Fresh chemistry where it counts most
with the 'keepers' in small glass bottles. Dan

bvy · Sep 13, 2009

Thanks. I decided against Xtol because five gallons seemed like a big commitment and would require some extra storage accommodations.

How many rolls of film will I be able to develop with a liter/gallon of D-76 without replenishment?

fotch · Sep 14, 2009

bvy said:
Thanks. I decided against Xtol because five gallons seemed like a big commitment and would require some extra storage accommodations.

How many rolls of film will I be able to develop with a liter/gallon of D-76 without replenishment?

You mean 5 Liter don't you? That is just slightly more the a Gallon.

dancqu · Sep 14, 2009

bvy said:
How many rolls of film will I be able to develop with
a liter/gallon of D-76 without replenishment?

A little more water will make 4 liters of one gallon.
At a some what usual dilution of 1:3 you'll have
16 liters of working solution. How much do
you need per roll? Dan

R W Penn · Sep 14, 2009

Liquid Clayton F76+ from Freestyle mix 1-9 use one time. Does 20 rolls Comes in quarts best film dev to start, long life, Freestyle arista premium $2+ a roll is Tri-X. Try it you will like it.

bvy · Sep 14, 2009

fotch - Yes, I meant 5 liters. Maybe I should invest in some of those collapsible bottles.
dancqu - I didn't see instructions for 1:3 dilution. I'll look again.
RW - Thanks. I'll take a look.

Rick A · Sep 14, 2009

I do most of my shopping at Freestyle for film and sundry chems, also paper. Most of my lab equiptment comes from the Dollar Store, or Rite Aid--measuring cups(plastic and glass) digital timers($1.00 ea at Dollar Tree) small dose syringes at the pharmacy. Got a great dial face thermometer from NAPA for under $10. I use recycled peroxide(brown) and alcohol(white) bottles in pint and quart sizes. My trays from anywhere I can find a good deal.
Rick

dancqu · Sep 15, 2009

Clear Bottles and Split to Smaller

bvy said:
Maybe I should invest in some of those collapsible bottles.
dancqu - I didn't see instructions for 1:3 dilution.

Clear bottles, glass or plastic. See what is in the bottle
and it's condition and after washing know they are clean
inside. Any good clear plastics used for human consumption
should do. Split big into smaller, always full. Dan

Question this forum. Some APUGers use it 1:3.
I'd go as far as 1:7 but do not use D-76. Dan

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