So, where are you all getting your Rodinal?

Christiaan Phleger · Oct 23, 2006

I'm starting to get a bit low on my stockpiled Agfa Rodinal, and wondering where everybody is getting theirs now, since I should start thinking about aquiring more in the next few months. I've heard that another company is making it but has anybody seen it or knows where it is. I'm also considering mixing it from the PF. Much thanks and ALoha!

DeanC · Oct 23, 2006

Freestyle has it.

jss · Oct 23, 2006

DeanC said:
Freestyle has it.

i just got a couple bottles from freestyle. nobody locally seemed to have it anymore. first time i had to actually search for it. stocked up with a couple bottles.

srs5694 · Oct 23, 2006

Freestyle and J&C also both carry R09 (sold under the Fomadon and Calbe labels), which is reportedly an older Rodinal formula than what's currently sold by Agfa/A&O. Of course, you can also mix it (or something very much like it) yourself; formulas abound on the Internet, in The Darkroom Cookbook, etc. There's even Parodinal, which is a Rodinal-like developer mixed from acetaminophen (Tylenol), lye, and sodium sulfite, IIRC.

zenrhino · Oct 23, 2006

Freestyle. I still have 3 bottles of old label and got 4 more of new label when it came out.

at 1:100 dilution this should last me until about 2092.

copake_ham · Oct 23, 2006

zenrhino said:
Freestyle. I still have 3 bottles of old label and got 4 more of new label when it came out.

at 1:100 dilution this should last me until about 2092.

Aw geez, do ya' think that's enough? What with modern medicine and all, ain't we all gonna live to be 200?

Shawn Dougherty · Oct 23, 2006

I just scored 4 unopened 500ml bottles of Rodinal off of the Apug classifieds. I have over 400ml of a bottle now so I should be set for awhile... Once that's gone I'll probably by the mix from Photographer's Formulary. They've been wonderfull to deal with in the past, even gave me a full replacement on some bad amidol recently. Good company. Good luck. Shawn

jim appleyard · Oct 23, 2006

srs5694 said:
Freestyle and J&C also both carry R09 (sold under the Fomadon and Calbe labels), which is reportedly an older Rodinal formula than what's currently sold by Agfa/A&O. Of course, you can also mix it (or something very much like it) yourself; formulas abound on the Internet, in The Darkroom Cookbook, etc. There's even Parodinal, which is a Rodinal-like developer mixed from acetaminophen (Tylenol), lye, and sodium sulfite, IIRC.

The problem is in finding lye. My grocery and hardware stores ued to carry Red Devil lye, but no longer. I read here or on another photo site that lye is used in making meth and stores have voluntarily taken it off the shelves.

I can still get it thru the Formulary and nothing against them, it was so much less expensive at the local stores; just saving a $.

srs5694 · Oct 23, 2006

If you want to home-brew and need lye, try soap-making outfits. You might be able to find a local hobby shop that stocks it, or you can order from various mail-order outfits. Of course, if you do the latter photochemistry suppliers can provide it, too.

Christiaan Phleger · Oct 23, 2006

Thanks all, it actually was that ad for the 4 bottles that got me thinking, I then checked out my supply and did some calculations and by the time I thought some more that batch was gone. I'll try Freestyle.Aloha

Black Dog · Oct 24, 2006

Still have a 500ml bottle which should last for a good few years yet.

Gerald Koch · Oct 24, 2006

Try The Chemistry Store www.chemistrystore.com. Some stores still sell lye albeit not the Red Devil brand.

BradS · Oct 24, 2006

jim appleyard said:
The problem is in finding lye. My grocery and hardware stores used to carry Red Devil lye, but no longer. I read here or on another photo site that lye is used in making meth and stores have voluntarily taken it off the shelves.

When I talked to the guys at my local "mom & pop" true value hardware, they said that Red Devil stopped shipping the product. The store has since found a replacement. Virtually the same stuff but in a different package (and cheaper too!). Keep looking.

jim appleyard · Oct 24, 2006

Thanks. I realize that I could get lye (sod./pot. hydroxide) in some way or another. The Red Devil at the grocery store was just very convenient. I'll check out my True Value. Perhaps it was Red Devil who voluntarily stopped shipping it due its use in meth?

gainer · Oct 24, 2006

You can make sodium hydroxide from slaked (hydrated) lime and sodium carbonate. You can get the lime from most places where gardening or farm supplies are sold. There's a lot of precipitate in a solution containing lime and carbonate. That is calcium carbonate. If you use potassium carbonate, you get potassium hydroxide and calcium carbonate.

gainer · Oct 24, 2006

copake_ham said:
Aw geez, do ya' think that's enough? What with modern medicine and all, ain't we all gonna live to be 200?

What Ricci said is a different way of saying that a specialist is one who learns more and more about less and lass until he knows all there is to know about nothing.

I met him once when he played with the Norfolk Symphony. He liked my oboe playing and my pictures.

Matt5791 · Oct 24, 2006

Nova Darkroom in the UK has plenty - I just bought some Neutol today and saw it on the shelf.

http://www.novadarkroom.com

Not sure about postage to Hawaii though!

BradS · Oct 24, 2006

jim appleyard said:
...Perhaps it was Red Devil who voluntarily stopped shipping it due its use in meth?

Yes. that's basically what they said. That Red Devil stopped. Even the Red Devil web site no longer lists the product. As to why they stopped...I guess we can only speculate. It is also useful in the production of Bio-Diesel. Maybe, "big oil" put the pressure on them (joking) to pull the product.

So, where are you all getting your Rodinal?

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency