Roll your own?

I've been tossing around the idea of mixing my own chemistry from scratch. From what I calculated I can cut down my chemistry costs in half and with some developers by 75%. I know almost all photographers mixed their own stuff back in the day, but aside from the costs would there be any other reason to do so?

I'd like to mix and use some of the older Kodak chemicals that are not available anymore. No reason other it would be interesting (to me) to shoot 6 shots of the same scene on my Speed and develop each sheet in a different developer and find that one or two that work for my style of photography.

Plus it's the winter and I'll be spending more time indoors at home so why not?

Any input from the people who have done this before?

I have taken to mixing my own developers from raw chemicals - Primary reason being that liquid solutions invariably go off before I get to use them all up. However, it is getting increasingly difficult to source some of the raw chemicals here in the UK, so I'd recommend stocking up while you can. I hear hydroquinone is now a controlled substance according to one or two suppliers in the USA, so it is possible that other suppliers & chemicals will go the same way.

It is easy with a 0.01 gm resolution microbalance.

lots of formula

http://www.lostlabours.co.uk/photography/formulae/developers/devPQ-ID11.htm

I mix my own.

D-23 with DK-25R as replenisher, is one of my developer. I do not want to stock up so many chemicals so stuck with D-23.

At the same time I was looking forward for an alternative to D-23 that can last longer and yet simple to make with good keeper properties. For that I got PC-TEA as one of the recommendations.

Shootar401 said:

I've been tossing around the idea of mixing my own chemistry from scratch. From what I calculated I can cut down my chemistry costs in half and with some developers by 75%. I know almost all photographers mixed their own stuff back in the day, but aside from the costs would there be any other reason to do so?...

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yep, you can personalize the soups to your desire and sometimes mixing your own is the only way.
as already mentioned, certain chems might need some legal fuzz to buy them, but you can start with something like caffenol just to get a feel for mixing your own.

I've only made pyro 510 from scratch. Works fine but I buy the others.

A big reason for me was portion size. I got tired of dumping xtol way before i could finish it. I now mix my developers in quantities that i need and can use. I do experiment as well. It's not just the film that's a hobby.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

Chemicals are available from a number of sources. In the US, Photgraphers' Formulary and Artcraft immediately come to mind, although there are several other sources. The reasons for compounding your own are convenience and versatility. You can mix just the right amount when you need it, and you can select any of thousands of different formulas. That also means the fun of experimentation, if you like. If you go this route, be sure to get yourself a really good scale. They are a bit expensive, but it pays off in the long run. (A cheap scale will work - sort of - but it won't provide the consistency and reliability you really want.) I bought an Ohaus 310 Dial-o-gram balance back around 1971 that is still serving me well.

Thanks for all the replies. Looks like I can get everything I need for D76, DK19, fixer and stop from a few suppliers without going through the legal BS. Also seems like these chemicals make up the base of most developers, plus or minus a few others.

I'd like to mix and use some of the older Kodak chemicals that are not available anymore. No reason other it would be interesting (to me) to shoot 6 shots of the same scene on my Speed and develop each sheet in a different developer and find that one or two that work for my style of photography.

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The reason why most of the older developing agents are no longer used is that it was realized that they exhibited no particular advantage. Looking at a print offers no information as to what developing agent(s) were used to develop the negative. So modern developers use: a phenidone (including the Dimezones), Metol, hydroquinone, ascorbic acid, para-aminophenol, catechol, Glycin or pyrogallol. Most of the other agents found in older literature like Eikonogen are no longer even made.

Then too many of the trade-named developing agents like like Elon, Pictol, Graphol, Kodelon, ... were simply one of the eight listed above. So while making you own developers makes economic sense doing it for the quoted reason above does not.

"The Film Developing Cookbook" by Steve Anchell and Bill Troop covers formulae up till about 1998 and is a good read.

Have a look at the thread(s) on Obsidian Aqua. If I recall correctly none of the ingredients should be difficult to obtain. I haven't used it but if you are into mixing your own this one would seem to meet the requirements of a developer which is as good as any and maybe better than most.

pentaxuser