Shelf Life of TF-4?

Sirius Glass · Nov 29, 2014

The shelf live of TF-4 is one year in stock solution. What is your experience?

Photo Engineer · Nov 29, 2014

More than a year, less than 5 in stock, in concentrate, more than 5. Working strength unused, a year or more.

You can see the stock go bad as it gets cloudy and begins to smell bad. Same with working strength. The concentrate is already cloudy.

And BTW, I think we can agree that there are 2 working strength dilutions, one for film and one for paper. There is a stock made from the concentrate that I make my working strength from, and then there is the cloudy concentrate with a precipitate on the bottom that you use to make either the stock or working strength.

PE

Sirius Glass · Nov 29, 2014

What is the working strength for film? Stock solution as opposed to concentrate, right?

Photo Engineer · Nov 29, 2014

I use 1:3 for film and either 1:7 or 1:9 for paper. I make the latter 2 from the concentrate or from the film version if I can remember the correct proportions.

But, AAMOF, I use either TF-5 or SuperFix VII. I can get 15" wash times with the latter using RC support and I have 5 years keeping on that to prove it.

PE

Sirius Glass · Nov 29, 2014

I had this bottle of TF-4 around so I mixed it up. Next time I will buy TF-5. Thank you.

DAK · Nov 30, 2014

This is from the Formulary's web site.

"Product Description

Formulary's TF-4 Archival Rapid Fixer is excellent for use with PMK and other Pyro Film Developers.. TF-4 is an extraordinary fixer for both paper and some films. TF-4 works well in batch processing, fixing resin coated paper in 30 seconds and fiber based paper in 60 seconds. You can also use TF-4 on T-Max films, fixing for 6 minutes to remove the magenta stain. We recommend 20 rolls of film to 1 liter working solution. TF-4 does not require a stop bath nor a hypo clearing agent, and has little odor when mixed with distilled water. TF-4 is a non-hardening fixer which makes it excellent for prints that are to be toned or retouched. Most modern film emulsions have built-in hardener, eliminating the need for hardener in the fix. The stock solution which has a shelf life of 1 year is diluted 1:3 to make the working solution. The working solution has a shelf life of 6 months."

DAK

Sirius Glass · Nov 30, 2014

If I use the surface area of the film divided into to 1600 to 1800 square inches of film fixing per four liters of stock solution, then TF-4 clears 20 rolls of film or 80 4"x5" film sheets. Should I only clear 20 4"x5" sheets with a liter or should I continue using the liter until it no longer clears?

Photo Engineer · Nov 30, 2014

You can extend fixing time and get more capacity, but you should test for retained silver.

PE

Sirius Glass · Nov 30, 2014

Photo Engineer said:
You can extend fixing time and get more capacity, but you should test for retained silver.

PE

Thank you!

Pioneer · Nov 30, 2014

I shoot a lot of TMAX film so I primarily use TF-4. It does remove the magenta cast very nicely.

I use fixer pretty quickly so have never really run up against a shelf life limit on TF-4, but I have only used it for a couple of years.

Sirius Glass · Nov 30, 2014

Photo Engineer said:
You can extend fixing time and get more capacity, but you should test for retained silver.

PE

Using Hypo test?

Photo Engineer · Nov 30, 2014

Using Sodium Sulfide solution. A drop, placed on poorly fixed film or paper will leave a brown or orange spot. There is a test kit sold by the Formulary and also one is in the Kodak "How To" books.

PE

palewin · Nov 30, 2014

The Formulary specs suggest a capacity of 30 fiber based 8x10 sheets per liter when the TF-4 is mixed 1:3. Since PE uses the fixer mixed 1:6 or 1:9 for prints, what does this do to capacity?

Photo Engineer · Nov 30, 2014

As you would expect, it reduces it. But, not as much as you might expect.

PE

Sirius Glass · Dec 1, 2014

I wish it would reduce my weight too.

OptiKen · Dec 1, 2014

Sirius Glass said:
I wish it would reduce my weight too.

I think that takes constant agitation

Rich Ullsmith · Dec 4, 2014

My experience with the shelf life of a 1+3 working solution TF-4 is well over a year. It is easy to test the activity of the fixer with a film strip, and if it clears quickly why dump it?

Shelf Life of TF-4?

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